Field Guide/Birds/Bonasa umbellus

The Ruffed Grouse, Bonasa umbellus, is a medium-sized grouse occuring in forests across Canada and the appalachian and northern United States including Alaska. They nest on the ground in dense growth. 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 dificult 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 >1 white dot to indicate that the bird is a male.

Ruffed Grouse have never been succesfuly 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 female for mating. Grouse spend most of their time on the ground, and when surprised, may explode into flight, beating their wings very loudly.

The Ruffed Grouse is the state bird of Pennsylvania.

Picture link: Ruffed Grouse in Northern Connecticut

Hunting

Ruffed Grouse are hunted across their entire range, and are widely considered to be among the most challenging of all upland birds. Population densities across the continent have declined severely in recent decades, primarily due to habitat loss. Many states in the U.S. have open Grouse hunting seasons that run from October through January, but hunting is not considered to be a significant contributing factor in the population decline.

Ruffed Grouse are pursued by hunters both with and without the aid of dogs, and in most states are taken legally only with shotguns.

References

• Template:IUCN2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern

External links

• Ruffed Grouse Facts - Ruffed Grouse Society
• Ruffed Grouse Species Account - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Ruffed Grouse Information and Photos - South Dakota Birds and Birding
• Ruffed Grouse Identification, Range, and Call - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter