The ruffed grouse is a medium-sized grouse occurring in forests from the Appalachian Mountains across Canada to Alaska. It is the most widely distributed game bird in North America. It is not migratory. It is the only species in the genus Bonasa. The ruffed grouse is sometimes incorrectly referred to as a "partridge", an unrelated phasianid, and occasionally confused with the grey partridge, a bird of open areas rather than woodlands.
Region
North America
Typical Environment
Found from the Appalachian and Great Lakes regions across Canada to Alaska, and locally in the northern and montane United States. Prefers young to mid-successional deciduous and mixed forests, especially aspen, birch, and alder thickets. Occupies forest edges, regenerating clearcuts, and riparian woodlands with dense undergrowth. In winter it often uses conifer patches for cover and roosting, including snow burrows in deep powder. Absent from open prairies, true deserts, and dense urban areas.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 3000 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Ruffed grouse are famed for the male’s drumming display, a rapid series of wing beats that creates a low thumping sound to advertise territory. Their toes grow comb-like projections in winter (pectinations) that act like snowshoes and improve traction on icy branches. They are a classic early-successional forest species, thriving in young aspen and mixed woodlands. Often called “partridge” in North America, they are not true partridges.
A male found at the Kortright Center for Conservation
Ruffed Grouse by John J. Audubon c. 1861.
Grey morph.
Displaying male.
An egg
Nest with large clutch
Snow hole and wing tracks of a grouse as it burst out of the snow when approached
Temperament
wary and cryptic
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with explosive takeoff
Social Behavior
Generally solitary outside the breeding season. Males establish and defend small territories and perform drumming displays from logs or raised sites. Nests are shallow ground scrapes concealed under cover; clutches are typically 10–14 eggs. Females provide all incubation and brood care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Primarily non-vocal; the signature display is a deep, accelerating drumming produced by the male’s wings. Calls include soft clucks, whines, and alarmed wing-whir during flushes.
Plumage
Mottled and barred plumage with complex patterns that blend into leaf litter and bark; two main color morphs: gray and reddish-brown. Short crest on the head and a broad fan-shaped tail with a dark subterminal band. Males display a prominent black neck ruff when excited.
Diet
Feeds on buds, catkins, leaves, and twigs of aspen, birch, alder, and willow, especially in winter. In warmer months it takes berries, seeds, and green shoots. Chicks rely heavily on insects and other invertebrates for protein, shifting to more plant matter as they mature. Will ingest grit to aid digestion.
Preferred Environment
Forages on the forest floor and in low shrubs along edges, openings, and regenerating cuts with dense cover. In winter it often feeds in trees on buds and catkins and may roost beneath snow for insulation. Uses downed logs and brush piles for cover while feeding.
