At about midday on 28th December 2002, I was walking along a track on Barden Moor in Wharfedale, North Yorkshire. Quite suddenly, a Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus, which had been calling from nearby heather Calluna/Erica, appeared in the open just 10 m away from me, with head and neck upright, red wattles distended and making low-pitched crowing calls (`tuow') which appeared to be directed at me. Gradually, it made its way towards me, and when about 2 m away it made several lunges at me with wings drooped, stopping just short of my legs. I turned to walk away, and immediately felt a light blow on the back of my neck. I turned to face the bird again, and this time it came so close to my feet that I could have picked it up. Again it struck me on the neck as I walked away. I had walked about 30 m along the track, assuming that I had emerged from its territory, when I received another light blow on the back of the neck, after which the grouse disappeared. The whole episode lasted about 15 minutes. I was wearing a red scarf and a maroon hood, and I wondered if this combination caused the bird to direct its aggression mainly towards the scarf at the back of my neck. I was aware that Capercaillies Tetrao urogallus can be aggressive towards humans, but did not realise that the same may be true of Red Grouse. It was an incredible experience.Alan