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Black Grouse Red Grouse (Question only UK) (1 Viewer)

Mannix

Well-known member
Up on Strines Moor the other day (Derbyshire) we were surrounded by Red Grouse. But every so often there would be one which looked exactly like a Red Grouse but was black in colour except for a reddish neck and head. I've looked on the net and in books but cannot find any mention of Red Grouse going black in the Winter. Do reds go black or was it a female/juv Black Grouse?
 
Thanks for the reply however there were a couple of these birds. Would melanism be so frequent in a small area? As I said, the bodies were just about black and the head and neck a bit lighter with some redness. I'll go back with my camera I think.
 
Male Red Grouse can be very dark perhaps appearing almost black or at least very dark brown but the necks tend to be lighter and redish in colour. I guess melanistic is a possibility but i wouldnt expect it to be that common and i think male Black Grouse would be fairly obviously different and wouldnt show redish on the neck and female/juv are actually lighter in colour than Red Grouse.

From the description it sounds like you saw some adult male Red Grouse in amongst some females.
 
Sounds like an aberrant plumage of Red Grouse.

Black Grouse are extinct on those moors, though there have been several attempts to reintroduce Black Grouse into the The Peaks I think any recent introductions have died out.

Sean
 
Sounds like an aberrant plumage of Red Grouse.

Black Grouse are extinct on those moors, though there have been several attempts to reintroduce Black Grouse into the The Peaks I think any recent introductions have died out.

Sean

I believe there are still some from a re-intro in South Yorks that are doing ok although members from S Yorks will know better.
 
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