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40-461: The black grouse ( Lyrurus tetrix ), also known as northern black grouse , Eurasian black grouse , blackgame or blackcock , is a large game bird in the grouse family. It is a sedentary species , spanning across the Palearctic in moorland and steppe habitat when breeding, often near wooded areas. They will spend the winter perched in dense forests, feeding almost exclusively on

80-432: A semi-arid climate , which is encountered in regions too dry to support a forest , but not dry enough to be a desert . Steppes are usually characterized by a semi-arid or continental climate. Extremes can be recorded in the summer of up to 45 °C (115 °F) and in winter of down to −55 °C (−65 °F). Besides this major seasonal difference, fluctuations between day and night are also significant. In both

120-616: A Black Grouse Action Plan 2007–2010. This has looked at local populations that are vulnerable to the extinction vortex . For example, in Styria, Austria. In the United Kingdom black grouse are found in upland areas of Wales, the Pennines and most of Scotland. Best looked for on farmland and moorland with nearby forestry or scattered trees. They have traditional lek sites where the males display. They have declined in some parts of

160-647: A boulder, or extremely rarely, a used raptor's or corvid's nest 7 metres (23 ft) off the ground. A dent (23–28 centimetres (9.1–11.0 in) wide by 10–11 centimetres (3.9–4.3 in) deep) is scraped out on the dirt floor and cushioned with grasses, sticks, leaves, and feathers. About 6-11 pale buff eggs speckled brown are then laid in the nest, incubated for approx. 23–28 days. The chicks consume invertebrates, transitioning to more plant matter as they mature. By around 10–14 days and so forth, they are capable of short flights. Where their range overlaps in similar biomes of other species, they are capable of hybridizing with

200-422: A distinction is also made between varieties and breeds of a particular animal, such as wild turkey and domestic turkey . The flesh of the animal, when butchered for consumption, is often described as having a "gamey" flavour. This difference in taste can be attributed to the natural diet of the animal, which usually results in a lower fat content compared to domestic farm-raised animals. In some countries, game

240-433: A very distinctive and well-recorded courtship ritual. Every dawn in the spring, male grouse begin competition with other males in hopes of attracting a hen to mate with. They will display to signal their territory and vigor by fanning out their elaborate lyre-shaped tails and inflating their necks on designated open ground called a lek . Their song consists of a long, dove-like bubbling coo or murmur. Black grouse hens visiting

280-567: A way it resembles the frame of a Greek lyre , hence the genus name, Lyrurus . Black grouse can be found on open habitats across Europe (Swiss-Italian-French Alps especially) from Great Britain through Scandinavia , Estonia and across Russia . Although believed to once to live in Ireland, it now no longer resides there. In Eastern Europe they can be found in Hungary , Latvia , Lithuania , Poland , Belarus , Romania and Ukraine . There

320-507: Is a famous destination for game hunting, with its large biodiversity and therefore impressive variety of game species. Many creatures have returned to former areas from which they were once taken as a result of being killed for big-game hunting . Commonly hunted species include: South Africa also has 62 species of gamebirds, including guineafowl , francolin , partridge , quail , sandgrouse , duck , geese , snipe , bustard and korhaan . Some of these species are no longer hunted, and of

360-941: Is a population in the Alps , and isolated remnants in Germany , France , Belgium and the Netherlands . It formerly occurred in Denmark , but the Danish Ornithological Society (DOF) has considered it extinct since 2001. The species disappeared from Bulgaria in the 19th century. In Asia, a huge portion of their population can be found in Russia (particularly southern Siberia ), though they also inhabit parts of Kazakhstan , Mongolia , China , and possibly Korea . Black grouse are adapted to an extensive array of habitats across Eurasia, though most frequently utilize

400-685: Is an example of a steppe region in North America outside of the Great Plains. In South America , cold steppe can be found in Patagonia and much of the high elevation regions east of the southern Andes . Relatively small steppe areas can be found in the interior of the South Island of New Zealand . In Australia , a moderately sized temperate steppe region exists in the northern and northwest regions of Victoria , extending to

440-630: Is another steppe region in Central Europe , centered in Hungary but also including portions of Slovakia , Poland , Ukraine , Romania , Serbia , Croatia , Slovenia , and Austria . Another large steppe area ( prairie ) is located in the central United States , western Canada and the northern part of Mexico . The shortgrass prairie steppe is the westernmost part of the Great Plains region. The Columbia Plateau in southern British Columbia , Oregon , Idaho , and Washington state ,

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480-517: Is classified, including legal classifications with respect to licenses required, as either "small game" or "large game". A single small game licence may cover all small game species and be subject to yearly bag limits . Large game are often subject to individual licensing where a separate permit is required for each individual animal taken (tags). In some parts of Africa , wild animals hunted for their meat are called bushmeat ; see that article for more detailed information on how this operates within

520-401: Is cooked in the same ways as farmed meat. Because some game meat is leaner than store-bought beef, overcooking is a common mishap which can be avoided if properly prepared. It is sometimes grilled or cooked longer or by slow cooking or moist-heat methods to make it more tender, since some game tends to be tougher than farm-raised meat. Other methods of tenderizing include marinating as in

560-967: Is found in Eastern Europe and Central Asia , and neighbouring countries stretching from Ukraine in the west through Russia , Kazakhstan , Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to the Altai , Koppet Dag and Tian Shan ranges in China . The Eurasian Steppe is speculated by David W. Anthony to have had a role in the spread of the horse, the wheel and Indo-European languages . In the Eurasian steppe, soils often consist of chernozem . The inner parts of Anatolia in Turkey , Central Anatolia and East Anatolia in particular and also some parts of Southeast Anatolia , as well as much of Armenia and Iran are largely dominated by cold steppe. The Pannonian Plain

600-487: Is predominantly black with deep-blue hues on his neck and back, which contrasts the white wingline and undertail coverts, as well as red bare skin above each eye. On the other hand, the hen is much drabber and cryptically colored to blend in easily with the dense undergrowth, especially when nesting. The black grouse, along with the Caucasian grouse, has long outer rectrices (tail feathers) that curl outward and arranged in

640-439: Is quickly field-dressed by removing the viscera in the field, while very large animals like moose may be partially butchered in the field because of the difficulty of removing them intact from their habitat. Commercial processors often handle deer taken during deer seasons, sometimes even at supermarket meat counters. Otherwise the hunter handles butchering. The carcass is kept cool to minimize spoilage. Traditionally, game meat

680-447: Is typically taken from a wild animal that has been shot with a gun or bow . Hunters must be absolutely certain of their target before shooting and should make every effort to get the animal down as quickly and painlessly as possible. Once obtained, game meat must be processed to avoid spoiling. The method of processing varies by game species and size. Small game and fowl may simply be carried home to be butchered . Large game such as deer

720-753: The Deer Act 1991 ). Deer hunted in the UK are: Other animals which are hunted in the UK include: Capercaillie are not currently hunted in the UK because of a recent decline in numbers and conservation projects towards their recovery. The ban is generally considered voluntary on private lands, and few birds live away from RSPB or Forestry Commission land allegedly. In Iceland game includes: Game in Norway , Sweden , Denmark and Finland includes: In Poland , legal game includes: Big game Small game Game meat

760-901: The Mediterranean area also hosts the same steppe-like vegetation, such as the Algerian-Moroccan Hautes Plaines and by extension the North Saharan steppe and woodlands . In Asia , a subtropical steppe can be found in semi-arid lands that fringe the Thar Desert of the Indian subcontinent as well as much of the Deccan Plateau in the rain shadow of the Western Ghats , and the Badia of

800-902: The Peak District in England . 30 grouse were released in October 2003, followed by 10 male grouse in December 2004 and a further 10 males and 10 females in April 2005. The programme is being run jointly by the National Trust , Severn Trent Water and Peak District National Park . Conservation groups helping to revive the black grouse include the RSPB and the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust . In France there has been much work regarding

840-617: The Royal Scots and King's Own Scottish Borderers have worn them in their full-dress headgear and that tradition is carried on in the dress glengarries of the current Scottish super regiment, the Royal Regiment of Scotland . Game (food) The range of animal species hunted by humans varies in different parts of the world. This is influenced by climate , faunal diversity, popular taste and locally accepted views about what can or cannot be legitimately hunted. Sometimes

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880-537: The UK (especially England ), having disappeared from many of their former haunts. They are now extirpated in Lancashire , Derbyshire , Exmoor , East Yorkshire , New Forest , Nottinghamshire , Worcestershire , Quantock Hills , Cornwall , Dartmoor , Kent , Wiltshire and Surrey . A programme to re-introduce black grouse into the wild started in 2003 in the Upper Derwent Valley area of

920-444: The central nervous system . This can be avoided by hunting with arrows or copper bullets. Steppe In physical geography , a steppe ( / s t ɛ p / ) is an ecoregion characterized by grassland plains without closed forests except near rivers and lakes. Steppe biomes may include: A steppe is usually covered with grass and shrubs , depending on the season and latitude . The term steppe climate denotes

960-446: The ringneck pheasant , western capercaillie , black-billed capercaillie , Siberian grouse , hazel grouse , and willow ptarmigan . The tails of black-cocks have, since late Victorian times, been popular adornments for hats worn with Highland Dress . Most commonly associated with Glengarry and Balmoral or Tam o' Shanter caps, they still continue to be worn by pipers of civilian and military pipe bands . Since 1904, all ranks of

1000-538: The 44 indigenous gamebirds that can potentially be utilised in South Africa, only three, namely the yellow-throated sandgrouse , Delegorgue's pigeon and the African pygmy goose warrant special protection. Of the remaining 41 species, 24 have shown an increase in numbers and distribution range in the last 25 years or so. The status of 14 species appears unchanged, with insufficient information being available for

1040-621: The Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Tetrao tetrix . Both Tetrao and tetrix come from Ancient Greek words referring to some form of game bird. The black grouse is now placed in the genus Lyrurus that was introduced in 1832 by the English naturalist William John Swainson . The male and female are sometimes referred to by their folk names, blackcock and greyhen, respectively. These names first occur in

1080-589: The birds and their risk of flying into ski-lifts . From 1950 to 2000, local black grouse populations have steadily diminished in Manchuria and northeastern China by about 39%, with birds being most affected (and possibly extirpated) in the Jilin Province . Though the exact causes for local declines remain largely unclear, habitat loss and excess hunting have played a part in the overall reduction. Shifts in their location, however can happen concurrently with

1120-452: The depletion over decades, so short-term research projects may not provide much proof of driving forces behind population alterations. Based on historical info gathered from various sources (including wildlife surveys and scientific papers), aspen, birch, and poplar make up the black grouse's staple diet and habitat. The climate and precipitation during the month of June is also linked to the breeding success of black grouse. Black grouse have

1160-406: The dish Hasenpfeffer , cooking in a game pie or as a stew such as burgoo . The Norwegian Food Safety Authority considers that children, pregnant women, fertile-aged women, and people with high blood pressure should not consume game shot with lead -based ammunition more than once a month. Children who often eat such game might develop a slightly lower IQ, as lead influences the development of

1200-500: The economy (for personal consumption and for money) and the law (including overexploitation and illegal imports). Animals hunted for bushmeat include, but are not limited to: Some of these animals are endangered or otherwise protected, and thus it is illegal to hunt them. In Africa, animals hunted for their pelts or ivory are sometimes referred to as big game . Also see the legal definition of game in Eswatini . South Africa

1240-678: The highlands of Mongolia and northern Nevada , 30 °C (85 °F) can be reached during the day with sub-freezing readings at night. Steppes average 250–500 mm (10–20 in) of annual precipitation and feature hot summers and cold winters when located in mid-latitudes. In addition to the precipitation level, its combination with potential evapotranspiration defines a steppe climate. Steppe can be classified by climate: It can also be classified by vegetation type, e.g. shrub-steppe and alpine-steppe . The world's largest steppe region, often referred to as "the Great Steppe ",

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1280-484: The lek decide the overall healthiest male, though not all females may arrive at every lek. In western Europe, these leks seldom contain more than 40 birds; in Russia , 150 is not uncommon and 200 have been recorded. When mated successfully, she will fly away from the site to a suitable nesting site with an abundance of dense shrub or tall vegetation, often located at a tree base in between roots, under low branches, beside

1320-593: The literature with John Ray in 1674. Heathcock and Heathhen are also common names. The black grouse has six recognized subspecies. Black grouse populations differ slightly in size and coloration, with birds increasing in size further east of their range: The black grouse is a large bird with males measuring roughly around 60 centimetres (24 in) in length and weighing 1,100–1,250 grams (2.43–2.76 lb), sometimes up to 2,100 grams (4.6 lb), with females approximately 45 cm (18 in) and weighing 750–1,100 grams (1.65–2.43 lb). The cock's fancy plumage

1360-437: The most extreme of desert and polar regions. Although this species has declined throughout most of its range in western Europe , it is not considered to be vulnerable globally due to the large population (global estimate is 15–40 million individuals) and slow rate of decline. Its decline is due to loss of habitat , disturbance, predation by foxes , crows , etc., and small populations gradually dying out. The IUCN implemented

1400-420: The needles of conifers. The black grouse is one of two species of grouse in the genus Lyrurus , the other being the lesser-known Caucasian grouse . The female is greyish-brown and has a cackling or warbling call. She takes all responsibility for nesting and caring for the chicks, as typical with most galliforms . The black grouse's genome was sequenced in 2014. The black grouse was formally described by

1440-591: The remaining three species. The gamebirds of South Africa where the population status in 2005 was secure or growing are listed below: In Australia , game includes: Game in New Zealand includes: In the United States and Canada , white-tailed deer are the most commonly hunted big game. Other game species include: In the PRC there is a special cuisine category called ye wei , which includes animals in

1480-589: The southern and mid regions of New South Wales . This area borders the semi-arid and arid Australian Outback which is found farther inland on the continent. In Europe , some Mediterranean areas have a steppe-like vegetation, such as central Sicily in Italy , southern Portugal , parts of Greece in the southern Athens area, and central-eastern Spain , especially the southeastern coast (around Murcia ), and places cut off from adequate moisture due to rain shadow effects such as Zaragoza . In northern Africa ,

1520-638: The transitionary zones between forests and open clearings, especially steppe , heathland , grassland and pasture when near agricultural fields. Depending on the season, they will overwinter in large flocks in dense forests, and feed primarily on the leaves and buds of coniferous and broadleaf trees, such as Scots pine , Siberian larch , silver birch , and Eurasian aspen . Throughout the spring and summer, they tend to favor open spaces to seek potential mates and raise broods, switching their diet to berries, shoots and stems of cranberries , bog bilberries , myrtleberries , and other Vaccinium shrubs. They avoid

1560-590: The wild. In the UK game is defined in law by the Game Act 1831 ( 1 & 2 Will. 4 . c. 32). It is illegal to shoot game on Sundays or at night. Other non-game birds that are hunted for food in the UK are specified under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 . UK law defines game as including: Deer are not included in the definition, but similar controls provided to those in the Game Act apply to deer (from

1600-418: Was hung until "high" or "gamey", that is, approaching a state of decomposition . However, this adds to the risk of contamination. Small game can be processed essentially intact, after gutting and skinning or defeathering (by species). Small animals are ready for cooking, although they may be disjointed first. Large game must be processed by techniques commonly practiced by commercial butchers. Generally game

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