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Ruffed Grouse? Eastern Ontario, Canada (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Gordon W
- Start date
foresttwitcher
Virtually unknown member
Looks OK to me.
lou salomon
the birdonist
did it crouch beneath your feet? 3
Gordon W
Well-known member
did it crouch beneath your feet? 3
Almost, actually. It showed no fear, just caution, keeping a wary eye on me as it came within about 2 metres (6 or 7 feet) of me before it started moving leisurely away into the bush. Most unusual behavior for a wild bird.
stonechat1
New member
Awesome photo, never saw this species so close.
Gordon W
Well-known member
Thank you, neither had I. Like KC, I'd only seen these as they flew across the path in front of me, too fast to photograph them. Although seen in the wild, this one acted like it was used to being around people. Maybe the nest it grew up in was in someone's yard.
It's something of a crop, but here's a closeup of its head...
Attachments
I also have memories of them like KC does.
I saw them this close a number of times in my youth in the Pocono region of NE PA. They would roost in the Sassafras trees behind our house. There were population outbreaks of them at that time. I remember one time walking in the Scrub Oak woods and having one take off from a branch about 5 feet away from my head! At that time I often saw Northern Goshawks in the winter. They preyed on the grouse. Not so anymore. Although grouse are still around in lesser numbers.
It is a fine picture. If I am not mistaken (and I could be) I believe that you can tell the sex of the grouse by the 2 center feathers in it's tail. I think the male has longer white tips on those feathers.
Bob
I saw them this close a number of times in my youth in the Pocono region of NE PA. They would roost in the Sassafras trees behind our house. There were population outbreaks of them at that time. I remember one time walking in the Scrub Oak woods and having one take off from a branch about 5 feet away from my head! At that time I often saw Northern Goshawks in the winter. They preyed on the grouse. Not so anymore. Although grouse are still around in lesser numbers.
It is a fine picture. If I am not mistaken (and I could be) I believe that you can tell the sex of the grouse by the 2 center feathers in it's tail. I think the male has longer white tips on those feathers.
Bob
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