Grouse of the World

‘A treasure trove of information’ would be a fair description for this book. Did you know that the heat provided by its own droppings is key to helping a grouse keep warm during a cold Siberian winter? Or that Black-billed Capercaillies create ‘gardens’ of short larches by feeding on their crowns as they poke through winter snow? You will after reading this book.

The book starts by marvelling at the ability of grouse to survive the harshest northern winters, and then proceeds to discuss the adaptations that allow this, taking the reader on a journey from horny pectinations to snow burrows, via digestion and moult. These are then placed in context of the evolution of grouse, although somewhat controversially, the authors choose not to use recent molecular phylogenies to inform their discussion of grouse evolution. The main section of the book is a species-by-species account, especially good for well-studied species.

This book is packed full of graphs, diagrams and photographs, but it would be nice if there was more space to spread them out, as they can be a bit overwhelming. However, this is a minor criticism for what is a fantastic reference book.

Book reviewed by Martin Sullivan