Grouse
Male Greater Sage-grouse Centrocercus urophasianus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Subclass: Neornithes Infraclass: Galloanserae Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae Subfamily: Tetraoninae Vigors, 1825
Genera
Bonasa Centrocercus Dendragapus Lagopus Tetrao Tympanuchus and see text
Synonyms
Tetraonidae Vigors, 1825

Grouse are a group of birds from the order Galliformes. Often considered a family Tetraonidae, the American Ornithologists' Union and many others include grouse as a subfamily Tetraoninae in the family Phasianidae. Grouse inhabit temperate and subarctic regions of the northern hemisphere, from pine forests to moorland and mountainside^[1]. Most species are year-round residents, and do not migrate.

These birds feed mainly on vegetation, but also on insects, especially when feeding young. Several of the forest-living species are notable for eating large quantities of conifer needles, which most other vertebrates refuse. In all but one species (the Willow Grouse, called Willow Ptarmigan in America), males are polygamous, and many species have elaborate courtship displays. These heavily built birds have legs feathered to the toes.

They are game and are sometimes hunted for food. Though they are related at least as closely to chicken as to any other gamebird and look somewhat like chicken, especially the conifer-eating species, they taste remarkably unlike chicken.

Species

Genus Dendragapus

• Siberian Grouse, Dendragapus falcipennis
• Spruce Grouse, Dendragapus canadensis - probably distinct genus Canachites
  • Franklin's Grouse, Dendragapus (canadensis) franklinii
• Dusky Grouse, Dendragapus obscurus
• Sooty Grouse, Dendragapus fuliginosus

Genus Lagopus - ptarmigans

• Willow Grouse or Willow Ptarmigan, Lagopus lagopus
  • Red Grouse Lagopus (lagopus) scoticus
• Ptarmigan or Rock Ptarmigan, Lagopus mutus
• White-tailed Ptarmigan, Lagopus leucura

Genus Tetrao - black grouse

• Eurasian Black Grouse, Tetrao tetrix
• Caucasian Black Grouse, Tetrao mlokosiewiczi
• Capercaillie, Tetrao urogallus
• Black-billed Capercaillie, Tetrao parvirostris

Genus Bonasa

• Hazel Grouse, Bonasa bonasia
• Severtzov's Grouse, Bonasa sewerzowi
• Ruffed Grouse, Bonasa umbellus

Genus Centrocercus - sage-grouse

• Greater Sage-grouse, Centrocercus urophasianus
• Gunnison Sage-grouse, Centrocercus minimus

Genus Tympanuchus - prairie grouse

• Sharp-tailed Grouse, Tympanuchus phasianellus
• Greater Prairie Chicken, Tympanuchus cupido
  • Heath Hen, Tympanuchus (cupido) cupido (extinct, 1932)
• Lesser Prairie Chicken Tympanuchus pallidicinctus

References

• de Juana, E. (1994). Family Tetraonidae (Grouse). Pp.376-411 in; del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Sargatal, J. eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 2. New World Vultures to Guineafowl. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 8487334156

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Tetraoninae

• Grouse videos on the Internet Bird Collection