Ruffed Grouse
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| Bonasa umbellus ( |
The Ruffed Grouse, Bonasa umbellus, is a medium-sized grouse.
Ruffed Grouse have two distinct color phases, grey and red. In the grey phase, adults have a long square brownish tail with barring and a black band near the end. The head, neck and back are grey-brown; they have a light breast with barring. The ruffs are located on the sides of the neck. These birds also have a "mohawk" on top of their head, which sometimes you can see, but normally the feathers are flat on the Ruffed Grouse's head. The female is smaller with less obvious ruffs and a shorter tail. A fairly accurate method for sexing ruffed grouse involves inspection of the rump feathers. Feathers with a single white dot indicate a female, feathers with >1 white dot indicate that the bird is a male.
Their breeding habitat is forests across Canada and the northern United States including Alaska. They nest on the ground in dense growth, usually near a log or tree trunk.
They are permanent residents. Some move short distances to denser cover for winter.
The Ruffed Grouse have very distinic habitat requiremnts. Scientists have never been able to successfully breed adult Ruffed Grouse in captivity.
These birds forage on the ground or in trees. They are omnivores, eating buds, leaves, berries and seeds, but also insects and even small frogs.
This is the most wide-spread grouse in North America. The male is often heard drumming on a fallen log in spring on territory. When surprised, they may explode into flight, beating their wings very loudly.
The Ruffed Grouse is the
Picture link: Ruffed Grouse in Northern Connecticut
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Bonasa umbellus. 2006
[edit] External links
- Ruffed Grouse Society (http://www.ruffedgrousesociety.org/ruffed_facts.asp)
- Ruffed Grouse call (http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/Song/h3000ca.wav)
- Ruffed Grouse drumming(http://birds.cornell.edu/programs/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Ruffed_Grouse_dtl.html#sound)
- Ruffed Grouse (Cornell) (http://birds.cornell.edu/programs/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Ruffed_Grouse_dtl.html)