Black Grouse Welfare and Upland Conservation

Key Facts

• Black grouse require a mosaic of heather moorland, rough grassland, and woodland edge for year-round habitat needs
• Males display at traditional leks (communal display grounds) where females observe and select mates
• UK population has declined from 25,000 males in 1990 to approximately 5,500 males in 2022
• Predator control, improved moorland-forest edge management, and fencing of key sites has stabilized some populations
• Black grouse are highly sensitive to disturbance at leks in spring — flushing disrupts mating and nest selection

Welfare Considerations

Black grouse welfare is primarily a conservation concern at the population level. Individual welfare issues include disturbance at leks (communal mating grounds), where human or predator intrusion causes males to abandon display and females to disperse without mating — causing breeding failure. Dogs off leads near lek sites in March-May can cause complete abandonment of the lek for the season. Habitat management that creates the required moorland-forest edge mosaic — through delayed felling, retention of shrubby edge, and heather management — provides the year-round habitat that supports healthy welfare and breeding success.

What You Can Do

• Never approach or photograph black grouse leks between March and May — disturbance causes breeding failure
• Keep dogs on leads on upland moors in spring — even distant dog disturbance disrupts lek activity
• Support the Black Grouse Recovery Project and Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust upland projects
• Report black grouse sightings to BTO BirdTrack for national population monitoring
• Advocate for agri-environment scheme payments that reward moorland-forest edge management for black grouse