Yes, there are grouse species found in Yellowstone National Park. The most common grouse species in Yellowstone are the Dusky Grouse, the Spruce Grouse, the Ruffed Grouse, the Sharp-tailed Grouse, and the Greater Sage-Grouse. Grouse are ground-dwelling birds in the order Galliformes that inhabit the forests, grasslands, and sagebrush areas of the park. They are an important part of the ecosystem and a popular game bird for hunters outside of the park boundaries.
Dusky Grouse
The Dusky Grouse, also known as the Blue Grouse, is the most widespread and abundant grouse species in Yellowstone. They are found throughout coniferous forests of lodgepole pine, Douglas fir, and spruce. Males are gray-brown overall with a yellow patch over the eye and a purplish iridescent neck, while females are mottled brown and gray. Dusky Grouse spend most of their time on the ground, feeding on buds, needles, seeds, berries, and insects. One unique feature of this species is that it undergoes a seasonal color change, turning more gray in winter and more brown in summer to match its surroundings.
Dusky Grouse Habitat and Diet
Dusky Grouse rely on the cover of coniferous forests for nesting and escape from predators. They build nests on the ground hidden under brush or low branches. Their diet consists mainly of conifer needles and buds year-round, supplemented by seeds, berries, leaves, and insects when available. In winter, Dusky Grouse will roost in trees at night and feed in conifers during the day, relying on cached food when snow covers the ground.
Dusky Grouse Breeding and Nesting
The breeding season for Dusky Grouse starts in April and May. Males perform courtship displays on communal lekking grounds to attract females for mating. Females lay between 5-10 eggs in a well-concealed ground nest and incubate them for around 26 days. Chicks are precocial, leaving the nest shortly after hatching to search for food. Broods stay together for a few months until late summer or fall when juveniles disperse to establish their own territories.
Spruce Grouse
The Spruce Grouse is found in coniferous forests, especially old-growth spruce-fir habitats, across the northwest portion of Yellowstone. They are a bit smaller and darker overall than Dusky Grouse. Males are gray-brown with red eye combs and black and white barring on the breast. Females are more uniformly brown with white barring on the underparts. Spruce Grouse spend nearly all their time on the forest floor, blending into their surroundings.
Spruce Grouse Diet
The diet of Spruce Grouse revolves around conifer needles year-round. They prefer the needles of Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir but will also eat lodgepole pine, Douglas fir, and other conifers. In spring and summer, they supplement their diet with seeds, buds, berries, and some insects. But conifer needles make up over 90% of their annual food intake. Their unique digestive system allows them to extract nutrients from this tough, high-fiber diet.
Spruce Grouse Breeding and Nesting
During the breeding season, male Spruce Grouse display on the ground in openings among the trees to attract females. Their courtship display involves erecting red eye combs, fanning their tail, and making soft hooting sounds. Nests are built on the ground, concealed under low branches or brush. Females lay around 5-8 eggs and incubate them for 21-28 days. Chicks leave the nest soon after hatching to search for food with the female. Spruce Grouse have a relatively slow reproductive rate compared to other grouse.
Ruffed Grouse
The Ruffed Grouse is found across the forested areas of Yellowstone but prefers deciduous woods near water such as aspen stands and willow riparian zones. They are medium-sized grouse with a broad, fan-shaped tail. Males havebold black and white barring down the sides and neck ruffs that can be expanded during display. Females are more subtly patterned in brown and black.
Ruffed Grouse Habitat
Optimal habitat for Ruffed Grouse contains a mix of dense, brushy cover and openings for feeding. They thrive in young forests with shrubs, saplings, and deciduous trees coming up after a disturbance like fire or logging. The buds, leaves, seeds, berries, and catkins of aspen, birch, willow, and other trees and shrubs make up the bulk of their diet. Ruffed Grouse spend most of their time on the ground but will perch in trees and fly short distances when disturbed.
Ruffed Grouse Breeding Display
Starting in April, male Ruffed Grouse establish and defend drumming territories used to attract females for breeding. Males perform a distinctive drumming display by standing on a log and rapidly beating their wings to produce a thumping sound that carries through the forest. The display drum can be heard for a quarter mile or more. Females visit several drumming males before selecting a mate. Nests are bowl-shaped depressions lined with leaves, feathers and grass. Females lay around 12 eggs and incubate them for 23-24 days. Newly hatched chicks can fly short distances right away.
Sharp-tailed Grouse
Sharp-tailed Grouse inhabit open grasslands and sagebrush areas of Yellowstone. They were historically more widespread but now are found mostly in the northern range and Gardner Canyon. These medium-sized grouse have a short, pointed tail and expressive yellow combs over the eyes. Males have gray-brown upperparts patterned with white spotting and a white-spotted, purple throat patch. Females are mottled brown overall with less distinct spotting.
Sharp-tailed Grouse Diet
Sharp-tailed Grouse forage on the ground in open areas eating a varied diet. Grasses, forbs, buds, leaves, seeds, berries and insects all make up their food. In spring and summer, they take advantage of fresh greens, fruits, and protein-rich insects to raise their young. In fall and winter their diet shifts more to dried grass and seeds. Members of this species need to drink water regularly so they are found near springs, seeps or streams.
Sharp-tailed Grouse Lekking
The elaborate breeding displays of Sharp-tailed Grouse take place on traditional communal dancing grounds called leks each spring. Males congregate and perform ritualized dances which involve stamping, shuffling motions and tail rattling. They also make cackling vocalizations. Each male defends a territory on the lek where he displays to attract females. Visiting females mate with select dominant males. Nests consist of a shallow depression lined with grass and leaves on the ground with a canopy of overhead vegetation. Females lay around 12 eggs.
Greater Sage-Grouse
The Greater Sage-Grouse inhabits sagebrush plains and foothills in the northern region of Yellowstone. They are a sagebrush obligate species, relying completely on sagebrush for food and cover. Males are larger and have white breast feathers and stiff pointed tail feathers they display during courtship. Their air sacs also inflate, revealing yellowish-green skin during display. Females are mottled gray-brown with a dark belly and blend into sagebrush cover.
Sagebrush Habitat
Sage-grouse depend on large expanses of healthy sagebrush habitat throughout their life cycle. They eat sagebrush leaves nearly exclusively along with some forbs and insects. Nesting, brood-rearing, protection from predators, and wintering all take place within sagebrush cover. Loss and fragmentation of sagebrush habitat across the West has caused sage-grouse populations to decline. Within Yellowstone, wildfires have reduced their preferred habitat.
Lekking Behavior
Each spring, male Greater Sage-Grouse gather at traditional lek sites to perform their elaborate mating displays. They strut, inflate their air sacs, and make popping sounds to attract females. Dominant males occupy central territories on the lek while younger males display on the periphery. Females visit leks, select a male, and leave to build a nest and raise a clutch alone. Nests are shallow scrapes lined with grass and down feathers concealed under sagebrush.
Hunting and Conservation
Four species of grouse that occur in Yellowstone are legally hunted outside the park – the Dusky, Ruffed, Spruce, and Sharp-tailed. The Greater Sage-Grouse is currently not legally hunted. Within Yellowstone, grouse are protected from hunting and can only be taken through authorized hunting in very limited areas adjacent to the park. Grouse face habitat loss across their ranges and several species are declining in the region. Conservation efforts for grouse focus on habitat protection and restoration.
Population Status and Trends
| Species | Population Trend |
|---|---|
| Dusky Grouse | Stable |
| Spruce Grouse | Declining regionally |
| Ruffed Grouse | Declining regionally |
| Sharp-tailed Grouse | Declining regionally |
| Greater Sage-Grouse | Declining steeply regionally |
This table summarizes the current population trends for the five grouse species found in Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding region. The Dusky Grouse is the most common and stable species in the park. Spruce, Ruffed, and Sharp-tailed Grouse have seen declines in numbers and range contracting in the Yellowstone ecosystem and Western states in recent decades. The Greater Sage-Grouse has declined the most dramatically due to loss of sagebrush habitat, with estimates of 90% decreases in some areas. Conservation efforts are aimed at stabilizing and recovering these declining grouse populations.
Grouse Research in Yellowstone
There are several ongoing research projects studying grouse ecology in Yellowstone:
– Radio telemetry tracking of Ruffed Grouse movements and habitat use
– Monitoring of lek counts, nesting success, and chick survival for Sharp-tailed Grouse
– Analysis of Greater Sage-Grouse lek attendance and chick production
– Habitat use and feeding ecology of Dusky Grouse and Spruce Grouse
– Movements, winter ecology, and predator interactions for all grouse species
The data gathered helps inform grouse management and conservation actions both within Yellowstone and across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Research is conducted by National Park Service biologists and academics with study permits.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Yellowstone National Park provides important intact habitat for five grouse species – the Dusky, Spruce, Ruffed, Sharp-tailed, and Greater Sage-Grouse. These ground-dwelling birds rely on the coniferous forests, aspen groves, grasslands, and sagebrush areas of Yellowstone. While the Dusky Grouse remains common, other grouse face declining trends due to habitat loss and fragmentation outside the park. Conservation efforts focused on protecting habitat will benefit these species. Grouse are an indicator of ecosystem health and diversity in Yellowstone National Park.
