| 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.
- ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (August 2024). "Pheasants, partridges, francolins". IOC World Bird List Version 14.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ Kozma, R.; Rödin-Mörch, P.; Höglund, J. (2019). "Genomic regions of speciation and adaptation among three species of grouse". Scientific Reports. 9 (1): 812. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-36880-5. PMC 6349846.
- ^ Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 217, 351. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.