Black Grouse
Lyrurus tetrix
The Black Grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) is a common partridges, pheasants, grouse, and alli found in 30 countries, weighing about 1.1 kg. The black grouse, also known as northern black grouse, Eurasian black grouse, blackgame or blackcock, is a large bird in the grouse tribe.
About the Black Grouse
The black grouse, also known as northern black grouse, Eurasian black grouse, blackgame or blackcock, is a large bird in the grouse tribe. It is a sedentary species, spanning across the Palearctic in moorland and steppe habitat when breeding, often near wooded areas. They will spend the winter perched in dense forests, feeding almost exclusively on the needles of conifers. The black grouse is one of two species of grouse in the genus Lyrurus, the other being the lesser-known Caucasian grouse.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Black Grouse sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Kyrgyzstan, Hungary, Montenegro.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in April. It is a passage migrant species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- What does a Black Grouse look like?
- The black grouse, also known as northern black grouse, Eurasian black grouse, blackgame or blackcock, is a large bird in the grouse tribe.
- How big is a Black Grouse?
- The Black Grouse is a large sized bird weighing about 1.1 kg.
- Where can you see a Black Grouse?
- The Black Grouse occurs in 30 countries, including Sweden, Finland, Norway, France and the United Kingdom.
- What does a Black Grouse sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Black Grouse on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Black Grouse?
- The Black Grouse is most easily confused with the Caucasian Grouse.
- Is the Black Grouse endangered?
- The Black Grouse is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Black Grouse for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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