- SCIENTIFIC NAME
- Bonasa umbellus
- CLASSIFICATION
- Bird
- LIFE SPAN
- 1-11 Years
- SIZE
- 15-19” | 0.94-1.6lbs
- STATE CONSERVATION STATUS
-
- State Protected
- FEDERAL CONSERVATION STATUS
- Least Concern
- GAME STATUS
- Game
- GAME TYPE
- Upland Game
- Washoe
- Humboldt
- Pershing
- Churchill
- Mineral
- Lyon
- Douglas
- Carson City
- Storey
- Elko
- Lander
- Eureka
- White Pine
- Esmeralda
- Nye
- Lincoln
- Clark
Habitat & Range
Ruffed Grouse can be found in mixed-age forests and some early successional forests where younger trees provide cover and food
- Alpine forests of the Sierras
- Pinyon juniper forests
Threats
- Habitat Loss
- Wildfires
Natural History
Ruffed Grouse are heavily herbivorous, with only a small portion of their diet consisting of insects and invertebrates. They rely on the soft fruits and acorns of woody plants during the fall to prepare for winter. Male Ruffed Grouse display for females on a raised surface by beating its wings aggressively to create a drumming sound. Females will go off on their own after mating to create a nest at the base of a tree or large rock. Ruffed grouse are non-migratory birds and rely on good cover for survival
Fun Facts
Female Ruffed Grouse will sometimes lay eggs in low depressions in the snow. Unlike many other birds, Ruffed Grouse can consume bitter and toxic plants such as quaking aspen.
OTHER Species
