Ruffed grouse
(π©πππππ ππππππππ)
Conservation Status: Least Concern (Population decreasing)
Photo Credit: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife/Creative Commons
Facts: If you are in search of ruffed grouse, you may only catch a glimpse before they quickly escape into the woods. On the smaller side of the 10 species of grouse native to North America, this species of game bird lives in hardwood dominated mixed growth, softwood dominated mixed growth, upland and lowland hardwoods, old fields and orchards β that covers a lot of habitat! In fact, approximately 27,690 square miles of Maine is considered habitat for grouse. While it may be difficult to catch a glimpse of this bird, in the spring you may be able to hear the ruffed grouseβs mating ritual, which resembles the sounds of a beating drum. The males βdrumβ by compressing air beneath their wings in hopes to attract a mate.
A common game bird in Maine, ruffed grouse look very similar to the spruce grouse (which does not have an open season). You can tell these two apart by their behavior as well as their physical traits. When approached, a ruffed grouse will commonly flush and take fight when disturbed, while a spruce grouse may act very tame, even allowing a hunter or a slow moving vehicle to approach within a few feet. The ruffed grouse has black ruffed feathers on the sides of their neck and small feathers pointing up on top of their head. The spruce grouse has red-brown tips on their tails feathers and lack the broad black band that can commonly be seen on a ruffed grouse.
Interesting fact: Ruffed grouse will take part in snow-roosting. If the snow is at least 10 inches deep, they will burrow into and stay in the snow until they are ready to eat. This helps them conserve energy in the cold Maine winters. When they are ready to feed, they stick their heads out of their holes, making sure the coast is clear, and then explode out of the snow into the woods!
Sources: https://www.maine.gov/.../specie.../birds/ruffed-grouse.html, https://www.maine.gov/.../birds/grouse-difference.html, https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/birds/ruffedgrouse.html.