Home / Environment / Black Grouse Bounce Back in North York Moors with Habitat Restoration
Black Grouse Bounce Back in North York Moors with Habitat Restoration
27 Sep, 2025
Summary
- Black grouse's natural habitat is moorland and forest edges
- Males gather in leks to compete for females in spring
- Habitat improvements in North York Moors aim to aid black grouse recovery
In 2025, the black grouse, a unique moorland bird, is experiencing a resurgence in the North York Moors. This species, known for its early morning, spring-time gatherings called leks, where males compete for females, has found a more welcoming home in the region thanks to habitat restoration efforts.
The North York Moors were selected for this project due to improvements made to the fringes of moorland managed for red grouse shooting. Work carried out included removing conifer woodland and restoring the ground to bog, heath, and scrub woodland. Moorland grasslands have also been managed more extensively to control bracken and restore bilberry and heather.
Researchers are hopeful that the drier, warmer climate in the North York Moors, compared to the Pennines, will help the black grouse continue to breed successfully and re-establish populations in an area more resilient to the effects of a changing climate. The male's distinctive jet-black plumage with curved tail feathers and the well-camouflaged females may soon be a more common sight in this revitalized moorland landscape.
