Hazel Grouse (Tetrastes bonasia) [XC680327]
by Lars Edenius from H\u00e4ggn\u00e4s, Vindeln Municipality, V\u00e4sterbottens l\u00e4n, Sweden (wing flutter)
Hazel Grouse (Tetrastes bonasia) [XC792007]
by Jarek Matusiak from Kolari (near Yliaho), Tunturi-Lappi, Lappi, Estonia (song)
Subspecies
Forms superspecies with Chinese Grouse (Bonasa sewerzowi).
Occasional hybridization reported with Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus), Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) and Black Grouse (Lyrurus tetrix). Complex taxonomy, with various attempts to lump subspecies, e.g. only four recognized: with styriaca, rhenana and schiebeli placed in rupestris; volgensis and griseonota in bonasia; kolymensis in sibirica; amurensis and yamashinai in vicinitas.
The following 12 subspecies are recognised:
styriacus (von Jordans and Schiebel, 1944) - Jura Mts, Alps, Hungary, Slovakia and southern Poland.
rhenanus (Kleinschmidt, 1917) - North-eastern France, Luxembourg, Belgium and western Germany.