Black Grouse (Tetrao tetrix)
The Black Grouse T. tetrix is typically regarded as a
bird of early successional forest, either coniferous or birch, and of
forest-edge habitats. Following large scale reductions in the extent of natural
forests, T. tetrix are now found in structurally similar habitats, such as
mosaics of moorland and heathland, early stages of coniferous plantations,
rough grazings and traditionally managed meadows. They are well
known for the early morning displays of the male (a selection of images above). At first light they gather
at clearings known as leks, where they display to attract a female by strutting
with their tails spread wide, their heads held low and their bubbling calls and
posturing. Leks are visited all year round but the peak of activity occurs during
the spring when the females attend and mate with the males. The most dominant
males hold the best positions at the lek and mate with most females. As dawn breaks and the sun rises above the beautiful moorland habitat, the sights and sounds of lekking T. tetrix is an experience that is rarely forgotten.
Unfortunately, during the
last century, they have been declining throughout virtually all of their
European range. In Britain, the decline has been considerable over the last 150
years and the species is now mostly confined to Scotland and northeastern
England, with a small number still resident in Wales. They used to be common throughout
southern and central England from Lincolnshire and Norfolk to Hampshire and
Cornwall. By the late 1960s they had disappeared from all of the southern part of
their range. They are currently disappearing at rates of between 10% and
40% a year in some areas. T. tetrix
is listed on the UK Red List of Birds
of Conservation Concern (December 2015), and is a priority species for
which a UK Biodiversity Action Plan has been produced. It is therefore vital we take our responsibilities seriously to avoid harming these wonderful upland birds.
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