Lyrurus is a genus of birds in the grouse subfamily. They are known as black grouse because the male's plumage of both species is colored black as its base colour.
| Lyrurus Temporal range: Early Pliocene to recent | |
|---|---|
| |
| Black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Galliformes |
| Family: | Phasianidae |
| Tribe: | Tetraonini |
| Genus: | Lyrurus Swainson, 1832 |
| Type species | |
| Tetrao tetrix (black grouse) Linnaeus, 1758 | |
| Species | |
The genus Lyrurus was introduced in 1832 by the English naturalist William John Swainson with the black grouse as the type species.[1] The genus name combines the Ancient Greek lura meaning "lyre" with -ouros meaning "-tailed".[2]
The genus contains two species:[3]
| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black grouse
|
Lyrurus tetrix (Linnaeus, 1758) Six subspecies |
Europe (Swiss-Italian-French Alps specially) from Great Britain (but not Ireland) through Scandinavia and Estonia, eastwards through Russia and parts of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and China
|
Size: Habitat: Diet: |
LC
|
| Caucasian grouse
|
Lyrurus mlokosiewiczi (Taczanowski, 1875) |
The Caucasus, specifically the Caucasus Mountains | Size: Habitat: Diet: |
LC
|
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