The hazel grouse, sometimes called the hazel hen, is one of the smaller members of the grouse family of birds. It is a sedentary species, breeding across the Palearctic as far east as Hokkaido, and as far west as eastern and central Europe, in dense, damp, mixed coniferous woodland, preferably with some spruce. The bird is sometimes referred to as "rabchick" by early 20th century English speaking travellers to Russia.
Region
Northern Eurasia (Palearctic)
Typical Environment
Occurs from central and eastern Europe across Siberia to northeastern Asia, including Hokkaido in Japan. It favors dense, moist mixed coniferous and deciduous forests with rich shrub layers and plenty of cover. Riparian thickets, forest edges, and young successional stands with scattered spruce are frequently used. It avoids large open areas and depends on understory structure for feeding and concealment.
Altitude Range
0–2000 m
Climate Zone
Continental
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The hazel grouse (hazel hen) is a shy, cryptically colored forest grouse that thrives in dense, damp mixed woods with spruce, alder, and birch. It is highly sensitive to forest fragmentation and is often used as an indicator of healthy, structurally diverse understory. Males give a distinctive series of thin, whistled notes that carry surprisingly far through the forest. In winter it often relies on birch and alder catkins and may roost in snow for insulation.
Hazel grouse drawn by Elizabeth Gould, 1837
Eggs, Collection Museum Wiesbaden
Chick
Temperament
shy and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low, direct dashes through cover
Social Behavior
Typically forms monogamous pairs in the breeding season, otherwise found singly or in small family groups. Nests are shallow ground scrapes well hidden in dense vegetation. The female incubates and leads precocial chicks, which remain with her through late summer. Outside breeding, birds keep to thick cover and flush explosively when approached.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
The male gives a clear, high, whistled series of thin notes that accelerate and may include short trills. Calls are surprisingly penetrating in dense forest, while females utter softer contact and alarm calls.
Plumage
Finely mottled and vermiculated grey-brown plumage with rufous, grey, and white speckling that blends into forest litter and bark. The tail shows a broad dark subterminal band and pale tip. Males have a small crest and a striking black throat patch bordered by white; females are browner and lack the black bib.
Diet
Feeds primarily on buds, catkins, leaves, and shoots of birch, alder, willow, and other shrubs, adding berries and seeds when available. In winter it relies heavily on tree buds and catkins and may also take conifer needles. Chicks consume a high proportion of insects and other invertebrates for protein. Diet shifts seasonally with plant phenology and snow conditions.
Preferred Environment
Forages in dense understory, along forest edges, and in riparian thickets where shrubs are abundant. Often feeds at low heights in shrubs and small trees, and also picks items from the ground under cover.
