The red headed bird commonly seen in the UK is the red grouse. The red grouse (Lagopus lagopus scotica) is a medium-sized bird in the grouse family that is found across parts of Europe and Asia. In the UK, it is restricted to upland areas of Scotland, England and Wales. The red grouse is so named for the male’s red coloring around its eyes and top of its head. It is the only grouse species native to the UK. The red grouse is an important gamebird in the UK and a popular quarry for shooting sports. But beyond its role as a gamebird, the red grouse is an interesting upland bird adapted to moorland habitats. Let’s take a closer look at this species and what makes it unique.
Description and Identification
The red grouse is a rotund, chicken-like bird measuring 40-43 cm in length and weighing 500-980 g. It has a short, rounded tail and small legs with feathering down to its toes. In summer, the male red grouse is beautifully adorned with rich red eyebrow feathers, reaching a peak just above and behind its eyes. These red eyebrow feathers (known as supra-orbital combs) are less developed in females. The male’s neck and throat are a rusty red-brown merging into finely barred underparts. Its upperparts are mottled brown, black and grey. In winter, the red grouse loses its distinctive red coloring and both sexes take on a drab brown plumage.
Distinctive features of the red grouse include:
– Red supra-orbital combs above eyes (males in summer)
– Stocky body shape
– Short, rounded tail
– Feathered legs and toes
– Mottled brown, black and grey upperparts
– Distinctive ‘go-back, go-back, go-back’ flight call
The red grouse differs from other UK grouse species in a few key ways. The red grouse lacks the white tail spots found on the black grouse. It has yellow-orange legs whereas the ptarmigan has white legs and toes. The red grouse is smaller than the capercaillie and is found in different moorland habitats. Paying attention to size, leg color, tail markings and habitat can help identify this species.
Distribution and Habitat
The red grouse is endemic to the UK, only found breeding in upland areas of Scotland, northern England, Wales and Ireland. Its range spans from southern Scotland down through Wales, northern England, Northern Ireland and parts of the Republic of Ireland. Within this range, it occupies open moorlands and upland heather habitats at elevations over 200 m. Key habitat requirements are areas of young, dense heather where it can nest and find food and shelter. The red grouse is strongly associated with heather moorland and does not thrive when this habitat becomes degraded. Its populations are highest in areas with abundant heather coverage sustained through rotational burning or grazing by sheep.
Life History and Ecology
The red grouse is well adapted to life in open, treeless moorlands. It has many interesting behaviors and traits linked to breeding, territoriality, diet and survival in harsh upland conditions.
Diet
The red grouse is an herbivorous bird whose diet consists mostly of heather shoots, leaves and seeds. Heather and blaeberry make up over 90% of its annual food intake. It will also feed on birch, willow and grasses. The young chicks feed mainly on insects for their protein content before transitioning to a plant-based diet.
Breeding
During the breeding season, the male red grouse puts on territorial displays to attract females and deter rivals. It makes a repetitive, territorial ‘go-back, go-back’ call and engages in aggressive fights with other males when defending its territory. The male performs a flying display flight to impress females, flying with whirring wingbeats and then descending in a spiral or fluttery parachute-like flight.
The female red grouse builds a scrape nest on the ground concealed in vegetation. She lays 6-10 eggs which are olive colored with dark speckles. The eggs hatch after 21-25 days. Both parents help brood and care for the precocial young. The chicks feed themselves from hatching but stay near the hen for protection.
Behavior
Outside the breeding season, red grouse form loose flocks and may congregate in numbers reaching 50-100 birds where food is abundant. The red grouse spends most of its time on the ground, walking and running between patches of cover. When approached by predators like foxes or stoats, it relies on camouflage to avoid detection. It can explode into flight when threatened, making a whirring sound with its wings as it takes off. At night, it roosts on the ground, using its cryptic plumage to stay hidden from predators.
Population Cycles
Red grouse populations naturally follow boom and bust cycles, peaking about every 4-5 years before crashing. These cycles are influenced by a parasite, the nematode worm Trichostrongylus tenuis. When grouse numbers spike, worms become more prevalent, causing declines. Female grouse produce fewer young when worms are abundant. Wet weather and poor chick survival can also trigger declines. After crashes, populations slowly rebuild. Managed rotational burning of heather helps sustain higher densities.
Relationship with Humans
The red grouse has an important place in UK culture, traditions and economy:
– Historically an important gamebird hunted by nobility and landed gentry. Grouse shooting remains a prestige sport today.
– Provides economic benefits to rural areas through tourism related to shooting sports and wildlife viewing.
– Iconic species featured in art, literature, festivals. Used as a logo by brands like Famous Grouse whisky.
– Dependent on traditional moorland management practices like heather burning and sheep grazing. Conservation efforts focus on sustaining optimum habitat.
– Suffers from predators like crows, foxes, stoats that are often legally controlled on shooting estates to increase grouse productivity.
– Sensitive to climate change impacts on upland habitat. Faces threats from loss of heather habitat.
– Chickens were originally domesticated from red grouse and the two can still interbreed, indicating their close relationship.
Conclusions
With its distinctive red eyebrows, the red grouse is a familiar upland gamebird species that captures the spirit of the open moors. It is specially adapted through camouflage plumage and behaviors to thrive in treeless heather habitat. The red grouse relies on actively managed moorland and serves as an important ecological indicator of the health of those habitats. Its populations naturally fluctuate over time and are shaped by parasite cycles, weather, and habitat management. The species has been intertwined with human culture through its significance as a gamebird. However, it faces ongoing conservation challenges linked to loss of quality breeding habitat. Maintaining sustainable moorland management practices into the future will be vital for preserving red grouse populations. This species remains an icon of both the Scottish highlands and English moors.