Listen to the call of the Black Grouse (Lyrurus tetrix), a bird that once thrived and bred in the Danish heathlands but is now extinct in Denmark. Known locally as “hedens sorte kok” (the black cock of the heath), the Black Grouse was named for its striking black plumage and its habitat in heathlands and heather moors. The last recorded sighting on the Jutland heathlands was in the late 1990s. Despite efforts to restore its habitat, the species was officially declared extinct in Denmark in 2001. The Black Grouse still inhabits other parts of Scandinavia today, including northern Sweden, where this recording was captured. In recent years, it has emerged as a significant symbol in discussions and policies concerning the management of Danish heathlands.
(Bruno Liljefors, Black Grouse in Autumn, 1911. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
The recording took place in a clearing within a pine forest in Kåddis, Umeå, Northern Sweden, in early August 2022. During the early morning hours, black grouse gathered at the site for an autumn display, where they challenged each other in preparation for the main display in the spring. Black grouse populations are thriving in Sweden, particularly in the northern regions. They appear to adapt well to the rationally managed forestry landscape, often inhabiting regeneration areas near their preferred bog habitats. (Recording by Lars Edenius.)