Difference between revisions of "Field Guide/Birds/Bonasa umbellus"

Latest revision as of 00:41, 15 July 2022

Bonasa umbellus (Ruffed Grouse)
Ruffed Grouse

Description
The Ruffed Grouse, Bonasa umbellus, is a medium-sized grouse occurring in forests across Canada and the Appalachian and northern United States including Alaska. They are non-migratory. 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 subterminal 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 "crest" on top of their head, which sometimes lays flat. Both sexes are similarly marked and sized, making them difficult to tell apart, even in hand. The female often has a broken subterminal tail band, while males often have unbroken tail bands. Another fairly accurate method for sexing ruffed grouse involves inspection of the rump feathers. Feathers with a single white dot indicate a female, feathers with more than one white dot indicate that the bird is a male. Ruffed Grouse have never been successfully bred in captivity. These birds forage on the ground or in trees. They are omnivores, eating buds, leaves, berries, seeds, and insects. The male is often heard drumming on a fallen log in spring to attract females for mating. Females nest on the ground, typically laying 6-8 eggs. Grouse spend most of their time on the ground, and when surprised, may explode into flight, beating their wings very loudly.

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-{{Taxobox
+{{Bird_id
-| color = pink
 | name = Ruffed Grouse
-| status = LC
+| latin_name = Bonasa umbellus
-| image = RuffedGrouse23.jpg
+| level = 4
-| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
+| image_1 = Ruffed grouse NPS.jpg
-| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
+| caption_1 = Ruffed Grouse
-| classis = [[Aves]]
+| description = The '''Ruffed Grouse''', ''Bonasa umbellus'', is a medium-sized grouse occurring in forests across Canada and the Appalachian and northern United States including Alaska.  They are non-migratory.
-| ordo = [[Galliformes]]
-| familia = [[Grouse|Tetraonidae]]
-| genus = ''[[Bonasa]]''
-| species = '''''B. umbellus'''''
-| binomial = ''Bonasa umbellus''
-| binomial_authority = ([[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], 1766)
-}}
-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 subterminal 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 "crest" on top of their head, which sometimes lays flat.  Both sexes are similarly marked and sized, making them difficult to tell apart, even in hand.  The female often has a broken subterminal tail band, while males often have unbroken tail bands.  Another fairly accurate method for sexing ruffed grouse involves inspection of the rump feathers. Feathers with a single white dot indicate a female, feathers with more than one white dot indicate that the bird is a male.
-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 subterminal 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. The female often has a broken subterminal tail band, while males often have unbroken tail bands. This is not always an accurate way to sex the ruffed grouse because occasionally the female has a more complete tail band, and males sometimes have a broken tail band. 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 to indicate that the bird is a male.
+Ruffed Grouse have never been successfully bred in captivity.
-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.
+These birds forage on the ground or in trees. They are omnivores, eating  buds, leaves, berries, seeds, and insects.
-They are permanent residents. Some move short distances to denser cover for winter.
+The male is often heard drumming on a fallen log in spring to attract females for mating. Females nest on the ground, typically laying 6-8 eggs.  Grouse spend most of their time on the ground, and when surprised, may explode into flight, beating their wings very loudly.
+}}
-The Ruffed Grouse have very distinct habitat requirements. Because of this, scientists have never been able to successfully breed adult Ruffed Grouse in captivity.
-These birds forage on the ground or in trees. They are [[omnivore]]s, eating  buds, leaves, [[Berry|berries]] and [[seed]]s. They also eat [[insect]]s and  small [[frog]]s.
-This is the most wide-spread grouse in North America, with an estimated population of more than 8 millions individuals (according to IUCN).
-The male is often heard drumming on a fallen log in spring on territory. When surprised, Ruffed Grouse may explode into flight, beating their wings very loudly.
-The Ruffed Grouse is the [[List of U.S. state birds|state bird]] of [[Pennsylvania]].
-Picture link: [http://juliesmagiclightshow.com/index.php?pic=901 Ruffed Grouse in Northern Connecticut]
-===Hunting===
-Ruffed grouse is one of the favorite upland bird  hunted on the continent, particularly in northeastern USA and eastern Canada. Requiring minimal equipment, grouse hunting is seen by many as a perfect bird for initiation to hunting. And, at the same time, grouse hunting is challenging enough to also appeal to experienced hunters. The ruffed grouse is renowned for its fine and delicate taste and is thus a prized bird catch for any hunter and explain its popularity as an upland bird.
-'''Misc.'''
-An Assemblage of grouse is refered to as a covey, pack or conundrum of grouse.
-==References==
-* {{IUCN2006|assessors=BirdLife International|year=2004|id=47088|title=Bonasa umbellus|downloaded=11 May 2006}} Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
-== External links ==
-* [http://www.ruffedgrousesociety.org/ruffed_facts.asp Ruffed Grouse Facts] - Ruffed Grouse Society
-* [http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Ruffed_Grouse.html Ruffed Grouse Species Account] - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
-* [http://www.sdakotabirds.com/species/ruffed_grouse_info.htm Ruffed Grouse Information and Photos] - South Dakota Birds and Birding
-* [http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i3000id.html Ruffed Grouse Identification, Range, and Call] - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
-[[Category:Tetraonidae]]
-[[Category:United States state birds]]
-[[Category:Fauna of the United States]]
-[[fr:Gélinotte huppée]]