UKBirds

Black Grouse

Tetrao tetrix

The Black Grouse or Blackgame (Lyrurus tetrix) is a large game bird in the grouse family. It is a sedentary species, breeding across northern Eurasia in moorland and bog areas near to woodland, mostly boreal. The Black Grouse is closely related to the Caucasian Grouse.

Black Grouse is a large bird with males being around 53 centimetres (21 in) long and weighing 1,000-1,450 grams (2.2-3.2 lb) and females approximately 40 centimetres (16 in) and weighing 750-1,110 grams (1.7-2.4 lb) The cock is very distinctive, with black plumage, apart from red wattles and a white wingbar, and a lyre-shaped tail, which appears forked in flight. His song is loud, bubbling and somewhat dove-like.

The female is greyish-brown and has a cackling call. She takes all responsibility for nesting and caring for the chicks, as is typical with gamebirds.