Also known as Blackgame or European Black Grouse.
The male of this large bird, featured in this stamp, has very distinctive black plumage, red wattles around its eyes, a white wingbar, and a lyre-shaped tail, which appears forked in flight. Its song is loud, bubbling and somewhat dove-like.
The female is greyish-brown and takes all responsibility for nesting and brooding. Her call is a cackle.
A record 200 male Black Grouses have been seen together taking up the ritual mating game at the dawn of spring; strutting and displaying whilst making a highly distinctive mating call. This process is called lekking.
[All text: Ref (43)]
grouse
–adjective Australian Slang.
excellent; great; wonderful.
Origin: 1940–45; orig. uncert.
(44)
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