Dusky grouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dusky grouse |
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| Male displaying, Yellowstone National Park | |
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| Female in New Mexico, USA | |
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| Genus: |
Dendragapus
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| Species: |
obscurus
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The dusky grouse (Dendragapus obscurus) is a cool bird that lives in the Rocky Mountains of North America. It's a type of grouse, which are birds that usually live on the ground in forests. The dusky grouse is very similar to the sooty grouse. For a long time, people thought they were the same bird! They used to call them "blue grouse."
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Meet the Dusky Grouse!
Dusky grouse are medium-sized birds. They have a long, square-shaped tail that is gray at the end.
What Do Males Look Like?
Adult male dusky grouse are mostly dark-colored. They have a special purplish patch of skin on their throat. This patch can puff up like a balloon! It's called a throat air sac. It is surrounded by white feathers. Males also have a yellow or red patch above their eyes. They show off these colorful parts when they are trying to attract a mate.
What Do Females Look Like?
Adult female dusky grouse are different. They have mottled brown feathers. This means their feathers have different shades of brown. They also have dark brown and white marks on their belly. This helps them blend in with their surroundings.
Where Do They Live?
Dusky grouse live in mountainous areas. You can find them in western North America. Their home range stretches from southeastern Alaska and Yukon all the way south to New Mexico. They prefer to live near the edges of conifer and mixed forests. Conifer trees are like pine or fir trees.
Their Home and Movements
Dusky grouse are "permanent residents." This means they don't fly south for the winter like many other birds. But they do move around a bit. In winter, they often move to higher places in the mountains. They walk or fly short distances to find denser forest areas. These denser forests offer more protection during the cold months.
What Do They Eat?
Dusky grouse find their food on the ground. In winter, they also eat from trees.
Winter Diet
During the winter, their main food is needles from fir and Douglas fir trees. Sometimes, they also eat needles from hemlock and pine trees.
Summer Diet
In the summer, their diet changes. They eat other green plants like ferns and willow leaves. They also enjoy many different kinds of berries. These include huckleberries and blueberries. Insects are also a very important part of their summer diet. They especially like ants, beetles, and grasshoppers.
Chicks' Diet
Baby dusky grouse, called chicks, need a lot of insects. For their first ten days, almost all their food is insects. This helps them grow big and strong quickly.
How Do They Attract Mates?
Male dusky grouse have a special way to attract females. They sing deep "hoot" sounds from their territory. They also make short flights, flapping their wings loudly. These actions help them show off to the females. After mating, the female grouse leaves the male's territory. She then goes off to build her nest and raise her chicks. Their nest is a simple scrape on the ground. It is usually hidden under a shrub or a log.
See also
In Spanish: Gallo de las Rocosas para niños
