Wood grouse – a project close to our hearts

Wood grouse are seed and herbivores, which is why they prefer to feed on blueberries, grasses, flowers, and beechnuts in summer. In winter, however, they feed almost exclusively on needles, preferably pine. Only in their first weeks of life do the chicks feed on insects.

Wood grouse are generally quiet and shy, which is why they are rarely encountered. However, there is one exception: during the mating season between March and May, male wood grouse can be observed more frequently. The male wood grouse is notorious for its conspicuous mating behavior, so it is best to avoid crossing its path during this time.

Unlike other bird species, the wood grouse does not fly south for the winter. Instead, it adapts to the low temperatures with a thick coat of feathers and remains in its native habitat.

Yes, you read that correctly! While the human appendix is (incorrectly) believed to serve no purpose, the appendix of the wood grouse changes with the seasons: in winter, it grows up to 1.80 m long and then shrinks back in spring. Why all this effort? It's part of its survival strategy: in winter, the wood grouse mainly eats needles, which are ground down in the intestine together with small stones. This is a very complex process that takes place in the appendix, among other places.

In medieval books about animals, one author claimed that the wood grouse threw crystals down from the eternal ice of the mountains. If there is any truth in this legend, it is that wood grouse actually picked up small stones to break up the contents of their stomachs.

Despite its warm plumage, the Wood grouse is forced to reduce its energy consumption to a minimum during the winter months. If they are disturbed by humans off the designated paths, their flight response causes their metabolism to skyrocket in a short period of time. This costs energy and weakens the animal in the long term. It can even lead to death.

It's certainly not to everyone's taste, but it's definitely fascinating: Wood grouse chicks eat their mother's droppings. This is how they ingest the mixture of bacteria they need to break down the nutrients from coniferous trees later on.

Wood grouses are mainly found in the vast expanses of the Eurasian northern hemisphere. In Central Europe, however, they are now only found in the Alps and in small island populations such as the Black Forest.

While the male wood grouse was a popular motif on postcards from the Black Forest in the 19th century and was frequently mentioned in myths and legends, the female wood grouse rarely played a role. However, when she did appear, she was regarded as the epitome of motherhood and care, as she raises her chicks independently without the help of the male.