Are dusky and Blue Grouse the same?

Are dusky and Blue Grouse the same?

Dusky Grouse and Sooty Grouse, a species of wet Pacific coastal forests, were long considered the same species (“Blue Grouse”), but their displays, plumages, vocalizations, and genetics differ. The two species do sometimes hybridize in a small zone of contact in interior British Colombia.

What do dusky grouse do in the winter?

In some parts of the range, Dusky Grouse remain at high elevations year-round, but in other places, they move to lower elevations to winter among white fir, Douglas-fir, Engelmann spruce, western hemlock, mountain hemlock, and lodgepole pine.

Are dusky grouse endangered?

Least Concern (Population decreasing)Dusky grouse / Conservation status

What elevation do dusky grouse live at?

Fairly common resident in suitable habitat. DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Breeds from blue oak savannah up to ponderosa pine and black oak types, as well as in riparian deciduous and lower elevation forest meadows, below 4800 ft (1460 m).

How big is a dusky grouse?

2.3 lbsDusky grouse / Mass
The dusky grouse is a large forest grouse species, larger than the ruffed grouse, weighing approximately 2 to 3 pounds on average. The females are mottled brown or gray with black barring. They have a moderately long dark gray tail. Males are very different looking than females, with darker brown and black feathers.

What is blue grouse called now?

Dusky Grouse
Dendragapus obscurus (formerly known as the Blue Grouse) has now been split into 2 species based on genetic, morphological, and behavioral evidence; the Dusky Grouse (Dendragapus obscurus) and the Sooty Grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus).

What do you feed grouse in the winter?

Catkins and the buds of such broad-leaved trees as poplars, birch, hop-hornbeam, and alders are its staple winter food. The chicks feed heavily on insects at first but will always take succulent vegetation.

Where do grouse go when snowing?

In winter, roosting sites can be near the base of a tree, typically conifers, or a grouping of conifers. When grouse roost in or under conifers, they seek out clumps of 15-20 year old trees that will provide both thermal cover and protection from predators.

Does dusky grouse fly?

They forage on the ground for plants and insects, as well as in trees where they take leaves, needles, and buds, especially in winter. Males display in early spring from perches in trees or near the ground, making short flights and performing strutting displays on the ground.

What is a blue grouse called now?

Dendragapus obscurus (formerly known as the Blue Grouse) has now been split into 2 species based on genetic, morphological, and behavioral evidence; the Dusky Grouse (Dendragapus obscurus) and the Sooty Grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus).

What does dusky grouse taste like?

Grouse have pretty much the same proportion of white / dark meat as chickens do, but they don’t taste like chicken. The breast of young grouse is tender, with a mild gamey taste. The legs and the rest of the bird have a more pronounced gamey flavour.

What do dusky grouse eat?

Diet. Conifer needles, leaves, insects. Diet in summer is mostly leaves, flowers, buds, berries, and conifer needles; also many insects. Very young birds may eat more insects than adults.

Where can I find dusky grouse?

Montane forests (hemlock, ponderosa pine, fir, Douglas-fir) and adjacent open areas of bunchgrass, sagebrush, and subalpine habitats.

Where can I buy dusky grouse in Colorado?

Typical elevation ranges from 7,000 feet to 11,000 feet, but for now the birds seem to favor the middle of that spectrum where they’re huddled along aspen stands with heavy cover. Hunters will find success along the edges of sage and aspen stands, moving up in elevation and into denser forest as the season progresses.

Do grouse eat apples?

In the summer, seeds, insects, and fruits like blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries are it’s main diet. In the winter when these types of food are more scarce, the ruffed grouse mostly survives on the buds and catkins of trees and shrubs such as aspen, cherry, birch, ironwood and apple.

What trees do grouse like?

Midwest Ruffed Grouse Habitat In the Great Lakes states, quaking aspen-white birch forests are undeniably the best and most productive habitat for grouse. These forest types provide lots of dense cover within one year of cutting them and continue to do so for decades.

Can you shoot grouse on the ground?

At some point we all decide to start letting them get up in the air, or require a staunch point from a well broke bird dog. Just to make it clear, you should never shoot a ruffed grouse on the ground when a bird dog is involved for safety reasons.

How do I attract grouse to my property?

Planting additional soft mast-producers on these sites and maintaining them as wildlife orchards benefit ruffed grouse and other wildlife. Suitable species could include apples, crabapples, dogwood, hawthorn, Seeps and seasonal wetlands can provide herbaceous foods and soft mast, even during winter.