Sooty Grouse

Dendragapus fuliginosusOrder: GALLIFORMESFamily: Turkeys and Grouse (Phasianidae)

Breeding Location:

Forests, coniferous



Breeding Type:

Solitary nester, Promiscuous



Breeding Population:

Fairly common



Egg Color:

Pink buff, with small brown spots



Number of Eggs:

7 - 16



Incubation Days:

25 - 26



Egg Incubator:

Female



Nest Material:

Conifer needles, grasses, and leaves.



Migration:

Nonmigratory



Splitbar

Overview

Sooty Grouse: Large, chicken-like bird, dark gray to blue-gray with yellow-orange eye comb, black tail with wide pale gray terminal band. Patch of yellow skin with red veining on neck surrounded by white feathers is displayed during courtship. Formerly (with Dusky Grouse) known as the Blue Grouse.

Range and Habitat

Sooty Grouse: Found in southeastern Alaska to California in a narrow range between the coast and the western Rocky Mountains. One exception is an inland range in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains. Prefers semi-open woodlands and mature stands of hemlock, cedar, spruce, and white fir in winter.

Breeding and Nesting

Sooty Grouse: Seven to sixteen pink buff eggs, usually spotted brown, are laid in a ground scrape lined with pine needles and grass, usually sheltered by a stump or rock. Incubation ranges from 25 to 26 days and is carried out by the female. Precocial young leave nest soon after hatching.

Foraging and Feeding

Sooty Grouse: Feeds almost exclusively on conifer needles in winter. In spring, summer, and fall, their diet includes the leaves of herbs, flowers, ferns, and conifer needles. They also eat many fruits and seeds, including cherries, currents, huckleberries, and strawberries. Forages on the ground.

Readily Eats

Vocalization

Sooty Grouse: Male gives a series of deep hoots "whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop", increasing in tempo and volume.

Similar Species

Sooty Grouse: Male Spruce Grouse has white bars on breast, barred back, and brown terminal tail band. Female has narrow rust-brown terminal tail band, white bars on underparts. Ruffed Grouse is browner, has black subterminal tail band and more white on underparts. Dusky Grouse has thin to no gray terminal band on tail, male has yellow air sacs, red-orange combs over eyes.

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Family Grouse (Phasianidae)_blue
Species Dendragapus fuliginosus
Length18 - 21 Inches
Wingspan26 Inches

Sooty Grouse

Sooty Grouse: Large, chicken-like bird, dark gray to blue-gray with yellow-orange eye comb, black tail with wide pale gray terminal band. Patch of yellow skin with red veining on neck surrounded by white feathers is displayed during courtship. Formerly (with Dusky Grouse) known as the Blue Grouse.

● Song: "whoop-whoop-whoopo-whoop"

● Foraging & Feeding: Sooty Grouse: Feeds almost exclusively on conifer needles in winter. In spring, summer, and fall, their diet includes the leaves of herbs, flowers, ferns, and conifer needles. They also eat many fruits and seeds, including cherries, currents, huckleberries, and strawberries. Forages on the ground.

● Breeding & nesting: Sooty Grouse: Seven to sixteen pink buff eggs, usually spotted brown, are laid in a ground scrape lined with pine needles and grass, usually sheltered by a stump or rock. Incubation ranges from 25 to 26 days and is carried out by the female. Precocial young leave nest soon after hatching.

● Similar species: Sooty Grouse: Male Spruce Grouse has white bars on breast, barred back, and brown terminal tail band. Female has narrow rust-brown terminal tail band, white bars on underparts. Ruffed Grouse is browner, has black subterminal tail band and more white on underparts. Dusky Grouse has thin to no gray terminal band on tail, male has yellow air sacs, red-orange combs over eyes.

Flight Pattern

Strong powerful direct flight, alternates rapid wing beats with glides.
Sooty Grouse Body Illustration_2
● Range & Habitat: Sooty Grouse: Found in southeastern Alaska to California in a narrow range between the coast and the western Rocky Mountains. One exception is an inland range in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains. Prefers semi-open woodlands and mature stands of hemlock, cedar, spruce, and white fir in winter.
BreedingSolitary nester, Promiscuous
PopulationFairly common
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight41.6 Ounces