Compare and Contrast the Conservation of Red and Black Grouse in the UK

Nature Conservation of Red and Black Grouse in the UK Two species that occupy the heather moorland in the UK, red grouse (Lagopus) and black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) are today in the endangered list of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Red and black grouse are two specific inhabitants of the moorland area adjacent to forest. They breed and grow among heaths and feed on shrubs, plants, and small insects in the upland.

The changing environment, land conversion and falling supply of food give the grouse the hardest pressure. Black grouse currently belongs to the red list criteria of the RSPB. Species on the list commonly go under one of the following criteria of the red list species: more than 50% population decline in the last 25 years, undergoing long-term decline, or threatened globally. Black grouse and red grouse seem to have similar problems that cause the decline of the population.

Both black grouse and red grouse prefer the heather moorland, upland bogs, adjacent to the forest but still outside the forest area, avoiding grown-up trees. The wet places are where they feed mainly on heath, berries, young plants, seed, flowers, insects such as flies, and caterpillars. The chicks especially have the initial needs for insects.

According to the Game Conservancy Trust, the population decline is mostly caused by several factors such as: heavy agricultural activities and land conversion into intensive farm over-grazing by deer and sheep population changing forest formation mortality from predation and deer fence The populations of black grouse previously occupy the habitat in Wales, northern England and Scotland; all now are in serious decline.

With the conversion of the heather moorland into intensive farm, there is barely enough heaths for the grouse to feed for themselves and gain more fat for the hen to prepare egg-laying season. Intensive farming also destroys the heaths and allows grass to cover the land. Fertilizer and chemicals heavily used in intensive farming has reformed the meadow land into excessive grass growth, which creates inappropriate environment for black grouse's home. On the other hand, Bingham et. al.

reports strongylosis diseases as the other factor determining decline in red grouse population, aside from lack of food and predation. In Scotland, commercial forestry also gives another pressure for the red grouse as trees are replaced by the uniformity of commercial plantation. Montgomery Wildlife Trust also reports that without proper anticipation, the declining population of red grouse soon will join the red list since there is an indication of long-term decline in number, as the population has reduced 90% in 50 years.

The main causes of this trend are the intensive farming in upland areas and predation. The organization plans active movements to discuss with related parties (government, landowners, and farmers) to control land conversion and promote non-intensive farming so that heather moorland will still be available for the grouse breeding and feeding area. The conservation plan will concentrate on restoring the upland moorland to its previous function as the habitat for the grouse, such as reconverting the grassland into heather moorland in Glaslyn in 2004.

The Forestry Commission had launched the Welsh Black Grouse Recovery Projects that started in 1997. The project helped improving the habitat by clearing the mature conifers in the forest so that the forest edge widened and more space were available for cotton grass and heaths, followed by increasing population and diversity of insects for the grouse to feed on. As the result, during the project time from 1997 to 2002, the populations of black grouse in the spot lands have increased by 88%.

A similar action taken to recover the moorland also saves the population of black grouse, as a main priority due to its position in the red list. This time the Game Conservancy Trust has been taking actions to improve the habitat by controlling deer and sheep grazing. Black grouse cannot compete with red deer and sheep with the over-grazing, as the high-intensity grazing has cleared up the low vegetation and shrubs the grouse usually need for food and cover.

Over-grazing only leaves short grass, making it easy for the predators such as foxes and crows to spot the grouse. An experiment in North Pennines observed a controlled management on grazing had successfully improved the black grouse breeding. Allowing lower grazing intensity in such areas provides spaces for shrubs. The shrubs stock insects for young brood, appropriate nesting place and enough cover for adults and the young birds to hide from predators. This experiment records significant improvement on the number of chicks per hen during the period of 1996-2000.

The exclusive position of red grouse as sporting bird or target for seasonal shooting should also help the conservation organizations to bargain with land owners so that the community also fulfills the social responsibility to recover red grouse's habitat. Gamekeepers are also intended to save red grouse's population by keeping.