Tuesday, 30 April 2024

Black Grouse (Lyrurus tetrix)

OTHER NAMES: Northern Black Grouse, Eurasian Black Grouse, Blackcock
Latin Etymology:  Lyrurus ("lyre tail") tetrix ("grasshopper")

Adult male Black Grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) at World's End, Denbighshire, Wales - April 2024

Featured Subspecies: Lyrurus tetrix britannicus
Weight: 900-1200g  /  Length: 60cm  /  Wingspan: 65-80cm
UK RED LIST IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A rare resident of remote uplands in Scotland, Wales and Northern England, the Black Grouse in it's adult male plumage is a distinctive species that is nearly unmistakable, except perhaps for the rarer and much larger Capercaillie. They are easiest to see at traditional lekking sites where males display for females through dance like motions.

Related Species:
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genus: Lyrurus
SUBSPECIES: L. t. britannicus, L. t. tetrix, L. t. viridanus, L. t. tschusii, L. t. baikalensis, L. t. mongolicus, L. t. ussuriensis 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A rare resident  of remote Uplands (5000 breeding birds)
 - Seen at World's End (8 displaying males in April 2024)

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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