Ruffed Grouse: An interest to bird watcher, hunter
February 3, 2002

One of the first signs of spring in many parts of Wisconsin is the continuous drumming of ruffed grouse cocks, commonly but wrongly called partridge.

Both love to call females and a challenge to other males, the sound begins as a deep-toned hollow "thump, thump, thump" like the muffled beating of a great heart, quickens into a drumming roll like distant thunder, and ends as a rapid whir.

Every few minutes, for hours at a time, a cock performs day after day, and often spring after spring, on his favorite drumming spot---usually a large fallen log.

This drumming can be deceiving, both as the direction and the distance from which it comes. It is made by the cupped wings striking the air and not, as most people believe, by striking the wings together, nor by striking the body or the log. Cocks occasionally drum in other months of the year particularly in autumn, but mostly from early March until early May.

The ruffled grouse is a large reddish brown or grayish brown bird resembling a small domestic chicken in shape.

A strutting male at mating time, with his crested head encircled by he raised ruff or collar, his tail held high and spread into a large fan, is a sight to gladden the eye. The ruff is a purplish black with a metallic sheen. The rich brown tail feathers are crossed by six or more dark narrow bands and a broad black band near the tips. The smaller more modestly marked female occasionally struts but her ruff is less conspicuous and her tail is shorter.

The so-called "snowshoes" of the ruffed grouse are a unique temporary growth along the sides of the toes, acquired during the fall and shed the following spring. As the name indicates, they increase the surface of the feet (from two to three times) and thereby reduce sinking into the snow.

In winter, grouse feed upon the bids of trees such as birch, aspen, willow, maple and ash. They also eat dead leaves and tender twigs. They spend the winter in flocks of three to six, or more, males and females roosting in trees during mild weather. In severe weather, at night, they crouch under snow laden branches or dive into deep soft snow.

Populations of ruffed grouse rise and fall in cycles. More study is needed since the next "high" or "low" may occur a year or two before or after the representing the average interval.

Grouse numbers here at Woodland dunes are never high, however there are more in some years than others.

During the summer bird census there is at least one drumming cock counted. Some years the count is as high as three.

Would there be more grouse if areas would be "managed" for grouse---probably not.

For more information on the ruffed grouse log on to www.ruffedgrousesociety.org