In the summer nightingales and grasshopper warblers can be heard singing. Other nesting birds include whitethroat, lesser whitethroat, willow warbler and cuckoo. In winter the red hawthorn berries provide food for birds such as redwings and fieldfares, which visit England in the winter.

The grassland contains many plants once common in the countryside, before such areas were "improved" by fertilisers and weedkillers. These plants include pale flax and grass vetchling.

The Down is managed by a partnership between the City Council and the Friends of Duncan Down. Each winter working parties help manage the scrub. In summer the grass is cut for hay.

The down can be reached from Borstal Avenue or Gordon Road. The downs is a registered Village Green and there is free public access throughout .