Black Grouse
The Black Grouse is a large game bird in the grouse family. The male has all black plumage with distinctive red wattles over the eyes and striking white stripes along each wing in flight. It has a lyre-shaped tail which is fanned out and raised to show white under-tail feathers when displaying. The female is smaller and grey-brown in colour.
The Black Grouse is a sedentary species and breeds across northern Eurasia in moorland and bog areas near to mostly boreal woodland. Although it is declining, it is not considered to be vulnerable globally due to the large population and slow rate of decline. Its decline is due to loss of habitat, disturbance, predation by foxes, crows, etc., and small populations gradually dying out.
In the UK, the Black Grouse are found in upland areas of Wales, the Pennines and most of Scotland, especially on farmland and moorland with nearby forestry or scattered trees. Habitat loss and overgrazing have resulted in severe population declines which make the Black Grouse a Red List species. Positive habitat management and re-introduction programmes are helping it to increase in some areas.
The Black Grouse has a very distinctive and well-recorded courtship. At dawn in the spring, the males strut around in a traditional area (lek) and display whilst making a highly distinctive and bubbling mating call.
This photo was taken at a well known roadside lekking site. If visiting, please remain in your car to avoid disturbance to these vulnerable breeding birds.
Date: 13th May 2023
Location: World's End, Denbighshire
The Black Grouse is a sedentary species and breeds across northern Eurasia in moorland and bog areas near to mostly boreal woodland. Although it is declining, it is not considered to be vulnerable globally due to the large population and slow rate of decline. Its decline is due to loss of habitat, disturbance, predation by foxes, crows, etc., and small populations gradually dying out.
In the UK, the Black Grouse are found in upland areas of Wales, the Pennines and most of Scotland, especially on farmland and moorland with nearby forestry or scattered trees. Habitat loss and overgrazing have resulted in severe population declines which make the Black Grouse a Red List species. Positive habitat management and re-introduction programmes are helping it to increase in some areas.
The Black Grouse has a very distinctive and well-recorded courtship. At dawn in the spring, the males strut around in a traditional area (lek) and display whilst making a highly distinctive and bubbling mating call.
This photo was taken at a well known roadside lekking site. If visiting, please remain in your car to avoid disturbance to these vulnerable breeding birds.
Date: 13th May 2023
Location: World's End, Denbighshire
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