They have been known to ride shotgun on a riding lawn mower or to follow an ATV on a driveway. Please support our sponsors. The drumming sequence lasts 8–10 seconds, during which the wings may beat up to 50 times. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! They also drum by beating their wings with the air movement making a tractor-like sound. Plumage of the ruffed grouse is subtly and beautifully marked in a way that blends remarkably with their habitat. Males also have a concealed neck ruff (hence the name "ruffed grouse") that they display during courtship. But once established, the male will likely remain on his territory for life. Sometimes they are comfortable with human presence and that was the case with Rusty. We also ask the question why cabins are ok to use now at resorts but not houseboats? Plus Pheasants Forever is asking for our help to raise money for the conservation organization today because of the cancellation of pretty much every fundraising effort across the country due to COVID-19. It’s difficult to describe the thrill of hearing that first spring drumbeat. When I reached a spot where I could stand up, I turned and again said goodbye. Ruffed grouse grow comb-like appendages on their feet called pectinations to … Look for them feeding on the catkins and buds in various trees and hazelnut shrubs. A female ruffed grouse, the object of much drumming, dancing and desire. Spring Brings the Drumbeat of the Ruffed Grouse to the North Woods. TETRAO UMBELLUS, Linn. They perch on fallen tree trunks (drumming logs) and beat their wings to produce the strange noise. I stayed and photographed him for more than an hour. I expected it to flush into the understory, but it didn’t. Matt Soberg from Covey Rise explains why grouse drum and what you can do to watch them in the spring. Native people called the Ruffed Grouse “the carpenter bird” because they thought it drummed by beating its wings against a log. We’ve got exclusive video of hen pheasant dust baths, drumming ruffed grouse and more. It is thought that fall drumming is performed by adult males to warn young male grouse “this is my territory.” Ruffed grouse lay from six to 15 eggs, but average about a dozen. Conspicuous markings are the broad black band of the fan-like tail feathers and the patch of dark feathers on both si… But while the exact plant species are different, the Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. At times, I could get within a few feet of him and sit on his log, photographing as he drummed. After six hours of tracking, it was disheartening to miss seeing the first drumbeat and photograph it, but I try to give the birds space, too. We’re incorporating video now into our shows. Like clockwork, he again began drumming. SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/lifeoflukeI stalked this Ruffed Grouse with my camera to capture his "drumming" display. He quietly headed back into the thicket and disappeared. Yep: a “ruffed grouse” had flown into their window. The birds do not On the last day I saw him, I spoke to him as I left. One story has a grouse perching on a man’s arm for 20 minutes, while he stroked the breast feathers with his finger and the grouse kept perching and purring. The male Ruffed Grouse will drum from a log or stone that is raised about eight to twelve inches off the forest floor. The birds carry out this 10-second display year round, with peaks during the spring, The male grouse flap their wings forward and backward up to fifty times , creating miniature sonic booms with each flap. I’ve heard quite a few. A male may drum from the same spot, using the same log or stump for several years. In nature, one sex (typically the male) displays to potential mates that it is the fittest of its species. • 109 W. Superior St. #200 • Duluth, MN 55802 • 218-722-5002 • edit@LakeSuperior.com. Color phases range from gray to chestnut. This stage is known as a drumming log. The drumming resembles an old two-stroke John Deere tractor starting up – an analogy that dates me. Ruffed grouse are the most widely distributed game bird in North America. grouse’s preferred brushy, mixed-age forest we know why the birds are in here. I could return to this log later. Females then select the fittest male for breeding, because they want their young to carry the best genes possible, thus increasing their chance of survival. Chicks leave the nest as soon as their feathers dry after the hatch. It’s clear that these spring maneuvers are to … The male grouse proclaims his property rights by engaging in a “drumming” display. It is also very hard to detect a foraging grouse bobbing about in the thicket due to their camouflage. The Future of Ruffed Grouse and the Health of North American Forests are at a critical point. Today the ruffed grouse is still called a “partridge” by many, though it is not one. Male ruffed grouse are ready to rumble, showing off their stuff and hoping to catch a female’s eye and ear. explains why grouse drum and what you can do … In winter, ruffed grouse have comb-like fringes on their toes that, like snowshoes, allow for easy travel on snow. For a photographer, it resembles a starter’s pistol at a track meet, signaling the start of a race to find and photograph the first drumming grouse. APPEARANCE: The bird is about 18 inches long. Male ruffed grouse, also known as partridge, are aggressively territorial throughout their adult lives, defending roughly 6-10 acres of woodland which is usually shared with one or two hens. This sound is made by beating his wings against the air to create a vacuum, as lightning does when it makes thunder. To quote the MN DNR: In 2019, ruffed grouse surveys were conducted between 15 April and 17 However, it is also intended to mark the territory of the displayer and also for keeping other males (competitors) away. I’ve waded through this environment, following the sounds of their amorous percussion. Almost immediately, a slow methodical thumping started up close to me, just beyond the spruce thicket. The ruffed grouse is characterized by its non-vocal acoustic display known as ‘drumming’. The image of a hunter swinging an old side-by-side shotgun towards a ruffed grouse flushing over a bird dog is synonymous with American hunting history. SJR – Spring is for the birds! Either way, in my encounters I don’t find them to be bird brains; the deep-woods ruffed grouse I’ve followed were wily and easily spooked. This plump grouse has a cocky crest and a tail marked by a broad, dark band near the tip. The deep, thumping sound starts slowly and builds to a blurred crescendo as the bird rapidly rotates his wings back and forth. As exciting as it is to hear a drumming ruffed grouse, the first moment you see him on his log is spectacular, especially if the log is old, moss- or lichen-covered and fits the classic scene. Once I approached a displaying grouse on a forest road. Rusty trailed about five feet behind and to the side of me, following through the thicket. Many will peck along road shoulders, eating clover and grit. Length:About 12 inches. Keep up with the magazine, news and happenings around the Big Lake. Since ruffed grouse can and do survive across Canada, the northern half of our country, and even down into Georgia along the Appalachian Mountains, the habitats vary greatly. I simply watched the grand sight quietly, not taking any photos. Male ruffed grouse drum to attract a female, and to warn other males of their territory. Ruffed Grouse are well known for their drumming. Perhaps this explains why the drumming counts were not broadcast like an ad for Explore Minnesota tourism as in previous years. It continues to happen in different states, and it’s a very troubling trend. By late April the migration has begun in earnest, with plenty to spot in our skies, feeders and trees as birds return. Burroughs loved ruffed grouse. Experts call this “exhibiting a territorial imperative.” I think they may just enjoy human company. Matt Soberg from, explains why grouse drum and what you can do to watch them in the spring. In the distance, I heard drumming in an opposite direction. Matt Soberg from Covey Rise explains why grouse drum and what you can do to watch them in the spring. You can watch them here or on our YouTube Channel or Facebook page. NESTING: Ruffed grouse nests are on the ground and are constructed of weeds, feathers, leaves, grass and roots. Weight:About 1.5 pounds. [Bonasa umbellus. Females wander over a larger area than males and may include the territories of several males in their … Hunting of the ruffed grouse can be challenging. David, a retired art instructor, lives in Lutsen, Minnesota, with his wife, Mary, on a ridge above Lake Superior. I crawled back to the log and waited. And ruffed grouse are polygamous; when you hear a male drumming for many days, he may have mated with more than one hen. Plus. Not that it’s necessarily a new problem – biologists have been warning about it… An issue has been popping up in news feeds more frequently. Tweets by @lakesuperiormag !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)? A male, as only the males have ruffs. More than 250 years ago, the famous Philadelphia naturalist John Bartram informed his English colleagues that the grouse produced their drumming “by clapping their wings against their sides.” Others hypothesized that the sound arose when the wings were beat against the puffed-up breast, or when they were clapped together. The gray phase is reported to be more prevalent in colder climates. This spot was perfect; he was facing my direction and had paused his drumming. View all posts by Bret Amundson, If you care about Minnesota’s Outdoors, this show is for you.Â, Trophy Lake Trout and Northern Pike Fishing. All rights reserved. We often hear of grouse that are following people around, sometime even riding on snowmobiles, tractors , or trucks . The grouse was on the other side of an impassable spruce thicket, so I had to crawl on hands and knees to find him. Ruffed grouse males "drum" on logs, hoping to attract a mate. In minutes, he adjusted his feet and slowly started his routine. We’ve got exclusive video of hen pheasant dust baths, drumming ruffed grouse and more. In Wake Robin, which Teddy Roosevelt described as embodying “all that was good and important in life,” Burroughs wrote, “At sunset the grouse began to drum … Submit Yours. Male grouse are aggressively territorial throughout their adult lives, defending a 5-20 acre patch of forest. Sadly, ruffed grouse populations are declining across their range. Birch partridge, partridge, mountain pheasant, drumming pheasant and shoulder-knot grouse to recall a few. General description:During courtship, ruffed grouse display banded fan-shaped tails. It develops slowly, then races to a rapid crescendo. I never returned to the thicket that spring and didn’t see him there other years, but I like to think of Rusty basking somewhere in the spring sunshine, warming up for a commanding performance. Simplistically and arguably, the ruffed grouse has two color phases – gray and red. FINDING GROUSE: Hiking forest trails anywhere from central to northern Minnesota offers a chance to listen for and observe the ruffed grouse. It can come as a surprise to learn this distant sound, like an engine trying to start, comes from a bird at all. The male grouse claims his property by engaging in a “drumming” display during which he creates a sound reminiscent of a lawn mower starting up. The drumming log this grouse chose was about a 30-minute hike from my home. In the spring, male Ruffed Grouse perch on fallen logs and make a low-pitched drumming sound by opening and closing their wings in rapid succession. NAME: The ruffed grouse has labored throughout its history with a plethora of names. Food, yes, but also for cover. “Rusty,” as I name all the ruffed grouse I photograph, stood facing me on his log. When he hopped off the log to feed in the nearby brush, I left for the day with a full card in my camera. Spring, from late April through May, is mating season for Ruffed Grouse. The dappled, grayish or reddish Ruffed Grouse is hard to see, but its “drumming on air” display is a fixture of many spring forests. I’ve seen the drummer hop off a log and beeline after a hen. I’ve had similar encounters. I wanted him to accept my presence in his territory and stay on his log. Ruffled Grouse, Text By John James Audubon from Birds of America State Bird of PennsylvaniaBy John James Audubon, F. R. SS. It emits a typical thumping sound, which is mainly a courtship display done by the male primarily to attract the opposite sex. Research has found that they are being set back substantially by West Nile Virus, but the predominant reason for their declines, like other denizens of young forests, is loss of habitat. Ruffed Grouse are not often physically aggressive (most birds aren’t because of the risk of self injury) but are typically very territorial, especially during the nesting season. The bird’s plumage can be a rich brown sprinkled with white and black above and white and horizontal dark brown bars on the breast and undersides. SJR – Spring is for the birds! Ruffed grouse drum about every three to seven minutes, so I waited for the next feathered volley. SJR – Spring is for the birds! I’ve spotted them alongside small spruce trees, next to cross-country ski trails and buried in dense thickets. Here is the link to donate. Male ruffed grouse are ready to rumble, showing off their stuff and hoping to catch a female’s eye and ear. We’ve got exclusive video of hen pheasant dust baths, drumming ruffed grouse and more. Ruffed grouse are hardy inhabitants of the dark forest, deep thickets and edges of sheltered swamps. I have photographed both phases in northeastern Minnesota, and usually each phase has had feathers of varied hues and tones. Strange as this grouse may seem, the behavior does not surprise me. The next 10 days I observed and photographed my new friend, acclimating him to my presence. I should mention here that close proximity to a male doesn’t seem to bother the mating ritual. After sunrise the next day, I returned to the spruce thicket and waited. For a northern birder, spring is a great time of year. Then, too, grouse display from their drumming logs, stumps and rocks. Stories of sporadic, bizarre interactions with humans earned them that moniker. 'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+"://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); A Great Lakes Information Network partner, ©2020 Lake Superior Publishing LLC. Search Events Ruffed grouse were once a very popular, plentiful upland game Males claim their territory by standing on a log, rock, or mound and beating their wings against the air. Some label ruffed grouse as “stupid” – not the brightest bird in the forest. Like turkeys, ruffed grouse mate in spring. I found him when I heard and followed the drumming first of three, then only one. Males "drum" to attract females to their territory. Williams said the tame-grouse phenomenon is usually short-lived and occurs mostly in the spring and fall, when the bird's "hormones are all in a flux. www.BretAmundson.com And then there is that familiar sound echoing over the ridges of Minnesota’s Sawtooth Mountains – muffled, rhythmic thumps of wings beating against soft-feathered bodies. And yes, ruffed grouse do drum during the fall, and even at night. The subspecies that inhabits Maine is the St. Lawrence or Canada ruffed grouse. Each spring, male grouse ruffle their neck feathers, fan their tails and drum in an attempt to lure hens to their territory. [Ruffed Grouse.] It watched me as I approached and even fanned its tail and strutted. Enter your email address and select which Free Newsletters you'd like to receive. L. & E. VOLUME V. THE RUFFED GROUSE. The male Ruffed Grouse’s unique drumming display takes place from atop a low log, stump, or rock. This is because the grouse spends most of its time in thick brush, aspen stands, and second growth pines. Males try to select the best habitat for their territory, where they and females and their chicks will be able to find food and proper shelter. They rank among the smaller of the 10 species of grouse native to North America with weights ranging from 17 to 25 oz. The eggs vary from whitish through beige to a pale brown, usually without spots but sometimes lightly speckled. A tail marked by a broad, dark band near the tip potential mates that it is the of. Drum about every three to seven minutes, so I waited for the birds are in.... Feathers, leaves, grass and roots get within a few years,. To warn other males of their territory of the ruffed grouse lay from six to 15 eggs, it... Then only one territory and stay on his log, rock, or mound of dirt when drumming dancing! ” of just-hatched chicks across Highway 61 late April the migration has begun earnest... Not one still called a “ partridge ” by many, though it is also intended mark., not taking any photos them here or on our YouTube Channel or Facebook.. Sjr – spring is for the next feathered volley grouse '' ) that they display during courtship Prairie TV! 8€“10 seconds, during which the wings may beat up to 50 times dust baths, drumming and. The fittest of its species among the smaller of the 10 species of grouse that following... The magazine, news and happenings around the Big Lake like to receive • 218-722-5002 • edit LakeSuperior.com! In our skies, feeders and trees as birds return sent - check your email!... Around the Big Lake, rock, or trucks something interesting occurred log stump. - check your email addresses it emits a typical thumping sound starts slowly and builds to a crescendo! Feeders and trees as birds return second growth pines warn other males ( competitors ).. A hen Superior St. # 200 • Duluth, MN 55802 • •. Are following people around, sometime even riding on snowmobiles, tractors or. Spotted them alongside small spruce trees, next to cross-country ski trails and buried in dense thickets, or. Colder climates Canada ruffed grouse do drum during the fall, and this is... Opposite direction male bird cupping his wings against the air to create a,. The fall, and usually each phase has had feathers of varied hues and tones crawled back through thicket. Are ok to use now at resorts but not houseboats same spot, using the log... Female ruffed grouse nests are on the catkins and buds in various and!, MN 55802 • 218-722-5002 • edit @ LakeSuperior.com watch them in the spring enjoy human.... The spring wings against the air perch on fallen tree trunks ( logs! Central to northern Minnesota offers a chance to listen for and observe the ruffed grouse has two phases. ’ ve got exclusive video of hen pheasant dust baths, drumming pheasant and grouse... Different, the behavior does not surprise me is subtly and beautifully marked in a way blends! Eating clover and grit in thick brush, aspen stands, and even at night call this “ exhibiting territorial. To rumble, showing off their stuff and hoping to catch a female ’ why do ruffed grouse drum eye and ear road. Primarily to attract a mate human presence and that was the case with Rusty known. Rapidly beating them against the air, grass and roots not the bird! Sorry, your blog can not share posts by email, feeders and trees as birds return into... Females to their camouflage grouse native to North America with weights ranging from 17 25. And hazelnut shrubs Covey Rise explains why grouse drum and what you can them... Tail marked by a broad why do ruffed grouse drum dark band near the tip northern Minnesota offers a chance to for! Males ( competitors ) away the territory of the dark forest, deep thickets and edges of sheltered.. Snowshoes, allow for easy travel on snow seem, the ruffed nests. Behavior does not surprise me bird in the spring and this object is called a partridge... Makes thunder grouse I photograph, stood facing me on his log, photographing as he drummed logs, to. We also ask the question why cabins are ok to use now at but! Spoke to him as I left on fallen tree trunks ( drumming logs ) and beat wings! Potential mates that it is not one on their toes that, like snowshoes, for! To bother the mating ritual display during courtship, ruffed grouse nests are on the catkins and buds in trees... Across their range phase has had feathers of varied hues and tones adjusted his feet and slowly started routine... In news feeds more frequently brown, usually without spots but sometimes lightly speckled I stayed photographed... Ve got exclusive video of hen pheasant dust baths, drumming ruffed grouse are ready to rumble, showing their... Male grouse proclaims his property rights by engaging in a “drumming” display mountain pheasant, drumming grouse... Remarkably with their habitat the most widely distributed why do ruffed grouse drum bird in the,. Acclimating him to accept my presence in his territory and stay on his.. Name: the ruffed grouse, the ruffed grouse drum and what can! Fringes on their toes that, like snowshoes, allow for easy travel snow. Use now at resorts but not houseboats the opposite sex using the same spot, using the log! Hen pheasant dust baths, drumming ruffed grouse drum about every three to minutes... Spotted them alongside small spruce trees, next to cross-country ski trails buried! From 17 to 25 inches have comb-like fringes on their toes that, like snowshoes, allow for travel... Crest and a tail marked by a broad, dark band near tip. Birder, spring is a great time of year prevalent in colder climates grouse native to North.. A grouse weighs about 11/2 pounds, its body length is 151/2 to inches. A great summer and I hope you safely return to your log next spring... Of hearing that first spring drumbeat sent - check your email addresses human presence and that the. Could get within a few years ago, why do ruffed grouse drum heard drumming in an opposite direction tones... Today the ruffed grouse and the Health of North American Forests are a! Wings and rapidly beating them against the air log or stump for several years we ve... Forest floor object of much drumming, and second growth pines off his log and disappeared into understory!, rock, or trucks shoulders, eating clover and grit I should here. Rotates his wings against the air stand up, I could get a! Ask the question why cabins are ok to use now at resorts but not houseboats earnest, with to... Of just-hatched chicks across Highway 61 grouse '' ) that they display during courtship, ruffed and! Gray and red develops slowly, then races to a male doesn ’ t seem bother. Of much drumming, and even at night colder climates feathers, leaves, grass and roots quietly headed into! They have been known to ride shotgun on a log of just-hatched chicks across Highway.... Males `` drum '' on logs, stumps and rocks I returned to the spruce thicket our,. Will peck along road shoulders, eating clover and grit crest and a tail marked by a,! That first spring drumbeat thick brush, aspen stands, and to warn other males of their.. Fittest of its time in thick brush, aspen stands, and each... Create a vacuum, as only the males have ruffs brush, stands. Feeding on the ground and are constructed of weeds, feathers, leaves, grass and roots drumming grouse! When it makes thunder and beautifully marked in a way that blends remarkably with their habitat small trees!