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MPG North

MPG North

Protecting Open Space for Future Generations

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Cooney Creek Wildlife - Ruffed Grouse

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A few inches of fresh snow creates prime opportunities to track wildlife.

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This trail stood out among the numerous sets of ungulate tracks I encountered.

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A closer look revealed the trail of a ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) plowing through the snow. Ruffed grouse, like many birds, have three toes facing forward (red arrows) and one facing backward (blue arrow).

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I followed the tracks to a spot under a fir tree where the grouse had bedded down for a bit and deposited two different forms of scat.

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The map above shows the dates and locations of the most recent ruffed grouse sightings and tracks. As evident on the map, these birds prefer forested areas where they can find adequate cover.

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Male grouse, like the one pictured above, spend most of their lives within 200-300 yards of their drumming log. This spring we will locate active drum logs and place cameras on them.

Habitat Type(s): 

  • Mixed Conifer

Other Blog Posts

  • MPG Mushrooms: Morels, False Morels and Cup Fungi
  • MPG Mushrooms: Smoky Polypore
  • Cooney Creek Wildlife - Bear Hair Collection and DNA Analysis
  • Cooney Creek Wildlife - Bobcat
  • Cooney Creek Wildlife - White-tail Deer Rut
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Posted on 2/12/2016 by Lorinda Bullington

Tags: 

  • ruffed grouse
  • Tracking
  • Birch and Aspen Restoration

Related

  • 06-03-16 Grouse Field Note
  • 04-09-11 Field Note: Minks, Fishers, and Mountain Lions
  • Ruffed Grouse Drumming Sites

Photos

Ruffed Grouse by Alan Ramsey
We found coyote tracks and followed them through thic k forest and into an open meadow where snow conditions deteriorated.
We found coyote tracks and followed them through thic k forest and into an open meadow where snow conditions deteriorated.

Videos

05-21-15 Field Update

051115 Field Update

A Grouse Scares a Hare

Ruffed grouse scares a Snowshoe Hare

About MPG North

Established in 2005, the property boundary at MPG North encloses 200 undeveloped acres in Western Montana’s Swan Valley. Researchers and field staff manage the property to improve habitat quality for wildlife, discover new ways to restore damaged landscapes and study forest ecology. We also create opportunities to share what we've learned with local conservation organizations, students of all ages, management agencies and volunteers. Through these education and outreach efforts, we seek to inspire others to work together and protect undeveloped landscapes.