The male, known as
blackcock
, may be 55 cm (22 inches) long and weigh almost 2 kg (about 4 pounds). He is iridescent blue-black, with white wing bars and undertail coverts; his tail curls outward like a lyre. The female, known as gray hen, is mottled brown, barred with black; she is smaller than the male.
Why are ruffed grouse called partridge?
David O’Hearn, a hunter who grew up in New Hampshire’s seacoast region, says, “Ruffed grouse were
always referred to as partridge when the elders spoke. Urbanites tend to
say grouse.”
What is a group of ruffed grouse called?
After much spirited debate, votes were cast and the winner was: Henceforth, a group of three or more ruffed grouse encountered after brood dispersal will be called
a “thunder” of grouse
.
What are grouse babies called?
Grouse:
Cheeper
, squealer. Guineafowl: Keet.
What does a female ruffed grouse look like?
Ruffed Grouse are intricately patterned with
dark bars and spots on either a reddish-brown or grayish background
. Dark bars down the side of the neck continue and widen on the belly. The tail is finely barred, with one wide, black band near the tip.
What state has the most ruffed grouse?
Minnesota
is the top ruffed grouse-producing state in the U.S. No other state harvests as many ruffed grouse each fall or provides as much public hunting land containing ruffed grouse. The ruffed grouse is a native woodland bird about the size of a small chicken.
What is the lifespan of a ruffed grouse?
Few young birds that make it to autumn will survive their first winter. Although it is thought that individual birds may live for as long as 11 years, the average life span for Ruffed Grouse is far less, and few birds make it
beyond 7 or 8 years of age
.
How can you tell if a ruffed grouse is male or female?
The male ruffed grouse usually has an unbroken, dark brown or black band at the trailing edge of its tail. Tail feathers measure about 6 inches. In female ruffed grouse,
the dark brown or black band can be washed out in the center of the tail
. Tail feathers measure less than 6 inches long.
What animals eat ruffed grouse?
Crows and ravens prey upon eggs. Weasels, raccoons, opossums, and foxes also prey upon both eggs and young. Raptors, such as red-tailed hawks and great horned owls, as well as mammals, such as the
bobcat, red fox
, and coyote, prey upon the ruffed grouse.
Is a grouse aggressive?
Such close encounters with ruffed grouse are unusual, but not rare.
Certain individuals remain aggressive and territorial all year long
. Though drumming peaks in the spring, males have been recorded drumming during every month. So I’m not surprised that grouse can be surprisingly bold.
What do you call a baby duck?
Soon after birth, baby ducks, called
ducklings
, open their eyes. A little more than a day after hatching, ducklings can run, swim, and forage for food on their own. They stay in the nest for less than a month. A group of ducklings is called a brood.
How do you spot a grouse?
Look for
grouse where the ground is covered with salad
—small, leafy plants, berries, seeds and mushrooms—not dense, long grass. Logged areas, 10-year-old burns and overgrown farms that are being colonized with poplars are good spots to look, as grouse feed heavily on poplar catkins.
How often do grouse lay eggs?
Females lay 4-8 eggs, typically
one every 1-1⁄2 days
and usually in the afternoon.
What is the rarest bird in PA?
A representative from the Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology later confirmed that the bird is
a Scott’s oriole
. The property owners have since set up a visitors log for birders to respectfully check out the rare sight, an exciting moment for bird enthusiasts in Pennsylvania.
