Red Grouse

The Red Grouse is a plump, russet-red gamebird of heather moorland, with warm reddish-brown, finely barred plumage overall, feathered legs and feet for insulation against cold, and a small red wattle above the eye that is especially prominent in males during display.

It is generally treated as a distinctive British and Irish subspecies of the Willow Ptarmigan, differing from the nominate Arctic form by lacking the white winter plumage typical of ptarmigan further north, remaining a rich rufous-brown year-round.

Key field marks

• Rich reddish-brown, barred plumage
• Red wattle ("comb") over the eye, larger and brighter in males
• Feathered legs and feet
• Explosive, low whirring flight when flushed from heather
• Distinctive "go-back, go-back, go-back" call

Similar species

• Black Grouse males are unmistakably black with a lyre-shaped tail; females are greyer and larger than Red Grouse.
• Ptarmigan (found on high mountain tops in Scotland) turns white in winter, unlike Red Grouse.

Its rich rufous coloring and restriction to heather moorland make the Red Grouse distinctive within its range.

Habitat

Almost entirely restricted to upland heather moorland, particularly areas managed with rotational burning to provide a mix of young shoots for feeding and taller heather for cover.

Range

Endemic as a subspecies to Britain and Ireland, found across upland moorland in Scotland, northern England, Wales, and Ireland.

Migration

Resident and highly sedentary, rarely moving far from natal moorland.

Behavior

Strongly territorial, especially in spring when males display and call from prominent moorland perches to defend territory and attract mates; flushes with a fast, whirring, low flight over the heather.

Voice

The well-known call is a loud, guttural "go-back, go-back, go-back", given especially by territorial males.

Feeding

Feeds mainly on the shoots, flowers, and seeds of heather, supplemented by berries; chicks rely more on insects in early life.

Nesting and breeding

Nests in a shallow scrape hidden within heather. Females lay 6-9 eggs, incubated alone for about 19-25 days, with chicks able to leave the nest and feed themselves soon after hatching.