The Ruffed Grouse is a forest grouse famous for the male's 'drumming' display, in which he beats his wings rapidly on a log to create a deep, resonant booming sound that travels far through the forest. Population cycles tied to snowshoe hare abundance make it a classic example of predator-prey dynamics in ecology. It eats aspen catkins and buds in winter, even roosting in snow drifts for insulation.
Best time to see a Ruffed Grouse
The best time to see a Ruffed Grouse is April–September, when about 61% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 8,627 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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