Black grouse in the Netherlands

vogelcommando

vogelcommando

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
The Black grouse is doing very bad in the Netherlands! The wild population at the moment stands at 2 males and 8 to 10 females, all living in the Sallandse Heuvelrug, a nature reserve in the North-eastern part of the Netherlands.
Main reason is that no chicks are raised succesfully. During 2012 28 chicks hatched but none was raised ! To give the species a change last year 5 wild-caught birds from Sweden were released in the area. 3 died quite soon, 1 disappeared and one was seen some days ago displaying.
To enlarge the changes of the species this year also swedish birds are brought in and released at the Sallandse Heuvelrug. Last week 10 swedish males were caught in Sweden and have already been released and there is a permit to catch a further 15 birds ( hopefully also some females ).
Hopefully this project will succeed and the Black grouse can be saved as a Dutch breeding bird !
 
It is really stupid as no chick be have been raised the past few years, although many hatched every year. There is not enough food for the chicks, so the species doesn't have a chance if that does not chance, they need extensively used meadows/agricultural parts to gain enough food. So I fear this re-introduction won't be successfull at all, because it does not adress the real problem...

The most nearby population is at the Luneburger Heide, where it does a bit better than in NL, but also not that good....
 
lintworm said:
It is really stupid as no chick be have been raised the past few years, although many hatched every year. There is not enough food for the chicks, so the species doesn't have a chance if that does not chance, they need extensively used meadows/agricultural parts to gain enough food. So I fear this re-introduction won't be successfull at all, because it does not adress the real problem...

The most nearby population is at the Luneburger Heide, where it does a bit better than in NL, but also not that good....
Click to expand...

Agreed, habitat modification and diversification would be the most instrumental way forward to increase population numbers to underpin the reasons why chick hatchability is good while breeding success - as in survivability of chicks - is low / no existant.

Zoos in Netherlands COULD play a big role in this ... (viz experiences in ME with bustards)
 
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