The red grouse is a medium-sized bird of the grouse family which is found in heather moorland in Great Britain and Ireland.
Region
British Isles
Typical Environment
Occurs across heather-dominated moorlands of Scotland, northern England, Wales, and Ireland, including many offshore islands. It favors extensive tracts of dwarf-shrub heath and blanket bog with a mosaic of heather ages. Grouse avoid dense woodland and intensively farmed lowlands, keeping to open, windswept uplands. They rely on heather for both food and cover and nest concealed on the ground among the vegetation.
Altitude Range
0–1200 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The red grouse is the resident British and Irish form of the willow ptarmigan that lacks the white winter plumage seen in northern populations. It is tightly tied to heather (Calluna) moorland, where it feeds and nests on the ground. Populations can fluctuate in notable cycles influenced by habitat condition and parasites, and the species is central to traditional driven grouse shooting on managed moors.
Red grouse eggs
Controlled burning of heather, on a Derbyshire grouse moor
Grouse grit
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low, direct flight
Social Behavior
Pairs form in the breeding season and defend territories vigorously, with males often aggressive to rivals. Nests are shallow scrapes on the ground hidden in heather; chicks are precocial and follow parents soon after hatching. Outside breeding, birds gather in small family parties or coveys, especially in winter.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
The male’s display call is a loud, rhythmic “go-back, go-back” interspersed with bubbling clucks. Alarm calls are harsh, rapid clucking notes, often given in a burst as the bird takes flight.
Plumage
Rich rufous-brown, heavily barred and mottled, with dense feathering on legs and feet.
Diet
Adults feed predominantly on young shoots, flowers, and leaves of heather, which can make up the majority of their diet. They also take bilberry, crowberry, grasses, seeds, and buds as available. Chicks consume a higher proportion of invertebrates—especially insects and their larvae—for protein during rapid growth. Birds ingest grit to help grind fibrous plant material.
Preferred Environment
Feeds within heather stands and along edges of differing heather ages where tender shoots are most accessible. Often forages low and on foot, staying close to cover and using the vegetation for concealment. In winter it may concentrate on sheltered slopes and leeward moor edges.
