he Dancing O E - Idaho Fish and Game | Idaho Fish and GameGrouse belong to a large group of birds called “galliforms.” This includes birds like turkeys, quail, and grouse. They

IDAHOIDAHO

FISH

& GA

MEF

ISH& GA

ME

Volume 25/Issue 8 Grouse April 2010

Photo courtesy Terry R. Thomas, © April 2010

IIIDDDAAAHHHOOO

The Dancing

Grouse

Haveyoueverhadaquiethikeinterruptedbyanexplodingbird?

Ifso,youmayhavemetamemberofthegrousefamily.Whiletheydo

notreallyexplode,theirsuddenget-awayrightatyourfeetseemslike

afeatheredexplosion.Infact,thissuddenrapidflightiscommoninthis

familyofbirds.Theirshort,roundedwingscanbeatveryfast.Thislets

thebirdflyintotheairverysuddenly.Justlikeitstartlesyou,itcanalso

startleapredatorlongenoughforthebirdtoflyawaytosafety.

Grousebelongtoalargegroupofbirdscalled“galliforms.”Thisincludesbirdsliketurkeys,quail,andgrouse.They

areallground-dwellingbirdsthatfeedmostlyonplants.About183speciesofgalliformbirdslivearoundtheworldon

everycontinentexceptAntarcticaandSouthAmerica.TwelvespeciesarenativetoNorthAmerica.HereinIdaho,we

havefivenativegrousespecies.Severalotherspeciessuchasring-neckedpheasant,chukar,andgraypartridgearenot

native,theyhavebeenintroducedtoIdahoandotherstatesasgamebirds.

Asafamily,grousearewellcamouflaged.Theircolorsaremainlybrown,tan,buff,gray,black,andwhite.

Becausetheyspendalotoftimeontheground,beingcamouflagedisveryimportant.Threemembersofthegrouse

family,calledptarmigan(TAR-mi-gan)eventurnwhiteinthewinter.Asthewinterends,theptarmiganbegintolose

theirwhitefeathersandgrowbrownones.Whenthesnowstartsflyinginthefall,theptarmiganturnwhiteagain.

Grousealsonestontheground.Camouflagedor“cryptic”colorshelpthefemalestayhiddenassheincubatesher

eggs.

Ifyoufindagrousenest,youwillprobablynotthinkitismuchofanest.Usually,itisjustascrapeontheground

underashruboratthebaseofatree.Itisusedonlyforincubationandhatching.Assoonastheeggs

hatch,thechicksleavethenestwiththeirmother.Thiscantakeaslongas24hoursoronlyoneto

threehours.Younggrousecanwalk,run,andfindfoodassoonastheirfeathersdry.Youngbirds

thatcandothisarecalled“precocial”(pre-CO-shall).Thismeansthattheyarewell-developed

whentheyhatchandleavetheirnestquickly.Songbirdslikerobinsandsparrowsarenot

precocial.Theyarekindoflikeyou,havingtohangaroundthenestgrowingupbefore

theycanleavehome.Grousechicksgrowquicklybyeatinginsectsandplants.

Theywillstaywiththeirmotherthroughthesummerandsetoffontheirownin

thefall.

Grousearesecretivebirdsexceptinthespringwhenthemalesofsome

speciesputonprettyimpressivecourtshipdisplays.Thesedisplaysare

consideredoneofnature’smostamazingwildlifespectacles!

Let’s T

alk About

ROUSE

Baby ...Hey

Inthebirdworld,itisthehandsomestguy

withthecoolestmovesandtheprettiestsong

thatgetsthegirls.Malegrouseputonquite

ashowtoattractthehens.First,therearethe

sounds:hoots,pops,scrapes,rasps,drumming,

andstamping.Thentherearethemoves:

wingfluttering,footstamping,wingbeating,

leaping,tailfanning,andbows.Finally,the

look:tailfans,colorfulairsacs,ruffsaround

necks,decorativefeathers,andcolorful

eyebrowcombs.Putthisalltogetherandyou

haveanimpressivecourtshipdisplaythatis

suretoattractattention.

Speciessuchassagegrouseandsharp-

tailedgrouseuseanareacalleda“lek”for

theirdisplays.Thisisasmall,openarea

whereagroupofmalesgathertodisplayfor

thehens.Theyarealsotryingtoimpressone

another.Sometimes,fightsbetweenmales

breakoutiftheygettoocloseorahenwalks

nearby.Olderbirdsoftenhavethemost

impressivedisplaysandarethemostlikelyto

attractamate.Leksaresometimesusedfor

manyyears.Becauseofthis,biologistscan

keeptrackofgrousepopulationsbyobserving

thenumberofgrouseusingalek.Grouse

thatuseleksusuallydisplayveryearlyinthe

morningwhenitisquiet.Thisallowsfortheir

boomingandpoppingsoundstobeheardfor

alongway.Sagegrousecanbeheardthree

milesaway!

Forestgrouselikeruffedandduskygrouse

donotgatheronleks.Instead,theydisplayby

themselves.Duskygrousehaveairsacsthat

makeasofthootingsound.Theyalsofantheir

tailsanddisplaytheircolorfuleyebrow-like

combstoattractattention.Ruffedgrousebeat

theirwingsveryquickly,makingadrumming

soundthatcanbeheardaquarter-mileaway.

Thesmallsprucegrousemakesitscourtship

swishingandclappingsoundsbyusingits

wingsandtail.

Thecourtshipdisplaysofgrouse,

especiallyonlekshaveimpressedhumansfor

manyyears.SomeNativeAmericantribes

basedtheirdancesonthoseofsageandsharp-

tailedgrouse.Today,birdwatcherseagerly

awaitthespringtimegatheringsofthese

remarkablebirds.

Springbringsmanysoundsincludingbirdsong.Birdsbegintosinginthespringtoestablishaterritoryandattractamate.Someofthesesongsareverysimpleandothersareverycomplex.Ifyoutakethetimetolisten,youcanlearntoidentifybirdsbytheirsongsandcalls.Thisiscalled“birdingbyear.”Startbyfocusingononeortwosongsthatyouhearalot.Dotheyhavearhythm?Dothenoteschange?Doesthesongsoundlikewords?Puttingthesongintowordscanbeveryhelpfulwhenlearningbirdsongs.Hereareafewdescriptionsofthesongsofsomecommonbirds---seeifyoucanheartheminyouryardorneighbor-hood:

Black-capped Chickadee “Cheese-burger” & “chick-a-dee, dee, dee”Killdeer “killdeer, killdeer, killdeer”Northern Flicker “flicka, flicka, flicka”American Goldfinch “potato chip, potato chip”American Robin “cheerily cheer, cheer-up, cheer-up”Yellow Warbler “sweet, sweet, I’m so sweet”Mourning Dove “hooooo-la, hoop, hoop, hoop”

Takeatriptocheckoutgrousehabitatnearyoutoseeifyoucanseeorheargrouse.BirdwatchinggroupslikeAudubonclubsoftenplanspringtripstowatchsagegrousedisplayingontheirleks.ContactyourlocalFishandGameofficetolearnaboutthesegroups.Ifyouareluckyenoughtolivenearalandownerthathasasagegrouseorsharp-tailedgrouselekontheirproperty,talktothemtoseeiftheyallowvisitors.Theymaybewillingtotakeyouandyourfamilyouttoseethegrouse.Youwillhavetogetupveryearlysoyoucanarrivenearthelekbeforethebirdsbegindisplaying.Stayinyourvehicleandbeveryquietsoyoudonotdisturbthebirds.Bringbinoculars,acamera,snacksandwater,anddresswarmly.Eventhoughitisspring,itcanbecoldearlyinthemorning.Watchingtheselargegrousedisplayingontheirlekisanunforgettableexperience.HereinIdaho,weareluckytohavethechancetowatchthisspringtimedisplay.

ounds of Spring!

Ruffed Grouse Theruffedgrouseisamedium-sizedgrouseweighingalittleoveronepound.Theyliveinthick,mixedforestsofpine,aspen,andotherdeciduoustrees.Withtheirmottledgray,brown,buff,andblackfeathers,theyarewellcamouflaged.Youcanseeruffedgrouseinnorthern,central,andsoutheasternIdaho.

Ruffedgrouseeatavarietyofplantmaterialsincludingleaves,berries,twigs,buds,andcatkins.Insectsarealsoeaten,butmostlybythechicksinthesummer.Duringthewinter,thescalesonruffedgrousefeetgetlargerandactlikesnowshoes,helpingthegrousegetaroundinthesnow.Toavoidwintercold,thesegrouseusewhatiscalleda“snowroost.”Thebirdburiesitselfinthesnowwhichactsasinsulation,keepingthebirdwarmoncoldwinternights.

Ruffedgrousearewellknownfortheirdrummingcourtshipdisplays.Amalewilloftenstandonalogwhendrumming.Asthebirdflapsitswings,itcupsairbetweenitschestandthewingsurface.Thismakesasoundwavethatwehearasdrumming.Peoplewhohearruffedgrouse,oftensaytheyfeelthedrummingbeforetheyactuallyhearit.ListenforruffedgrousedrumminginAprilandMay.

PhotocourtesyDavidMusil

Dusky Grouse ThislargegrouseisabirdofthewesternUnitedStates.Itistwicethesizeoftheruffedgrouseandlivesinopenforestsofmixedevergreenanddeciduoustrees.Malesarebluish-grayandfemalesarebrownish-gray.Thisspeciesusedtobecalledthebluegrousebecauseofthecolorofthemale.Duskygrouseliveinnorthernandcentral

Idaho.

Duringthesummer,duskygrouseeatleaves,flowers,buds,berries,andinsectslikegrasshoppers,ants,andbeetles.Unlikemostbirds,whenwintercomesduskygrousemoveupintothemountainsinsteadofdownwhereitiswarmer.Thisbackwardsmigrationbringsthegrouseintoitsevergreenforestwinterhabitat.Fewotherbirdsspendthewinterinthiscoldenvironment,sothegrousedonothavetocompetewithmanyotherspeciestofindfood.Afterawinterofeatingtheneedlesandbudsofpine,fir,andsprucetrees,thegrousehead

backdownthemountainsforthesummer.PhotocourtesyGregoryLowell

PhotocourtesyPeteZimowsky

Thesolitary,little

sprucegrouseisIdaho’s

smallestgrouse.While

theycanbeseenin

northernandcentral

Idaho,youwillneed

tosearchtheevergreen

forestsathigher

elevationstofindthem.

Sprucegrousearea

verydark-coloredbird

withwhitespecklingor

barringontheirlower

chestandbelly.Females

aredarkbrownincolor.

Sprucegrouselive

onadietofmostlypine,

spruce,andfirneedles.

Theirbeakisspecially

adaptedtoclipoffthese

needles.Ifyouhaveever

nibbledonapineneedle,

youknowhowbitterthey

taste.Thisbitterness

iscausedbychemicals

thataretoxictomany

animals.Thedigestive

systemofspruce

grousehasadaptedto

handlethesechemicals.

Duringthewinterwhen

evergreenneedlesarethe

onlysourceoffood,the

digestivetractofspruce

grousegrowsinsizeand

lengthsothebirdscan

digestthelargeramount

offoodneededtosurvive

coldwinternights.

Thesegrouseareableto

storeupto10%oftheir

bodyweightinfood.

Thisfoodisdigested

overnight.Thatwould

belikean80-pound

5thgradereatingeight

poundsoffoodevery

nightbeforebed!

Spruce Grouse

PhotocourtesyTerryR.Thomas,©April2010

Sharp-tailed Grouse Thismedium-sizedgrouseistheleastcommongrouseinIdaho.Itgetsitsnamefromitstailwhichhaslongerfeathersinthemiddle,makingitcometoapoint.Thebirdisbrown,buffandblackincolorandeasilyblendsinwithitsopengrassland

habitat.Unlikesomegrouse,sharp-tailedgrousehaveavarieddiet.Theyeatplants,fruits,grains,buds,insects,andflowers.

Likethesagegrouse,thisspeciesputsonimpressivecourtshipdisplaysinthespring.Malesgatheronalekandusetheirdarkpinkairsackstomakestrangehootingsounds.Theybowtheirheads,drooptheirwings,andraisetheirtailstryingtoimpressthefemales.Scufflesbetweenmalesarecommon.Oncethebreedingseasonis

over,sharp-tailedgrouseareverysocialwithsmallgroupsstayingtogetherformostoftheyear.

PhotocourtesyIDFG

Sage Grouse Thisimpressive6-poundbirdisthelargestNorthAmericangrouse.Theyarebrown,buff,andwhitewithalongtailandblackbelly.Althoughtheywerefamiliartonativepeople,sagegrousewerefirstscientificallydescribedbyLewisandClarkin1805.

Sagegrousearebirdsofthesagebrushplains.Heretheyeatflowers,leaves,buds,andinsects.Inthewinter,theirdietismadeupofsagebrushleavesandbuds.SagebrushhabitatissoimportanttosagegrousethatthelossofthishabitathashurtthesebirdsinlargepartsofthewesternUnitedStates.Fire,invasivespecies,andhumanactivitieshavealldestroyedsagebrushhabitat,andthishurtssagegrouse.Fortunately,wenowunderstandhowimportantsagebrushhabitatisformanyspecies.Hunters,landowners,birdwatchers,andmanyothersareworkingtogethertohelprestoreandpreservesagebrushhabitat.

Sagegrousearebestknownfortheirincrediblecourtshipdisplays.Adisplayingmalesagegrouseisanimpressivesightashefanshistail,fluffshisruff,andhootsandpopswithhisyellow-orangeairsacs.Thiscourtshipdisplayispartwhatmakesthesagebrushplainssuchaspecialplace.

WILDLIFE EXPRESS Volume 25 • Issue 8 • Grouse • April 2010

Wildlife Express is published nine times a year (September-May) by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Classroom subscriptions and an Educator’s Guide are available for $35.00 per year and includes a classroom set of 30 copies mailed to your school each month. Subscriptions of 10 copies or less are available for $20.00.

This publication is made possiblethrough the sale of wildlife license plates.

For more information, call or write: Wildlife Express, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 600 South Walnut, PO Box 25, Boise, Idaho, 83707 (208) 287-2890.

Lead Writer: Vicky Runnoe Layout: Sandy Gillette McBride Contributors: Lori Adams • Adare Evans

WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a letter, poem or question for Wildlife Express, it may be included in a future issue!

Send it to the address printed above! Look for printable copies of Wildlife Express on the web at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov

Grouse Maze

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