Black Grouse

Overview

The Black Grouse, or blackcock, is a widespread grouse of northern and central Eurasia found from moorland edges in Britain to birch and pine forest margins across Scandinavia and Siberia. Males are known for their striking lyre-shaped tail and communal spring leks, where groups gather to display and compete for mates through bubbling calls and hissing sounds.

Feather Identification

• Male body feathers: glossy blue-black with a distinct iridescent sheen, especially on the neck and breast
• Tail feathers: the outer pair curve strongly outward, forming the namesake lyre shape when fanned; the tail overall appears forked rather than rounded or wedge-shaped
• Wing: a bold white wing bar crosses the secondaries, visible both in flight and on a shed wing feather
• Undertail coverts: pure white, contrasting sharply with the black tail
• Female (greyhen) feathers: mottled rufous-brown and black barring throughout, lacking any white wing bar contrast as strong as the male's, with a shallowly forked rather than lyre-shaped tail

Plumage Notes

Males (blackcocks) are glossy blue-black overall with a red wattle over the eye, white wing bar, and white undertail coverts visible during display. Females (greyhens) are cryptically mottled in rufous-brown and black barring for camouflage while nesting. Juveniles resemble females. Males undergo a single complete molt after the breeding season, and the glossy sheen of fresh feathers can appear duller as plumage wears through the year.

Habitat & Range

Black Grouse occupy a broad belt of habitat across northern Europe and Asia, favoring the transition zones between open moorland or heath and birch, pine, or mixed forest. They are largely resident, though some populations shift to lower elevations or denser cover in severe winter weather.

Behavior & Field Notes

Males gather at traditional lekking grounds at dawn and dusk, fanning their lyre-shaped tails, hissing, and producing a bubbling song to attract females and defend small display territories. Diet includes buds, catkins, berries, and shoots, shifting seasonally with available vegetation. Nests are shallow ground scrapes hidden in low vegetation. Outside the lek season, Black Grouse are relatively quiet and can be inconspicuous, often first detected by an explosive flush from cover.