Souderton-Harleysville Game, Fish and Forestry Association
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The Majestic Ruffed Grouse
By Jackson Gehris
My name is Jackson Gehris and I attended the Pennsylvania Institute for Conservation Education’s Wildlife
Leadership Academy. At the Academy I learned about the Ruffed Grouse and Wildlife Conservation. I left with a
mission to educate about wildlife and preach the message of conservation. You must appreciate nature in order to
want to conserve it. So, go for a walk, look at the natural beauty around you. Learn to love nature and conserve it.
Pennsylvania is home to beautiful wildlife from Whitetail Deer, Trout, and Wild Turkey to Black Bear. But, there is
one unique creature that stands out, and that is the Ruffed Grouse. As a matter of fact, it is so important it has
been the state bird since June 22, 1931. Grouse are a fascinating creature to observe and they are also a beloved
game bird.
Grouse have an average length of 17 inches and an average wingspan of 23 inches. The are relatively small birds
with the male weighing in on an average of 1 lb. 7 oz. and the female weighing in on average 1 lb. 5 oz. What the
grouse do not have in size they make up for in detail. On one grouse there are 4,342 feathers and only 18 to 22 of
those are tail feathers. Male grouse tail feathers are 6.25 inch or longer and the hen’s are 5.75 inches or shorter.
Also, grouse have very detailed eyes. Ruffed Grouse have very big eyes and they have more rods and cones than
humans. This allows them to see color better and see well in low-light situations. They even have great hearing.
Ruffed Grouse may all look the same to the untrained eye, but if you know what you’re looking for you can
determine their sex.
Male and female grouse have many differences that you can use to distinguish their sex. First, males are larger
birds and they have a broader neck while hens are smaller birds and they have a thinner neck. Also, tail feathers
can tell whether a Ruffed Grouse is male or female. The male grouse has longer tail feathers than the females,
males have about 9 bands and females have about 6. Males usually have continuous bands and on their tale
feathers while hens tend to have breaks in the bands of their tale feathers.
Lastly, Grouse have rump feathers that give away gender. Males have two dots on their rump feathers while
females have one dot. Whether you are watching or hunting Ruffed Grouse it is useful to be able to determine
whether they are male or female.
Many times, once a hunter harvests a grouse they not only wonder gender, but they wonder the age of the Ruffed
Grouse. The primary feathers on the wing of the grouse can determine age. If the primary feathers are pointed and
robust this means the grouse is juvenile because it means it has not molted yet. If the primary feathers are
rounded it means the grouse is adult because it has molted.
Many times hunters will also want to know what the grouse eating. They can learn this by examining the crop on
the grouse. The crop is located below the esophagus of the grouse and it functions similar to a shopping bag. It is
where the grouse stores all its food before it digests it. Common foods that grouse eat are Aspen, Honeysuckle,
Teaberry, Beech, and Birch. Grouse eat a variety of foods.
Grouse have a very unique way of attracting a mate. Instead of vocally attracting a mate Ruffed Grouse beat there
wings producing a drumming sound. Because of the drumming sound, many people call them drummers. Ruffed
Grouse are very unique birds and there is so much more to learn about them. By learning about grouse it is easier
to gain an appreciation for them. With an appreciation for Ruffed Grouse you can gain a passion to conserve them.
By Jackson Gehris
My name is Jackson Gehris and I attended the Pennsylvania Institute for Conservation Education’s Wildlife
Leadership Academy. At the Academy I learned about the Ruffed Grouse and Wildlife Conservation. I left with a
mission to educate about wildlife and preach the message of conservation. You must appreciate nature in order to
want to conserve it. So, go for a walk, look at the natural beauty around you. Learn to love nature and conserve it.
Pennsylvania is home to beautiful wildlife from Whitetail Deer, Trout, and Wild Turkey to Black Bear. But, there is
one unique creature that stands out, and that is the Ruffed Grouse. As a matter of fact, it is so important it has
been the state bird since June 22, 1931. Grouse are a fascinating creature to observe and they are also a beloved
game bird.
Grouse have an average length of 17 inches and an average wingspan of 23 inches. The are relatively small birds
with the male weighing in on an average of 1 lb. 7 oz. and the female weighing in on average 1 lb. 5 oz. What the
grouse do not have in size they make up for in detail. On one grouse there are 4,342 feathers and only 18 to 22 of
those are tail feathers. Male grouse tail feathers are 6.25 inch or longer and the hen’s are 5.75 inches or shorter.
Also, grouse have very detailed eyes. Ruffed Grouse have very big eyes and they have more rods and cones than
humans. This allows them to see color better and see well in low-light situations. They even have great hearing.
Ruffed Grouse may all look the same to the untrained eye, but if you know what you’re looking for you can
determine their sex.
Male and female grouse have many differences that you can use to distinguish their sex. First, males are larger
birds and they have a broader neck while hens are smaller birds and they have a thinner neck. Also, tail feathers
can tell whether a Ruffed Grouse is male or female. The male grouse has longer tail feathers than the females,
males have about 9 bands and females have about 6. Males usually have continuous bands and on their tale
feathers while hens tend to have breaks in the bands of their tale feathers.
Lastly, Grouse have rump feathers that give away gender. Males have two dots on their rump feathers while
females have one dot. Whether you are watching or hunting Ruffed Grouse it is useful to be able to determine
whether they are male or female.
Many times, once a hunter harvests a grouse they not only wonder gender, but they wonder the age of the Ruffed
Grouse. The primary feathers on the wing of the grouse can determine age. If the primary feathers are pointed and
robust this means the grouse is juvenile because it means it has not molted yet. If the primary feathers are
rounded it means the grouse is adult because it has molted.
Many times hunters will also want to know what the grouse eating. They can learn this by examining the crop on
the grouse. The crop is located below the esophagus of the grouse and it functions similar to a shopping bag. It is
where the grouse stores all its food before it digests it. Common foods that grouse eat are Aspen, Honeysuckle,
Teaberry, Beech, and Birch. Grouse eat a variety of foods.
Grouse have a very unique way of attracting a mate. Instead of vocally attracting a mate Ruffed Grouse beat there
wings producing a drumming sound. Because of the drumming sound, many people call them drummers. Ruffed
Grouse are very unique birds and there is so much more to learn about them. By learning about grouse it is easier
to gain an appreciation for them. With an appreciation for Ruffed Grouse you can gain a passion to conserve them.
