Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Hazel Grouse (Tetrastes bonasia), male
Hazel Grouse, Male

Hazel Grouse

Tetrastes bonasia

The hazel grouse, also known as Tetrastes bonasia, is a modestly sized member of the grouse family, measuring 35–39 cm in length. This plump bird is adorned with a finely patterned plumage, predominantly grey on the upperparts, with brown wings and chestnut-flecked white underparts.

Identification Tips

Males can be distinguished by their short erectile crest and a striking white-bordered black throat. Females, on the other hand, have a less pronounced crest and lack the black throat marking. When observed in flight, the species reveals a black-tipped grey tail.

Habitat

The hazel grouse favors dense, damp, mixed coniferous woodlands, with a particular affinity for areas abundant in spruce.

Distribution

This sedentary bird breeds across the Palearctic, with its range extending from eastern and central Europe to as far east as Hokkaido.

Behaviour

Notoriously shy, the hazel grouse can be a challenge to spot due to its preference for dense woodland habitats. Often, the only hint of its presence is the distinctive burr of its wings in flight or its vocal calls.

Song & Calls

The male hazel grouse emits a high-pitched series of notes, described as a "ti-ti-ti-ti-ti," while the female produces a more liquid "tettettettettet."

Breeding

Nests are constructed on the ground, and a typical clutch comprises 3–6 eggs. The female assumes sole responsibility for incubating the eggs and tending to the chicks, a common trait among gamebirds.

Diet and Feeding

The hazel grouse forages on the ground, primarily consuming plant material, but will supplement its diet with insects during the breeding season.

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List currently classifies the hazel grouse as Least Concern, indicating a stable population status.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Hazel Grouse on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Pheasants & Allies

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Bryan C
Clean and easy to use
Really enjoying this app, it's clean and easy to use. I love the ease of being able to add those one-off birds without starting a whole checklist. I also like the social aspect, like the parts of my Facebook I like, without the ads and junk, just birds. Can't wait to see it become more populated.
BCHphotography_
Such a great app!
I didn’t think I could enjoy birding more but this app makes it so much better. Some great features and a really great way to share your sightings with your friends or fellow birders nearby or around the world! ❤️
David C
Very knowledgeable group
Nice friendly birding community. Very knowledgeable group with a willingness to help.
Safira V
Birding and wellbeing app
Birda is an excellent platform to share your love of Birding and is a great tool of encouragement for a Birding Beginner like me. Birda has a very kind and supportive community of Birding enthusiasts. For me BIRDA is not only a BIRDING but also a WELLBEING App.
D3Nature
Great app for learning Birds
I’ve been using the app for a couple of months and love it....Someone said it’s like a real life Pokémon Go for birds. They’re not far off! It’s something that the family can do that gets you out and about. Well worth downloading no matter your age.
Pdydhdrexgi
Fantastic App
This is a really lovely app, for everyone interested in birds - from newbies to old hands. There is a very friendly feel to the community and you will genuinely learn a lot as you record your sightings and photos. There are lots of badges and competitions to keep you engaged, and a host of really useful features.
Unbridled Discoveries
Great app for bird lovers
I love this app! It’s a wonderful way to track birding sessions, and also connect you with fellow birders. I also really like the unidentified bird section, it’s a great community tool to help figure out what a never-before-seen bird is!
Trevarthen1
Birda fan
I really enjoy using Birda, all sightings are recorded and photos can be added. There are monthly challenges which help to get you out to record your sightings. The Birda community are great and are happy to help with unidentified bird sightings. Suitable for all ages and experience!
Jake W
Great app
I use this app all the time as it’s quick and easy to log individual sightings or whole birding sessions. It’s an excellent way to meet new people and the forum is full of really friendly people. The challenges are a great way to get involved and learn more about birds. Cannot recommend it enough!
Marlster24
Recommend for any bird watcher
Very wholesome app: I joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter 😃
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.