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Home > Coniferous Forest Animals > Spruce Grouse

Spruce Grouse

The spruce grouse is a sturdy bird with dark plumage found in the coniferous forests of North America. It resembles a large chicken in its appearance and is nicknamed ‘fool’s hen’.

Spruce Grouse Range

Spruce Grouse Range

Spruce Grouse

Spruce Grouse

Scientific Classification

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Aves
Order Galliformes
Family Phasianidae
Subfamily Tetraoninae
Genus Falcipennis
Scientific Name Falcipennis Canadensis
Spruce Grouse Images

Spruce Grouse Images

Quick Information

Other Names Canada Grouse, American Spruce Grouse, Spruce Partridge
Size Length: 38-43 cm
Wingspan: 57 cm
Weight Males: 550-650 grams(1.2-1.4 lbs)
Females: 450-550 grams(0.99-1.2 lbs)
Color Adult males: gray on the backs, black undersides, white spots along the sides, a patch of red bare skin just above the eyes

Adult females: mostly brownish to gray, abundant brown and white barring

Juveniles: resemble the color patterns of the female, have white or buff colored feather tips

Distribution Throughout Canada, parts of the Northern United States including Alaska
Habitat The spruce grouse is one of the most arboreal among grouses; found in coniferous forests of spruce, pine or fir
Subspecies
  • F. c. osgoodi
  • F. c. atratus
  • F. c. canadensis
  • F. c. canace
  • F. c. torridus
Vocalizations Mostly silent, uses certain vocalizations to repel predators and unwanted territorial visitors and maintain its brood; sounds produced resemble an array of hisses, purrs and humming noises
Lifespan Up to 5-6years in the wild; rare specimens believed to have lived for 13 years were found in a study done in Southwestern Alberta
Diet Pine and spruce needles throughout the year; during the summer, it feeds on insects
Adaptations
  • Its plumage lends it a useful camouflage to its surroundings.
  • The spruce grouse’s crop can store up to ten percent of its body weight in food, and it is eventually digested during the night time.
  • Its gastrointestinal organs adapt to its changing diet season to season.
Clutch Size 4-7 tawny olive or buff colored eggs with brown uneven shades, about 40mm in length.
Incubation Period 23-24 days
Predators Eggs are devoured by red squirrels, foxes and weasels; adult spruce grouses are taken by hawks, foxes, owls, coyotes, pine martens.
IUCN Conservation Status Least Concern
Spruce Grouse Pictures

Spruce Grouse Pictures

Behavior

Although arboreal, the spruce grouse forages both in trees and on the ground for food. The spruce grouse does not have a vocal sac to inflate during wooing the opposite gender or territorial fights. To make up for the lack, it uses a wing-clap.

The spruce grouse is more of a walker than a flier, flying only for short distances, generally from one tree to another.

Mating and Reproduction

Polygamous males usually have territories that are visited by females specifically for mating. When the mating is concluded the female takes up the responsibility thereon. A nest is built during early May and early July, mostly in the ground, but also sometimes in a low coniferous branch or a fallen tree. It is bordered by grasses, leaves and feathers.

Spruce Grouse Eggs

Spruce Grouse Eggs

One egg is laid per day, with about 33 hours of gap between two eggs. Once the eggs hatch, the young are able to walk as soon as they dry up, which takes around 8 hours.

Spruce Grouse Chick

Spruce Grouse Chick

Life Cycle

The baby spruce grouse can start fluttering at 1 week old. The brood stays in cohesion with the mother, which cares for them for up to 5 weeks. After attaining an age of 70-100 days, the young leaves its family and becomes independent. The females reach sexual maturity a year after they are born and the males after 2 years.

Spruce Grouse Male

Spruce Grouse Male

Spruce Grouse Female

Spruce Grouse Female

Interesting Facts

  • The Franklin’s grouse has been recently split from the spruce grouse and has its own subspecies inhabiting Prince of Wales Island and the Alexander Archipelago of southeast Alaska.
  • It can stand motionless in a particular spot and blend in such due to its camouflage that a potential predator won’t even realize that it is there.
  • Since during the winter season, it demands more food in order to maintain its mass and energy, the gizzard of the spruce grouse grows up to seventy five percent and other areas of the digestive tract expand to about forty percent of their size to accommodate the increased diet.
Spruce Grouse Habitat

Spruce Grouse Habitat

References:

  1. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Spruce_Grouse/lifehistory
  2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spruce_grouse
  3. https://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7078.html
  4. http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/spruce-grouse

Published on July 25th 2016 by Sudipto Chakrabarti under Coniferous Forest Animals.
Article was last reviewed on 2nd December 2022.

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