The red grouse (Lagopus scotica) is a medium-sized bird of the grouse family which is found in heather moorland in Great Britain and Ireland. It was formerly classified as a subspecies of the willow ptarmigan ( Lagopus lagopus ) but is now considered to be a separate species.

The Red Grouse is a medium-sized game bird. It has a short tail and a lightly hook-tipped bill. It's reddish-brown, with legs and feet that are covered in pale feathers. Birds breed in the UK in the uplands of the north and west and are resident all year round, travelling very little in their lives.

Basic facts about Red Grouse: lifespan, distribution and habitat map, lifestyle and social behavior, mating habits, diet and nutrition, population size and status.

The red grouse is an umistakeable bird - plump and round, with a gingery-red body as its name suggests. Found on upland heathlands, it is under threat from the nationwide, dramatic loss of these habitats.

Red Grouse are medium-sized game birds, distinguished by their reddish-brown plumage that beautifully blends with the heather of their moorland homes. Their legs and feet are feathered, aiding insulation in colder climates.

Red Grouse are medium-sized game birds and are distinguished by their reddish-brown plumage that helps them to blend into the heather of their moorland habitats. They have feather covered legs and feet which helps to keep them warm in their cold climate habitats.

Plump, chickenlike bird of far northern climes; an adaptable species, residing in open tundra, forest clearings and edges, bogs, moorlands, and willow stands, sometimes even straying into farmland. Plumage changes dramatically throughout the year. In winter, both sexes are pure white with black outer tail feathers.

The red grouse is a common and widespread resident bird in Scotland. Its favoured habitat is typically open upland heather moors at an altitude of between 350-700m. It is found across most parts of Scotland, including Orkney, Shetland and most of the Outer Hebrides.

In Ireland, the Red Grouse is a widespread but rare breeding bird. It is found on mountains, moorland, lowland blanket bogs and raised bogs.

Learn about Willow Ptarmigan (Red Grouse): explore photos, sounds, and observations collected by birders around the world.