The Ruffed Grouse

Yesterday a Ruffed Grouse flew across the road in front of my car. (Did you know that this grouse is the state bird of Pennsylvania?) During the spring mating season, I sometimes see a male grouse strutting along the roadside, its tail feathers held upright like a fan, attempting to impress some nearby female. More often, in the adjacent woods, I hear the male drumming its feathers to draw in a female. I’ve never actually witnessed the drumming ritual but have heard it many times. You can see many videos of a drumming Ruffed Grouse; just enter “ruffed grouse, drumming, video” into your favorite search engine. (Image courtesy of the Pennsylvania Game Commission.)

When I first heard the drumming of a Ruffed Grouse, I remember thinking . . . “Is that someone starting a lawn mower?” Of course this idea didn’t make sense since the sound came from the woods beside a creek bordering my property and it was March. And the “motor” sounded highly muffled. Yet I could almost see, in my mind, someone pull-starting a lawn mower, trying to get the engine to “catch.” Only later did I learn that this thumping sound, which starts slowly and then builds in speed, was actually a fowl-like bird (the Ruffed Grouse) quickly beating his wings—so quickly as to cause a muffled motor sound.

The Ruffed Grouse is mottled brown in color, and the male has a distinctive band of black feathers (sometimes chestnut) around its neck that he “puffs out” during a mating display. Look and listen for this woodland bird, which stands about 17 inches, all through the spring. This grouse is but one of many beautiful birds that grace our spring season making it a delightful time of year.

Until next time . . . happy birding!

Georgia Anne