A medium-sized grouse of western mountain forests. Males perform "thumping" courtship displays from prominent perches.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The dusky grouse is a species of forest-dwelling grouse native to the Rocky Mountains in North America. It is closely related to the sooty grouse, and the two were previously considered a single species, the blue grouse.
Source: Wikipedia — Dusky grouse Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Large dark-gray grouse; displaying male shows reddish-purple neck air sacs framed in white feathers and a yellow-orange comb over the eye. Tail dark with a faint gray terminal band.
Similar species. Sooty Grouse (coastal) is very similar and was once lumped with Dusky as 'Blue Grouse'; the two are separated by range, display, and neck-sac color.
Voice. Male gives a series of very low, soft hoots, often hard to hear and seemingly ventriloquial.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Seeds, buds, fruits, insects.
Behavior. A large grouse of western mountain conifer forest and adjacent shrublands; in winter it moves UPslope to feed on conifer needles. Males display on the ground with inflated neck sacs.
§ Range
Western mountains
§ Habitat
Coniferous and mixed mountain forests
§ Threats
Forest loss, climate change.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the dusky grouse is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support western forest conservation.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Dusky grouse
- www.allaboutbirds.org — authoritative profile of Dendragapus obscurus
- IUCN Red List — search for Dendragapus obscurus
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Dendragapus obscurus
§ Sources cited
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List
