The Grouse in my Yard

Back in January and early February, I saw a Ruffed Grouse in my yard a number of times.  I spent some time reading up on the grouse, which is also sometimes called a "partridge".  Here's just some of the interesting stuff I read about the Ruffed Grouse.

APPEARANCE
They have a plump, mottled body with a smallish head that has a bit of a crest.  Their long, squared-off tail has broad, dark bands and a white tip.  There are two morphs: grey morphs are found mostly in the north and red morphs are found mainly south.  They are 17" long, have a wingspan of 22", and weigh about 1.3 pounds.
In winter, scales grow out along the sides of the grouse's toes giving them temporary snowshoes. (Budliger/Kennedy)

 

BEHAVIOR
Ted Floyd comments that the Ruffed Grouse "almost never wanders away from the woods". They are generally solitary and shy, though in winter, they may gather in small groups of 4-5 individuals to feed and roost together. At night, they roost in conifers, in stands of tightly packed saplings, or beneath snow cover. (Dunne)
Though capable of flight, they are most often seen moving about by foot.
They glean the ground and on vegetation to feed.  Their omnivorous diet includes seeds, buds, flowers, berries, catkins, leaves, insects, spiders, and snails. (Dunne)  Their diet varies with the season; fruits and berries in summer and fall, then switching to tree buds in winter, especially in the north when the ground is snow-covered. (Kaufmann)

PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS
When I've seen Ruffed Grouse in my yard, they are always in or very close to woodland cover.  I enjoyed watching the bird pictured walk out along tree branches that I thought were too small to support it.

It would walk out as far as possible, then turn and walk back.  It would almost jump rather than fly to the next branch.  These pictures were taken in cherry trees and sumacs, and the grouse was enjoying the buds on the cherry trees and the fruit on the sumacs.

THE GROUSE IN NEW YORK STATE
Ruffed Grouse are fairly common year-round residents, breeding in April - June.  They are the most common and widespread grouse in the state. (Budliger/Kennedy)
New York trends (as well as nationwide and regionally) show significant declines in Ruffed Grouse populations from 1966 - 2005. Substantially fewer grouse were recorded (during the second atlas survey) and gaps are apparent.  The North American Bird Conservation Initiative has listed the grouse as a species of conservation concern in New York.  Population can be restored through proper forest harvest and management, including proper clearing. (McGowan/Corwin)

Sources:

• Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Ted Floyd
• Birds of New York State, Bob Budliger and Gregory Kennedy
• Lives of North American Birds, Kenn Kaufman
• Essential Field Guide Companion, Pete Dunne
• The Second Atlas of Breeding Birds in New York State, Kevin McGowan and Kimberley Corwin

Read more about the Ruffed Grouse on rightbird, WBU's online field guide.

This post was submitted to Bird Photography Weekly #26.

Comments

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Red - and I didn't even get the shots of him on even SMALLER branches! Thanks for your comment and visit again soon.
Larry - I hope so too. Thanks much for the thumbs up on this post.
Jackie - thanks for your note and for dropping in. I'll be sure to visit your blog!

[Jackie Donnelly]

I'm so happy I found your blog! It was highlighted on Adirondack Almanack this week (Feb. 28), as was mine (saratogawoodswaters.blogspot.com). I live in busy downtown Saratoga Springs, but still get some pretty interesting avian visitors, including Coopers, sharp-shinned, and red-shouldered hawks. Too bad they haven't managed to scare away the flock of English sparrows. Thanks for your great blog. I'll keep visiting and would be so proud if you'd drop by mine.

[Larry Jordan]

Excellent post on the Ruffed Grouse Nancy! Great captures too! I hate to see another species in decline. I hope we can turn those statistics around.

[Red]

Just as I was thinking "that bird is too big for those branches" I read the line you typed on that. Cute :)

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Roxanne - that's pretty interesting. I always thought they were pretty shy (and not too bright). Thanks for sharing. Stop by again soon.

[Roxanne Thompson]

Here in MN, we have had a grouse that was intrigued by people. He was almost a pet. He would come into our garage when the door was open, and follow us around the yard. We had him around for two years, and then he disappeared. I learned alot about ruffed grouse from him! We know it was a him, because we would see him "drumming".

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Lana - my grouse wish list is a spruce grouse.
Sally - too bad, huh? Development...
Mon@rch - I've had photo-ops with them before but this was by far the best.
Bob K - thanks much. Stop by again soon!
Kyle - not the same as a partridge, but called a partridge locally. Thanks for your visit and glad you enjoyed.

[Kyle]

Great photos and information! We don't get these down here in Texas, so I've never seen one firsthand. Never knew they were the same thing as partridges.

[Bob K]

Very informative and nice pictures! It means a lot to us who have never seen this bird. Thanks!

[mon@rch]

Such a stunning bird and I love how it posed for you like that!

[Sally]

I remember when we first moved to Wilton, NY, I could lie in bed on a spring morning and not only hear the Ruffed Grouse, but I could also feel the drumming. Now that we've had a bit of development around us I don't hear it anymore. There is still some good habitat for them but perhaps not enough. Sally

[Lana]

I think I saw a ruffed grouse only once while in Canada (& then, while driving down an exit ramp off the QEW.) Although they may be called partridges, they're not partridges. I've always wanted to see a sage grouse (or any grouse beating their chest as they do.)