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Attack of the killer grouse

wildlife, gardening, environment, Rural living, Pets and Vets
zico
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Attack of the killer grouse

#437959

Postby zico » August 27th, 2021, 11:47 pm

I was wandering on a moorland above Sheffield yesterday and saw a red grouse fly into the heather a few yards beyond the drystone wall. I kept quiet and waited, and after a couple of minutes the bird hopped onto the wall just a couple of yards from me. It started making a variety of calls, and seemed pretty tame, so I guessed it associated people with food, as it lives on a grouse moor, and may have got used to seeing gamekeepers spreading feed. The bird walked back and forth along the wall, pretty much keeping pace with me. A couple in a car stopped to watch it, and tried leaving some cheese for the grouse, but it turned its beak up at the cheese. I took quite a few photos and videos of it, and then wondered how close I could get to it - within about 2 feet, as it turned out.

I then left the grouse on the wall, but the sun came out, so I went back to take photos of it in the sun. When I approached, it suddenly launched itself off the wall at my head, which was a surprise to say the least. It made about 4 or 5 sallies at me, and I fended it off by swinging my backpack at it. Unfortunately I'd unzipped my bag to take photos, and my wallet and car keys also came out, so I had to retrieve these while keeping an eye on the bird. It jumped down a couple of feet in front of me, zig-zagging with its wings outstretched, then had another few pops at my head. It kept this up for about 100 yards and for well over a minute before giving up.

It wasn't really a killer grouse, because it didn't draw blood - though maybe it was actually going for my jugular, but missed! Possibly it had rabies or perhaps the grouse moor owners are breeding specially aggressive birds to add a bit of extra excitement to grouse shooting, slogan "You better not miss".

I also got my first definite sighting of red kites around Sheffield moors (they're normally only seen north of Leeds). Happily they didn't attack me.

I checked the internet when I got home and couldn't find any UK examples of grouse attacking people. Has anyone heard of this kind of thing happening in the UK?

sg31
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Re: Attack of the killer grouse

#438192

Postby sg31 » August 29th, 2021, 11:41 am

What do you expect? It carried out a courtship display and you spurned it. No wonder it got the huff. :lol:

XFool
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Re: Attack of the killer grouse

#438200

Postby XFool » August 29th, 2021, 1:07 pm

sg31 wrote:What do you expect? It carried out a courtship display and you spurned it. No wonder it got the huff. :lol:

I remember when once I (accidentally) married a penguin at Whipsnade.

sg31
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Re: Attack of the killer grouse

#438374

Postby sg31 » August 30th, 2021, 11:11 am

XFool wrote:I remember when once I (accidentally) married a penguin at Whipsnade.


That sound like an interesting story...

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Re: Attack of the killer grouse

#438388

Postby XFool » August 30th, 2021, 11:59 am

...Didn't end happily. For the penguin.


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