Black Grouse (Tetrao tetrix)  - Black Grouse are a rare species; numbers are dangerously low across Wales. Their favoured habitat is heather moorland with a diverse age structure, young heather and bilberry for food, open areas for lekking (displaying), dense vegetation for nesting and cover and forest edge for shelter.

Numbers of Black Grouse on Llantysilio Mountains are very low, despite its close proximity to larger populations on Ruabon Mountain.

Moel Famau has been a Black Grouse success story since annual monitoring has been taking place over recent years. Numbers have increased from a single male Black Grouse at the end of the 20^th Century, to 16 males on the moorland between Moel Fenlli and Moel y Parc in 2008.

Black Grouse lekking in early spring is one of the most magical moorland sites and sounds - look out for organised viewing sessions at the end of April and early May.

Look out for large black birds with white tail feathers, bursting out of deep heather and flying low to the ground with fast wing movement.

Rhun Jones, Senior Countryside Warden - South Denbighshire

To see the RSPB's video footage of Black Grouse, please follow this link. (requires Adobe Flash Player)

To hear the RSPB's sound footage of Black Grouse, please follow this link.