red grouse

American  

noun

1. a grouse, Lagopus lagopus scoticus, of the British Isles, a subspecies of willow ptarmigan lacking white winter plumage.

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red grouse British  

noun

1. a reddish-brown grouse, Lagopus scoticus , of upland moors of Great Britain: an important game bird

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Etymology

Origin of red grouse

First recorded in 1770–80

Example Sentences

It wants gamebird shooting in England and Wales to be licensed, as red grouse shooting now is in Scotland.

From BBC • May 25, 2026

While the licensing scheme initially applies only to red grouse, there are worries it will be extended to other birds such as pheasant.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2024

Birds like the meadow pipit and skylark use the heather for nesting, and it is also a source of food for the red grouse.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2022

It all began with a trivia question raised among friends: Which is the fastest game bird in Britain, the golden plover or the red grouse?

From New York Times • Aug. 27, 2015

Only one good-sized animal, so far as known, is now peculiar to the British Isles, and that is our familiar friend the red grouse of the Scotch moors.

From Falling in Love With Other Essays on More Exact Branches of Science by Allen, Grant