Rare Black Grouse Breed in North York Moors After 180-Year Absence

In a significant conservation milestone, the North York Moors have witnessed the first successful breeding of black grouse in almost two centuries. This rare bird, once present across every county in England, has been largely restricted to the North Pennines in recent decades.

In 2024, as part of the Black Grouse Range Expansion Project, 10 male and 10 female black grouse were carefully relocated from the North Pennines to the North York Moors. The project, funded by Natural England's Species Recovery Programme and led by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), has now borne fruit, with the arrival of 12 chicks in the first breeding season.

According to the GWCT, while occasional female black grouse have been spotted in the North York Moors in recent years, there have been no reliable records of successful breeding since the 1840s. The relocation and habitat management efforts have now changed that, with the birds establishing leks and nesting successfully in their new home.

The next phase of the project will see the introduction of more black grouse to the North York Moors this autumn, further bolstering the fledgling population and increasing the chances of a self-sustaining presence in the region. Researchers are hopeful that the area's drier and warmer climate during the critical chick-rearing period will provide a more resilient environment for the birds to thrive in the face of a changing climate.