Sooty grouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sooty grouse |
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Dendragapus
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| Species: |
fuliginosus
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The sooty grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus) is a type of grouse bird that lives in forests. You can find them along the Pacific Coast Ranges in North America. They are very similar to the dusky grouse. In the past, both were thought to be the same bird, called the blue grouse.
Contents
What Sooty Grouse Look Like
Adult sooty grouse have a long, square-shaped tail. The end of their tail is light gray.
- Males: Adult males are mostly dark in color. They have a yellow air sac on their throat, which is surrounded by white. During their mating display, they also have a yellow wattle (a fleshy growth) above their eye.
- Females: Adult females are a mix of brown colors. They have dark brown and white marks on their belly and chest.
Where Sooty Grouse Live
Sooty grouse live in conifer and mixed forests, especially in the mountains of western North America. Their home range stretches from southeastern Alaska and Yukon down to California. They are often found where certain conifer trees grow.
These birds stay in the same area all year round. However, they do move short distances. In winter, they often move to higher places in the mountains, which is a bit unusual for birds! They walk or take short flights to find denser forest areas for the colder months.
What Sooty Grouse Eat
Sooty grouse find their food on the ground. In winter, they also eat while in trees.
- Winter Food: During winter, they mainly eat needles from fir trees and Douglas-fir trees. Sometimes, they also eat needles from hemlock and pine trees.
- Summer Food: In summer, their diet changes. They eat other green plants like Pteridium ferns and willow plants. They also enjoy berries such as Gaultheria, Mahonia, Rubus, and Vaccinium.
- Insects: Insects are also an important part of their summer diet. They especially like ants, beetles, and grasshoppers.
- Chicks: Baby sooty grouse, called chicks, mostly eat insects for their first ten days of life. This helps them grow strong and healthy.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Male sooty grouse sing deep "hoots" from their territory to attract females. They also make short flapping flights to get attention. After mating, the female leaves the male's territory.
The female builds her nest on the ground. It's usually a simple scrape hidden under a shrub or a log to keep the eggs safe.
Conservation Status
The number of sooty grouse is decreasing in some areas, especially in southern California. This is mainly because they are losing their natural habitat (the place where they live) due to human activities.
See also
In Spanish: Urogallo fuliginoso para niños
