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Grouse (Tetraonidae)

Eurasian Black Grouse (Tetrao tetrix) - HBW 2, p. 405

French: Tétras lyre German: Birkhuhn Spanish: Gallo lira Común
Other common names: Blackcock (male); Greyhen (female)

Taxonomy: Tetrao Tetrix Linnaeus, 1758, Sweden.
Often placed in genus Lyrurus together with T. mlokosiewiczi, with which forms superspecies. Commonly hybridizes with T. urogallus, and quite often with Lagopus lagopus, both hybrids even receiving vernacular names; also occasionally with L. mutus and Bonasa bonasia. Race tschusii often included in viridanus, and baikalensis in ussuriensis. Seven subspecies currently recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • britannicus (Witherby & Lönnberg, 1913) - N & W Great Britain.
  • tetrix Linnaeus, 1758 - most of range, from Scandinavia, Belgium and Alps of S France to NE Siberia (R Kolyma).
  • viridanus Lorenz, 1891 - SE Russia and SW Siberia, between R Don and R Irtysh.

     See all 7 subspecies
  • britannicus (Witherby & Lönnberg, 1913) - N & W Great Britain.
  • tetrix Linnaeus, 1758 - most of range, from Scandinavia, Belgium and Alps of S France to NE Siberia (R Kolyma).
  • viridanus Lorenz, 1891 - SE Russia and SW Siberia, between R Don and R Irtysh.
  • tschusii Johansen, 1898 - S Siberia, from R Irtysh to L Baikal, N to Tomsk and Krasnoyarsk, S to NW Altai and Sajan Mts.
  • baikalensis Lorenz, 1911 - SE Siberia, from L Baikal to Amurland, S to N Mongolia and NW Manchuria.
  • mongolicus Lönnberg, 1904 - Kirgizh and Tien Shan E to Altai and other ranges in W Mongolia.
  • ussuriensis Kohts, 1911 - Manchuria, from Khingan (Chingan) Mts to R Ussuri and NE Korea.

Photos

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