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No.4
Black Grouse lek

The Black Grouse is one of Britain's rarest birds, renowned for the magnificent display the male puts on at its ancestral 'lek' or breeding ground.

The male Black Grouse or blackcock is characterised by its black plumage which has a blue, green and purple sheen. The bird has a flash of bright red skin or wattle above its eye which becomes engorged with blood and more plumped up when the bird is displaying itself during the lek.

As the male bird parades, its lyre-shaped tail and white bouquet of feathers raise up like a fan opening and closing in an elaborate mating ritual. The male also inflates an air sack in its neck to give it a larger, 'puffball' appearance. This display is designed to establish dominance over other males and attract female birds.

The males lek for 10 months of the year - often even if there are no females around. The most likely time to see the lekking is mid spring when the female birds turn up resulting in a lekking frenzy! This is when the male birds compete to get a position at the centre of the lek rather than being left out on the fringes where the chances of breeding are not so good.

During the late summer the male grouse moults and becomes duller for a short period before returning to its stunning breeding colours. The female grouse is smaller and plainer with greyish brown plumage and darker freckles and bar markings. Listen for her loud cackling call.

The Black Grouse was in decline in the 19th and 20th Centuries due to habitat loss caused by ploughing and drainage of meadows throughout large areas of Britain. Today there are around 6,500 displaying male birds and overall numbers are increasing as a result of conservation work and improved land management.

Photo credits

Black Grouse images c/o RSPB Images and Chris Gomersall, Andy Hay and Mike Langman, and Margaret Holland.

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Photo gallery

Watch and Listen

Watch Black Grouse strutting their stuff at the lek in North Wales with presenter Iolo Williams:

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Tips

Tips for viewing this species:

• Good places to watch Black Grouse include Coed Llandegla Forest (near Wrexham, North Wales), the North Pennines, RSPB Corrimony (Scottish Highlands), Herdship Farm and Langdon Beck (Upper Teesdale).
• Get up at the crack of dawn to watch the lek at its peak - the best time is between 4am-6am in the morning.
• Spring is the best time to watch the grouse lek between March and early May. Lekking can also be seen year round with late October being a good month. The males are such show offs that they display for 10 months of the year even if there are no females around.
• Watch for feathers flying! The males can become very competitive resulting in skirmishes as each tries to become the dominant bird.
• Listen for the male bird's distinctive 'cook-roo' sound which can carry for two kilometres! The bird's burbling sound is described by Nature's Top 40 presenter Iolo Williams as being like a "mad turkey".
• Choose a good vantage point such as a bird hide or a camouflaged spot - keep quiet and be patient - and let the action unfold.
• Check the RSPB and Wildlife Trust websites for grouse watching events in Scotland and Northern England during the lekking season.
• Look around grouse habitats for the birds feeding in nearby trees - berries and catkins are some of their favourite foods.

Habitat

The Black Grouse is a specialist of the northern uplands and moors. It can also be found on hill farms, on heath land and edges of old pine forests. The main geographical distribution of the birds is in Scotland, Wales, the North Pennines, and Teesdale.

The bird feeds mainly on bilberry, catkins, juniper berries, meadow plants and shoots which are found in these habitats.

Agricultural practices and heavy grazing by sheep and other animals can have a damaging effect on the birds' habitats. This reduces the amount of vegetation cover and food available for the bird. Black Grouse need tall vegetation for shelter and protection from predators such as foxes and crows.

The drainage of agricultural land tends to remove wet flushes containing invertebrates which are important food for Black Grouse chicks.

Black Grouse raise only one brood of chicks every year. The bird nests on the ground in a shallow depression called a scrape which it lines with grass and moss. The female lays between 6-11 eggs around late April. The male bird plays no part in nesting or rearing the young. The chicks are able to fly at 10-14 days old, and they become independent at about three months. The birds will stay together as a family group and often join others in small flocks.