What is a fact about ruffed grouse?
Fun Facts for Kids The Ruffed grouse is the state bird of Pennsylvania, United States. Common nicknames for Ruffed grouse include drummer or thunder-chicken. Ruffed grouse are named for the “ruff” of feathers around the neck in males; they display these feathers during the mating season in order to attract females.
What are grouse known for?
The male’s ruff consists of erectile black feathers on the sides of the neck. He is famous for drumming—beating his wings rapidly against the air—to proclaim his territory. In courtship display he struts, hissing, with tail cocked up before the hen.
How fast can grouse fly?
about 20 miles per hour
Although its takeoff is thunderous and powerful, a grouse can’t fly long distances. Its top flight speed is about 20 miles per hour. After takeoff, it flies rapidly and then locks its wings and glides to safer territory, usually traveling less than 100 yards.
What do grouse birds eat?
Habitat. Mixed-age groves of aspen, spruce, and birch make ideal habitat for Ruffed Grouse in the northern part of their range.
What trees do grouse like?
Midwest Ruffed Grouse Habitat In the Great Lakes states, quaking aspen-white birch forests are undeniably the best and most productive habitat for grouse. These forest types provide lots of dense cover within one year of cutting them and continue to do so for decades.
What is a group of grouse called?
Game Birds (quail, grouse, ptarmigan): covey, pack, bevy.
How long does a grouse live?
The longest recorded life span of a ruffed grouse in northern Minnesota was 7.8 years [65]. Annual survival rates of adult ruffed grouse typically range from 30% to 60% [156] and may be higher in the southern portions of the range [34]. Range-wide male survival averages about 34% [156].
What are grouse babies called?
Grouse: Cheeper, squealer. Guineafowl: Keet.
How big is a grouse?
Grouse are heavily built like other Galliformes, such as chickens. They range in length from 31 to 95 cm (12 to 37+1⁄2 in), and in weight from 0.3 to 6.5 kg (3⁄4 to 14+1⁄4 lb).
Do grouse lay eggs?
Females lay 4-8 eggs, typically one every 1-½ days and usually in the afternoon. Eggs have irregular dark-brown blotches on a light tawny background, noticeably different than for sympatric Ruffed Grouse. Some females may re-nest if the first is unsuccessful; clutch size is smaller for re-nests.
How often do grouse lay eggs?
one every 1-½ days
Egg laying begins about 2-½ weeks after ground cover becomes 50% snow-free. Females lay 4-8 eggs, typically one every 1-½ days and usually in the afternoon.
What habitat do grouse live in?
forest
Places like mature forest and young forest, swamp and mature forest, old fields and young forest. Anywhere there’s a change in the cover type, there’s going to be a more diverse mix of tree/shrub species and one is bound to be thicker than the other. That’s a recipe for finding grouse.