Ruffed Grouse

Dec 9

The Ruffed Grouse may be most familiar to people from the sound the male makes during breeding season. The ‘drumming’ can almost be felt as easily as heard. It is a deep rhythmic sound made by rapid snapping wing movements.

The Ruffed Grouse is fairly common across the upper half of North America. But, it is fairly secretive, so you may have trouble seeing one.

Classification:

Order: Galliformes
Family: Tetraonidae
Genus: Bonasa
Species: B. umbellus

My Photos:

Note: I was using an owl call with my MP3 player trying to see a Great Gray Owl when I spotted this guy in a clearing. He was hunkered down thinking he was going to be a meal. He didn’t move for a while after I turned off the owl call.

Other photos:

Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus)