Fun Black Grouse Facts For Kids

Have you ever heard of a bird called black grouse (Tetrao tetrix)? Of course, you have. This species comprises large-sized game birds that belong to the grouse family. Males have a lyre-shaped tail. These hen-like birds can be seen migrating in flocks during the summer season. The black grouse can be spotted in open lands of England and green areas. The black grouse has an extremely unique and well-documented courtship ritual wherein at the dawn during the spring, the males strut around in a traditional area fanning their deeply forked tails and fluffing their white under tail coverts. The males display themselves and make an extremely distinctive mating call. This call and display process is known as a lek and the grouse are said to be lekking in the spring.Their range extends across Wales, Scotland, Scandinavia, north-central Europe. Do you want to find more about it? Here are some fun facts about black grouse (Tetrao tetrix). Keep scrolling to learn more. After this, you may also like to look at spruce grouse facts and blue grouse facts.

What do they prey on? Needles of conifers

What do they eat? Herbivores

Average litter size? 6-11 eggs

How much do they weigh? 1.7-2.4 lb (0.7-1.1 kg)

How long are they? 16-24 in (40.6-61 cm)

How tall are they? 26-32 in (66-81.3 cm) (wingspan)

What do they look like? Black (male), gray-brown(female)

Skin Type Feathers

What were their main threats? Goshawk And Red Fox

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Grassland, Farmland, Moorland, And Heathland

Locations Russia, Scotland, Scandinavia, Wales, North-central Europe

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Lyrurus

Class Aves

Family Phasianidae

Black Grouse Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a black grouse?The black grouse or northern black grouse or blackcock or blackgame is a large game bird that belongs to the family of grouse. It is a sedentary species with habitat distribution across Europe, Great Britain, and Russia. It is one of the two species of Lyrurus. These breeding birds live in grasslands, farmlands, and moorlands, near wooded areas.What class of animal does a black grouse belong to?A black grouse, Eurasian black grouse, northern black grouse, or blackcock is a large game bird that belongs to the Phasianidae family, which is a sedentary species. Large populations of these breeding birds usually live in their habitat range across farmlands, moorlands, and forest grasslands. The female black grouse is gray-brown in color and called greyhen. Males are black in color and have a lyre-shaped tail.How many black grouse are there in the world?Even though there is a small decline in the population of black grouses with the British population of around 6,500 lekking males during the spring. The population of the species has faced a decline throughout the western Europe range distribution. The population of black grouse males on leks has witnessed a decline across its habitat range, necessitating conservation efforts. It is seen in the other parts like Scotland and upward areas of Wales. Presently, the conservation status of this species is of Least Concern in the IUCN Red List, so it is believed that their population is stable across the habitat.Where does a black grouse live?A black grouse usually lives in grasslands, moorlands and farmlands, and steppe habitat. They are found across Europe, Great Britain, and Russia. The population of black grouses is seen in northeastern England, in the upland areas of Wales, the Pennines, and Scotland. Males and females migrate to other places during winter in large flocks.What is a black grouse’s habitat?A black grouse is usually found in grasslands, heathlands and moorlands, and steppe habitat. During the winter season, they migrate to dense forests and feed mainly on leaves and buds of coniferous trees. They avoid extreme regions like the deserts and the polar regions. They are found across Europe and Russia.Who do black grouse live with?A black grouse usually live in groups. They migrate to dense forests in large flocks. They also have a mating system called a lek, where a large group of males gathers in open areas to attract females. Females have to choose one for mating.How long does a black grouse live?A black grouse may live around five years on an average scale and vary according to the habitat distribution.How do they reproduce?Black grouses have a different breeding system called the lek system. In this system, a large group of male black grouses gathers in open areas. They display signals to their territory and fans their elaborate lyre-shaped tails to the females. They also inflate their necks. Their vocals are more like a long murmur or a bubbling coo. Female black grouses come to this place and choose a mate who is among the healthiest. It is like a competition between the males during the breeding season.After mating, the females flow to suitable nesting sites where tall vegetation is available. They lay 6-11 pale eggs that are speckled brown, which are incubated for 23-28 days. The chick’s diet includes invertebrates which consume plants as soon as they start to mature. Within 10-14 days, they are able to make short flights.What is their conservation status?The black grouse has a Least Concern conservation status in the IUCN Red List. The populations have declined in western Europe due to the loss of habitat, excessive hunting, and disturbance.Black Grouse Fun FactsWhat do black grouse look like?A black grouse or northern black grouse or blackcock is a large game bird that belongs to the grouse family. A male black grouse is black in color. It has glossy blue-black plumage and has bright red patches over each eye. It has white bars on the wings, which are seen only during flight. It has a lyre-shaped tail. Females are grayish-brown in color. They are more well camouflaged to reduce the chance of being seen during nesting. Their reddish plumage has dark bars.How cute are they?A black grouse is a large game bird and its sound is sometimes heard from 4 km away. Its cooing sound is cuter than its appearance.How do they communicate?A black grouse has a far-reaching, continuous cooing sound. Sometimes it is interrupted by ‘choo-ee’ hissing as well. Their alarm calls are higher pitched than the normal sound they make.How big is a black grouse?The black grouse has an average size of 16-24 in (40.6-61cm) and hence is a large-sized bird. The wingspan size range is 26-32 in (66-81.3 cm).How fast can a black grouse fly?A black grouse is much faster than a red grouse and can cover long distances very fast. They can fly high over long distances, so they are called strong fliers. When in flight, the white of the wing bars is seen clearly.How much does a black grouse weigh?On an average scale, a male black grouse or blackcock weighs around 2.4-2.8 lb (1.1-1.3 kg), whereas a female black grouse or greyhen weighs around 1.7-2.4 lb (0.7-1.1 kg).What are the male and female names of the species?As the black grouse is a bird, its species is L. tetrix. A male black grouse is called blackcock, and a female black grouse is called greyhen.What would you call a baby black grouse?The black grouse is a bird, so the young one of the birds are called chicks. A baby grouse is also called a cheaper or squealer.What do they eat?As black grouses are omnivores, they eat both flesh and plants. They usually feed on plants and eat animal matter accidentally, along with the plants. The chick’s diet consists mainly of invertebrates like ants, spiders, and beetles. An adult black grouse’s diet includes berries, shoots, grass, and bilberries. They have predators as well. The goshawk and red fox are the two main predators.Are they dangerous?A black grouse is a wild bird. They do not pose any threat to others. They are not dangerous.Would they make a good pet?A black grouse prefers to live in grassland and farmland. They are wild and expensive and are not suitable for making a pet.Did you know…The black grouse’s tail has been used as a decoration in hats during Victorian times. It is continued to be worn by military and civilian pipe bands.The aptest description of the male grouse birds lekking is ‘chivalrous’.Where can I see a black grouse in England?As the population of these wild birds is slightly decreasing, black grouses are seen in northeastern England, in the upland areas of Wales, the Pennines, and Scotland. These wild birds are mostly seen in farmlands, grasslands, and moorland.What animals eat black grouse?The black grouse has two main predators; goshawk and red fox. Goshawks are powerful hunters who can easily catch their prey using their speed and quick flight. Red foxes are also good hunters who prey on game and songbirds, hares and rabbits, and other animals.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our ring-necked duck facts and northern spotted owl fun facts pages.You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable black grouse coloring pages.

What type of animal is a black grouse?

The black grouse or northern black grouse or blackcock or blackgame is a large game bird that belongs to the family of grouse. It is a sedentary species with habitat distribution across Europe, Great Britain, and Russia. It is one of the two species of Lyrurus. These breeding birds live in grasslands, farmlands, and moorlands, near wooded areas.

Fun Black Grouse Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Needles of conifers

What do they eat? Herbivores

Average litter size? 6-11 eggs

How much do they weigh? 1.7-2.4 lb (0.7-1.1 kg)

How long are they? 16-24 in (40.6-61 cm)

How tall are they? 26-32 in (66-81.3 cm) (wingspan)

What do they look like? Black (male), gray-brown(female)

Skin Type Feathers

What were their main threats? Goshawk And Red Fox

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Grassland, Farmland, Moorland, And Heathland

Locations Russia, Scotland, Scandinavia, Wales, North-central Europe

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Lyrurus

Class Aves

Family Phasianidae

Fun Black Grouse Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Needles of conifers

What do they eat? Herbivores

Average litter size? 6-11 eggs

How much do they weigh? 1.7-2.4 lb (0.7-1.1 kg)

How long are they? 16-24 in (40.6-61 cm)

How tall are they? 26-32 in (66-81.3 cm) (wingspan)

What do they look like? Black (male), gray-brown(female)

Skin Type Feathers

What were their main threats? Goshawk And Red Fox

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Grassland, Farmland, Moorland, And Heathland

Locations Russia, Scotland, Scandinavia, Wales, North-central Europe

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Lyrurus

Class Aves

Family Phasianidae

Fun Black Grouse Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Needles of conifers

What do they eat? Herbivores

Average litter size? 6-11 eggs

How much do they weigh? 1.7-2.4 lb (0.7-1.1 kg)

How long are they? 16-24 in (40.6-61 cm)

How tall are they? 26-32 in (66-81.3 cm) (wingspan)

What do they look like? Black (male), gray-brown(female)

Skin Type Feathers

What were their main threats? Goshawk And Red Fox

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Grassland, Farmland, Moorland, And Heathland

Locations Russia, Scotland, Scandinavia, Wales, North-central Europe

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Lyrurus

Class Aves

Family Phasianidae