Eight species of grouse, Tetraoninae, occur in China, all of which are protected. These species are capercaillie Tetrao urogallus, black-billed capercaillie T. parvirostris, black grouse T. tetrix, willow ptarmigan Lagopus lagopus, rock ptarmigan L. mutus, sharp-winged grouse Falcipennis falcipennis, hazel grouse Bonasa bonasia, and Chinese grouse B. sewerzowi. Their present distribution is limited to small areas in the northeast and northwest. China's grouse fauna is rich in variety and occupies a variety of environments. However, two species are disappearing in the wild. Most are listed as endangered or vulnerable species in the IUCN Red Data Book. Since about 1960, grouse research by Chinese biologists has progressed mainly in understanding distribution, captive rearing, and behaviour. There is still a lack of knowledge concerning China's grouse, and their conservation and management are facing great problems. Due to overhunting, grouse distribution has shrunk since the end of the 1980s, even leading to extermination in some areas.

Key words: Bonasa, China, endangered, Falcipennis, grouse, Lagopus, Tetrao

Wei Gao, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, Jilin Province, P. R. China
Zhongxin Gao & Changhu Lu, College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, P. R. China
Xiangtao Li, Beijing Natural History Museum, 126 Tian Qiao Street, Beijing 100050, P. R. China