heath hen

English

Model of a heath hen (†Tympanuchus cupido cupido)

Noun

heath hen (plural heath hens)

1. A female black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix).

   Coordinate term: heath cock

   • 1728, James Thomson, “Spring”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, →OCLC:

     The Heath-Hen flutters, (pious Fraud!) to lead / The hot pursuing Spaniel far astray.

2. Any of an extinct subspecies of grouse that once lived in North America (†Tympanuchus cupido cupido).

References

• heath hen on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Tympanuchus cupido cupido on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
• Tympanuchus cupido cupido on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons