Did you Know?
Black grouse were once widespread in the Forest of Bowland, connected with a larger population in the Yorkshire Dales, but by the mid-1990s they were considered locally extinct. Today, sightings of single birds in the area are occasionally reported, but no leks have been re-established. They thrive in areas with a mosaic of heather moorland, in-bye and woodland or scattered tree habitats. National projects have been supporting their recovery, with numbers increasing or stable in the North Pennines and Yorkshire Dales over recent years. In 2019, the Bowland Fells were identified as an area to promote expansion of black grouse through continuing habitat enhancement on moorland fringe via agri-environment schemes. The restoration of this mosaic of habitats could support species translocation before 2030.
