The Ruffed Grouse

By Al Lowe
Contributor

In Northwestern Ontario, lots of people go out in the fall hunting for 'partridge'. The proper name for the bird they are looking for is the Ruffed Grouse, scientific name Bonasa umbellis. This small woodlend 'chicken' not too hard to find, and makes good eating. So it is a favourite target.
There are many races of Ruffed Grouse. The one we have here is a gray version, and quite a light one at that. The bird gets its name from the ruff on each side of its neck. In earlier centuries, people of quality used to wear extravagant ruffs around their necks, hence the name of our common bird. The black tail band, very noticeable in flight, is another trade mark. It also has a crest on the top of its head, which it can raise or lower at will.
The Ruffed Grouse is extremely well adapted to the Canadian winter. For one, it grows its own snowshoes. Along each toe, in the fall, the skin grows a series of small projections, which greatly add to the spread of the bird's foot. It has also developed the habit of 'snow-roosting'. During really cold nights, the birds burrow into the soft snow, rather than roosting in trees. Biologists estimate that with good snow cover, the grouse may be in a temperature 20 to 40 degrees F warmer than in the open air.
Like all chicken-type birds, grouse are fond of any kind of grain and grass seeds. They also eat dozens of other kinds of seeds, small fruit and insects. They are very partial to buds - poplar, birch, willow and so on. You may have seen them in the winter, near the top of a tree, going after those buds. They are especially fond of the buds on cultivated apple trees. So much so that, at one time in New England, there was a bounty - that's right, a bounty, just like we used to have on wolves - on the Ruffed Grouse, because of the damage done to orchards.
Grouse populations fluctuate in cycles of about 10 years. No one knows clearly just why, although there are lots of theories. The cycles do no occur at the same time in all areas, nor do they come at regular intervals. So for you hunters, when the grouse get scarce, don't worry, just be patient for a year or two.
As with humans, there seem to be all sorts of characters in the grouse world. There are those which will stand and stare at you while you walk within a few feet of them. Early settlers in New England named them 'Fool Hens'. Then there are those which wait until you nearly step on them, and then roar up in your face, and whirr off behind a tree. In the early fall the young adults disperse by flying off in all directions. The Indians call this the time of the Crazy Moon. You may find a grouse just about anywhere, in your yard, on top of your cabin, in the middle of town.
The Ruffed Grouse is one bird which has taken full advantage of the lumber and pulp industries. Fairly open areas, with young trees, but still near the woods, are ideal for this bird. It is in no danger of disappearing in most areas of Canada. It is probably the most poplar game bird in the country.