The Wrong Trousers?
Because Red Grouse spend most of their time among heather you don't often get chance to see their legs and feet. Feathered feet is unusual enough among birds but to have them a completely different colour to the rest of the bird looks like it has put on the wrong trousers. The scientific name of Red Grouse is Lagopus lagopus scoticus, and Lagopus translates as hare-footed, because its feet resemble those of a Mountain Hare, in colour and fluffiness at least. I've pasted a Mountain Hare in winter pelage below in the comments. Birds lose more heat through unfeathered parts, so Red Grouse and Ptarmigan which live year round in cold, mountainous areas, both have feathered legs and toes to reduce heath loss.
I took this photo on the Peak District Moors in South Yorkshire this week.
The Wrong Trousers?
Because Red Grouse spend most of their time among heather you don't often get chance to see their legs and feet. Feathered feet is unusual enough among birds but to have them a completely different colour to the rest of the bird looks like it has put on the wrong trousers. The scientific name of Red Grouse is Lagopus lagopus scoticus, and Lagopus translates as hare-footed, because its feet resemble those of a Mountain Hare, in colour and fluffiness at least. I've pasted a Mountain Hare in winter pelage below in the comments. Birds lose more heat through unfeathered parts, so Red Grouse and Ptarmigan which live year round in cold, mountainous areas, both have feathered legs and toes to reduce heath loss.
I took this photo on the Peak District Moors in South Yorkshire this week.