Ruffed Grouse - Grouse Hunting - Upland Hunting
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Description
The Ruffed Grouse is often slimmer than other grouse species, with a short triangular crest and a distinct black band across its fan-shaped tail. These birds are approximately the size of a chicken, about 16 to 20 inches in length (40-50 centimeters). They have a wingspan of 20 to 25 inches (50-64 centimeters).
Their coloring is a dappled reddish brown or gray color that makes them hard to see in the forest. When the male Ruffed Grouse is displaying, they will expose black neck feathers. This is often described as the grouse's ruff and is the namesake for bird.
The Ruffed Grouse has been a popular game bird in North America for a long time. In fact, starting in 1708, New York has briefly closed the hunting season for these birds to keep them thriving. Other than humans, they are also hunted by coyotes, hawks, falcons, and foxes.
These birds live in mixed deciduous and coniferous forests in North America. They are skilled flyers for short distances, though they are often found dwelling on the ground. They are well adapted to living in thick forest growth and can make sharp turns when they are flying through dense forest.
While toxic and bitter plants are often too much for birds, the Ruffed Grouse enjoys them. They eat a diet of buds and leaves from alder, birch, poplar, and quaking aspen.
When they live further south without snow, the Ruffed Grouse find dense conifers to provide protection from the wind.
In the winter, they bury themselves in soft snow drifts. Their feet actually change in the winter. Their toes grow small protrusions on the sides. This change makes it easier for them to walk across snow.
The Ruffed Grouse is most known for their drumming display. While they can be hard to spot in the forest, they can be found by listening for this distinct drumming which sounds as though it couldn't be coming from a bird. The male grouse most often perform this ritual in the morning and are actually only drumming on the air, though it sounds like a car engine struggling to start. While the wings are rotating backward and forward, a vacuum is created that produces this deep sound.
