black grousen.
/blak ˈɡraʊs/, U.S. /ˌblæk ˈɡraʊs/ A large grouse of northern Eurasia, Tetrao tetrix (family Tetraonidae), the male of which is chiefly glossy black with a lyre-shaped tail, noted for its breeding display in communal leks. Also with unmarked plural. Cf. black game n.The male is known as the blackcock and the greyish-brown female is the greyhen.
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the world > animals > birds > order Galliformes (fowls) > family Tetraonidae (grouse) > [noun]
black grouse1673
drummer1868
the world > animals > birds > order Galliformes (fowls) > family Tetraonidae (grouse) > [noun] > member of genus Lyrurus (black grouse)
heath-cock1590
black game1673
black grouse1673
heath-poult1678
heath-bird1683
moor game1769
1673 J. Ray Coll. Eng. Words 85 The common Heath cock, Black game or Grous.
1769 Eng. Displayed II. 237/2 The hills are stocked with grouse, both black and red.
1795 W. MacRitchie Diary 22 Aug. (1897) 129 The black grouse are found, though not in plenty, upon the property.
1819 G. Samouelle Entomologist's Compend. 303 Inhabits the black grouse and tit-pippit.
1862 H. Medlock tr. F. C. L. Schoedler Treasury of Sci. 538 Under the section of grouse..we note..the black grouse (T. tetrix), and the hazel grouse (T. bonasia).
1917 E. H. Forbush in T. G. Pearson Birds Amer. II. 29 Cock of the Plains..exceeds all other Grouse in size, with the possible exception of the great Black Grouse..of Europe.
1978 Times 12 Aug. 1/7 European environment ministers have been drafting bird protection laws which will probably include the black grouse and certain wildfowl.
2003 Cage & Aviary Birds 6 Dec. 2/5 The North Pennines area..has around 850 breeding male black grouse, or black-cock.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2011; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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