Ruffed Grouse!

Last week, I had a chance to photograph a Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus). This was my first opportunity to photograph one of these amazing upland game birds. Usually, they are not the most cooperative species and rarely let a person get close enough for a photograph.

The Ruffed Grouse inhabits both deciduous and coniferous forests across most of Canada and parts of northern United States, but can be found as far south as the north part of Georgia. This species can appear in a gray or red(rufous) color morph. One of my favorite sounds in the spring is hearing the drumming of a male Ruffed Grouse. I was able to photograph, through dense vegetation, an adult rufous Ruffed Grouse while working just north of Renovo, PA in the Sproul State Forest.

Reference: Birds of North America, South Dakota Birds