Bonasa umbellus
The low drumming of the male Ruffed Grouse is a common spring sound in mountain woods. From atop an elevated site, the grouse arches back and beats the air with his cupped wings, producing deep, hollow booms. The sound is often felt before it's heard. The bird accelerates the beat during the display, in much the same rhythm as a starting lawnmower. The drumming is primarily restricted to the spring courting season, but, strangely, Ruffed Grouse also drum for a few weeks in fall. The Ruffed Grouse is named for the black ruffs on the sides of its neck. Displaying males erect these black patches to incite females.
|
I.D.: Sexes similar: small crest; mottled rusty-orange or gray-brown overall; black shoulder patches (or ruffs); banded tail with a dark terminal band. Female: incomplete terminal band. Size: L 15-19 in. (38-48 cm). Range: common in the Canadian Rockies and south through Glacier NP; uncommon in Yellowstone NP; rare south of Wyoming. Habitat: aspen, cottonwood and poplar forests; spruce and pine woods. Nesting: in a shallow depression among leaf litter; often beside logs, boulders and trees; female incubates 9-12 eggs for 23-25 days. Feeding: gleans the ground and vegetation; eats aspens buds, willow catkins and terrestrial insects. Voice: Male: uses his wings to produce a hollow, drumming courtship sound of accelerating, deep booms. Female: may 'cluck' and 'hiss' when rearing chicks. Similar Species: Sharp-tailed Grouse: lacks the fan-shaped tail and the black shoulder patches. Spruce Grouse: female lacks the small crest. |
