Red Grouse Surveys
Why are Red Grouse Surveys needed?
Red Grouse are found on heather dominated habitats such as are found in upland areas. The areas in which these habitats are typically found, have recently become of interest to wind energy developers because of their upland nature and good wind speeds.
How are Red Grouse surveys undertaken?
Surveys for Red Grouse involve the walking of defined routes recording any birds seen or heard.
Surveys can be concentrated in the areas that are considered to contain the best mixedheight habitats that would be favoured by grouse. To conduct a survey, a pair of observers, spaced 250 metres apart, walk a parallel linear transects across the survey area.
McCarthy Keville O'Sullivan staff conduct surveys for Red Grouse useing a ‘tape lure’, which consists of a megaphone playing a recording of a grouse call. Tape lure surveys require a licence from the National Parks and Wildlife Service. The tape lure recording is played at 250 metre intervals along each the transect routes for a period of approximately 30 seconds at each stop. The surveyors stop and scan with binoculars for birds as the tape is being played and immediately after the tape had finished. If no response has been elicited after 30 seconds, the tape is played again for another 30 seconds and the observers wait and scan the area for another 30 seconds before continuing on their route.
In some cases the surveys involve the use of a megaphone to mimic
grouse calls and prompt a response from bird in the vicinity. These
type of transect surveys can also be used to survey for breeding waders
in upland areas.
When can Red Grouse surveys be carried out?
Red Grouse surveys can be undertaken between January and March. Tape lure surveys require a licence, which is issued by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and adequate time must be provided for to obtain the licence in advance of carrying out the survey.