Black Grouse: Nest & eggs

The Black Grouse nests on the ground and builds no real nest, laying its eggs in a simple scrape instead.

• Nest site: a shallow scrape on the ground, well hidden under scrub or other vegetation on mire, clear-cut or in mountain birch forest.
• Lone hen: after mating at the lek, the hen does all the work herself and incubates 6–10 eggs for around 25–27 days.
• Nidifugous: the chicks leave the scrape on the very first day, follow the hen and depend on insects as protein food.

The camouflaged hen and the concealed scrape are decisive, since the eggs lie unprotected on the ground.

More about the Black Grouse

• Song & calls
• Breeding
• Diet
• In winter