Eurasian Black Grouse
Lyrurus tetrix
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderGalliformes (Landfowl)
- FamilyPhasianidae (Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies)
- GenusLyrurus (Black Grouses)
- SpeciesLyrurus tetrix (Eurasian Black Grouse)
The black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix), also known as northern black grouse, Eurasian black grouse, blackgame or blackcock, is a large bird in the grouse tribe. It is a sedentary species, spanning across the Palearctic in moorland and steppe habitat when breeding, often near wooded areas. They will spend the winter perched in dense forests, feeding almost exclusively on the needles of conifers. The black grouse is one of two species of grouse in the genus Lyrurus, the other being the lesser-known Caucasian grouse. The female is greyish-brown and has a cackling or warbling call. She takes all responsibility for nesting and caring for the chicks, as typical with most galliforms. Wikipedia →
20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Eurasian Black Grouse sighting in Cairngorms National Park, based on 25 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Cairngorms National Park
Ring-necked Pheasant
Phasianus colchicus
Willow Grouse
Lagopus lagopus
Western Capercaillie
Tetrao urogallus
Red-legged Partridge
Alectoris rufa
Rock Ptarmigan
Lagopus muta
Common Peafowl
Pavo cristatus
Gray Partridge
Perdix perdix
Common Quail
Coturnix coturnix
Golden Pheasant
Chrysolophus pictus
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cairngorms National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | Triglav National Park | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | |
| 3 | Biebrza National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 4 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 5 | Mercantour National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Eurasian Black Grouse in Cairngorms National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Eurasian Black Grouse sighting in Cairngorms National Park, based on 25 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Eurasian Black Grouse in Cairngorms National Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for Eurasian Black Grouse in Cairngorms National Park in our monthly data.