Red grouse | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Song and calls recorded in the UK | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Galliformes |
Family: | Phasianidae |
Genus: | Lagopus |
Species: | L. scotica
|
Binomial name | |
Lagopus scotica (Latham, 1787)
| |
Synonyms | |
Lagopus lagopus scoticus |
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.[1][2] It is also known as the moorcock, moorfowl or moorbird. Lagopus is derived from Ancient Greek lagos (λαγος), meaning "hare", + pous (πους), "foot", in reference to the feathered feet and toes typical of this cold-adapted genus, and scoticus is "of Scotland".[3]
The red grouse is the logo of The Famous Grouse whisky and an animated bird is a character in a series of its adverts. The red grouse is also the emblem of the journal British Birds.