Sooty grouse

Adults have a long square tail, light gray at the end. Adult males are mainly dark with a yellow throat air sac surrounded by white, and a yellow wattle over the eye during display. Adult females are mottled brown with dark brown and white marks on the underparts.

Picture of the Sooty grouse has been licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike.
Original source: Photograph taken by Patrick Coin
Author: Patrick Coin (Patrick Coin)Permission(Reusing this file)cc-by-sa-2.5

The Sooty grouse is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

In the breeding season, Sooty Grouse of the coastal population (subspecies D.f. fuliginosus) inhabit wet conifer forest from sea level to the subalpine and alpine zones at openings and edges that provide a well-developed understory vegetation of grasses, herbs, and shrubs. The population along the east slope of the south Cascades (subspecies D.f. sierrae) inhabits generally drier forests similar to those utilized by Dusky Grouse. Both populations winter in dense conifer stands, often at a higher elevation than their breeding habitat. More

Use sooty grouse in a SentenceSee images of sooty grouseSearch sooty grouse on the Web - Origin: 1880–85 blue grouse - –nouna dull gray grouse, Dendragapus obscurus, of western North America, the male of which has a yellow or orange comb. Also called dusky grouse, sooty grouse. - Origin: 1855–60, Americanism Dictionary. More

The Sooty Grouse is found in the Pacific Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada, and the Dusky Grouse in the Rocky Mountains. These two taxa were originally regarded as separate species, but were considered conspecific for much of the twentieth century. However, in 2006 the American Ornithologists' Union re-split them, following the DNA-based work of Barrowclough et al. (2004). More

The Sooty Grouse, Dendragapus fuliginosus, is a species of forest-dwelling grouse native to North America's Pacific Coast Ranges. It is so closely related to the Dusky Grouse, Dendragapus obscurus, that until recently there was some debate whether they were separate species. Sooty Grouse female Adults have a long square tail, light gray at the end. Adult males are mainly dark with a yellow throat air sac surrounded by white, and a yellow wattle over the eye during display. More

The Sooty Grouse lives in mixed forests throughout North America’s Pacific Coast. Preferred breeding habitats are found at the edges of conifer and mixed woodlands in mountain ranges of Alaska, the Yukon and California. Nests are built on the ground, and are shallow scrapes concealed under dead vegetation or low shrubbery. This species is typically a permanent resident all year long. However, they may travel shorter distances to denser forest or higher altitudes during the winter months. More

North America's largest forest dwelling grouse, the Sooty Grouse was split off from the Blue Grouse in 2006, and is now considered a distinct species. Found in pine forests near the Pacific coast, this relative of the turkey depends on fire to open the woodland and replenish herbaceous plants and trees. In spring, the male's deep, owl-like "hoot!" can be heard over a quarter of a mile away. More

Sooty Grouse: Found in southeastern Alaska to California in a narrow range between the coast and the western Rocky Mountains. One exception is an inland range in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains. Prefers semi-open woodlands and mature stands of hemlock, cedar, spruce, and white fir in winter. More

the interior mountains and the Sooty Grouse that of the Pacific region. The Sooty is a large grouse that breeds in forest habitats from sea level to the alpine zone, with lowland forest among the principal habitats. The bird is found both in old-growth forest and early successional forest after logging or fire. It feeds primarily on plant material but juveniles make heavy use of invertebrates while older grouse may feed on grasshoppers during the late summer. More

Sooty Grouse Range MapView dynamic map of eBird sightings All About Birds > Bird Guide > Sooty Grouse Birding Basics * Bird Guide * Building Skills * Attract Birds * Favorite Places * Take Photos * Ask an Expert * Search Bird Guide * Browse Taxonomically More

* The Sooty Grouse is found in the Pacific Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada, and * the Dusky Grouse in the Rocky Mountains. Dusky GrouseThe precise ranges of the two species are well-defined in the south, separated by extensive areas of unsuitable forest-free habitat, but somewhat uncertain in the north of the range of the genus where there is no separation; Barrowclough et al.'s study did not include these northern populations. More

Where to Find: Sooty Grouse occur in the western mountain ranges (e.g., Sierra Nevada, Cascade Mountains) of Washington, Oregon, California, and western Nevada. Look for them on trips to the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. Sooty Grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus) female Female Sooty Grouse. Comments: The species "Blue Grouse" was split into two species: Sooty Grouse and Dusky Grouse. Sooty Grouse occur in the Pacific states (mountain ranges of Washington, Oregon, California, and western Nevada). More

Please also see the Sooty Grouse account in BirdWeb for further details. More

We ran into a female Sooty Grouse on the trail, but didn't connect it to the noise until a couple of days later. On the drive back down from the snowy Hurricane Ridge, we came across one male grouse that was making that call on the side of the road. It was so awesome to see and hear... So we continued farther down, stopped to watch some bears, and then we came across another male, this time doing his dance on the side of the road. More

Sooty Grouse are experiencing some population decline from habitat loss at the southern end of its range in southern California. More

Had a first of spring booming Sooty Grouse up McEwen Creek in Sawmill Canyon.=A0 Was at continuous snow level. Location:=A0 =A0 McEwen Creek, hike road N. for about=A01.5 miles from = end of Hobart Road in Lakeview, N. Carson City. More

com : Look for sooty grouse in the hills above Wenas Creek in Central Washington. More

Because Sooty Grouse prefer semi-open woodlands, habitat on the coastal plain is marginal at best. They may be found in clear-cuts before the new trees reach significant height, and occasionally in coastal bogs. I have also found individuals on the summit of Radar Hill and once on Lone Cone. As with the previous species, the Sooty Grouse has become very hard to find locally. More

Picture of Dendragapus fuliginosus above has been licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike.
Original source: Patrick Coin (Patrick Coin)
Author: Patrick Coin (Patrick Coin)
Permission: Some rights reserved
Order : Galliformes
Family : Phasianidae
Genus : Dendragapus
Species : fuliginosus
Authority : (Ridgway, 1873)