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Grouse

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The grouse is a heavily-built bird that is found in the cold, forested areas of the Northern Hemisphere. The grouse is most closely related to other game birds including chickens, peasants and turkeys and, although not commonly farmed commercially, the grouse is hunted by humans in its natural habitat.

The grouse inhabits both hot and cold environments, and can be found in a variety of habitats like forests, moorland, shrub-land and close to rural farms.

In order to survive the bitter Northern winters, the grouse has feathered legs and toes which not only help to keep the grouse warm, but they also give the grouse more grip and stability when it is walking around in the snow.

Despite inhabiting areas that often fall within the Arctic Circle, thousands of grouse are hunted as game each year by humans. The grouse population numbers are not drastically effected however as they often lay a large number of eggs so the grouse population is able to increase at a fast rate.

The grouse is an omnivorous animal meaning that it eats both plants and other animals. Despite this though, plant matter makes up the majority of the grouse's diet as the grouse eats grasses, fruits, nuts, berries, shoots, seeds and flowers, along with insects and even rodents.

Due to its stocky build and the fact that the grouse is one of the few animals able to exist within the Arctic Circle, that grouse is preyed upon by a number of native predators. Wildcats including lynx, foxes, wolves and large birds of prey all prey upon the grouse, alongside human hunters.

Female grouse nests in a dip in the ground, following an elaborate mating display by the male grouse. The female grouse can lay up to 12 eggs at a time which hatch after a month of incubation.

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Grouse Facts

Kingdom: A level of classifying all living things on earth, as similar species are broken into 5 groups including plants, animals and fungi....	Animalia
Phylum: A level of classifying animals within the animal kingdom. Phylum are further divided into subgroups called classes....	Chordata
Class: A level of classifying animals in a phylum. Classes are then sub-divided into further groups known as orders....	Aves
Order: A level used to classify animals. Classes are broken into sub-groups known as order, which are broken down further into families....	Galliformes
Family: A level of classifying animals within an order. Orders are broken down in families and families are broken down further into smaller groups called genus....	Phasianidae
Genus: A level of classifying animals within a family. Families are divided into sub-groups called genus which generally contain one or two animal species....	Tetraoninae

Scientific Name:	Tetraoninae
Type:	Bird
Diet:	Omnivore
Size (L):	31cm - 95cm (12in - 37in)
Wing Span:	45cm - 101cm (22in - 40in)
Weight:	0.3kg - 6.5kg (0.6lbs - 14lbs)
Top Speed:	10km/h (6mph)
Life Span:	1 - 10 years
Lifestyle:	Flock
Conservation Status: The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species remaining extant either in the present day or the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing the conservation s...	Least Concern

Colour:	Black, White, Brown, Yellow, Green, Blue, Red
Skin Type:	Feathers
Favourite Food:	Insects
Habitat: The term habitat is used to describe a specific area where a particular animal lives, within an environment. Many animals have adapted to requiring specific conditions which can only be found in their natural habitat su...	Forest, shrubland and grassy plains
Average Clutch Size:	8
Main Prey: When an animal is referred to prey, it means that the animal is either hunted or caught for food. Animals that are referred to as prey are generally hunted by bigger animals, although there are a number of exceptions....	Insects, Nuts, Seeds, Berries
Predators: When an animal is referred to as a predator, it means that the animal either hunts or catches other animals. Predatory animals are generally dominant within their environment and will generally hunt animals smaller than...	Fox, Lynx, Birds Of Prey
Distinctive Features:	Long tail feathers and feathered legs and toes

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