Ruffed Grouse – Springtime in the Mountains – VII

Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament! Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness! Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp! Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD! Psalm 150:1-6 NKJV

Except for their springtime drumming, Ruffed Grouse tend to be relatively quiet birds. Sometimes I have seen them slipping through the timber as I approach, occasionally emitting a faint cooing or soft purring sound as they scuttle away. It seems to me that they stay on the ground and slip into the brush as often as they take flight.

One of the certain signs of springtime in my part of the world is the sound of these amazing birds drumming.

When the winter snows melt away, male Ruffed Grouse begin their annual ritual. They locate their own “special” log or rock, and then begin by slowly rotating their wings back and forth in a rhythmic pattern which rapidly picks up speed. The sound is like a small tractor starting up: thump — thump — thump – thump until the beats become so rapid, they blur together at the end.  During this process, the grouse’s wings may beat the air up to fifty times in a span of about 5-10 seconds. Most of their drumming takes place in the morning or early evening. I have read that Ruffed Grouse will also drum during bright, moonlit nights as well.

The drumming is thought to attract females and/or warn other male grouse that this territory is taken. I have heard their drumming often, and even been fortunate enough to see a male grouse standing on a log drumming away a few times as well. In all my travels and hiking, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anything that sounds quite like it.

On any given springtime hike in the mountains, the variety of sounds and songs from the birds is exhilarating to me. Sometimes just stepping out my back door on a cool spring morning makes me think I’m living in a natural aviary. Almost like the air can’t hold any more birdsong, it is now full to capacity. And then I hear a turkey gobble!

What a gift all this is.

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Hope you have a great day.