Storch, Ilse

The grouse comprise a group of high profile species that are among the most well-known species in the countries where they occur; they are often considered the embodiment of the landscapes in which they live. Today, many of these species are under threat. The 2006–2010 Grouse Action Plan provides an overview to the distribution, status and threats to all 18 grouse species worldwide and identifies the most immediate conservation needs.

Grouse have long attracted and fascinated people. Their display behaviour, and their traditional communal mating grounds or "leks", have inspired poetry and folklore as well as scientific theories on sexual selection and mating systems. Im many parts of their range, hunting plays a major role in the culture, economy, and subsistence of local communities.