What does the Black Grouse eat?

The Black Grouse's diet shapes where and when you'll find it. Understanding what it eats helps you predict where to look.

Diet overview

Herbivore, primarily feeding on buds, shoots, leaves, berries, seeds, and catkins. Juveniles consume insects.

How it forages

Primarily herbivorous. Feeds on buds, shoots, catkins (especially birch and alder), leaves, berries (e.g., bilberry, cranberry, crowberry), and seeds. In winter, relies heavily on tree buds and needles. Chicks consume insects, particularly caterpillars and ants, for protein.

When it feeds

Diurnal, most active during early morning and late afternoon, particularly during the lekking season.

Explore the Black Grouse