# Sooty Grouse (*Dendragapus fuliginosus*) The Sooty Grouse is a large bird that loves to live in the forests of the western United States. They have beautiful dark feathers and are known for their unique calls that sound like a soft whistle. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Blue Grouse ![Sooty Grouse](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Dendragapus_fuliginosus_5058.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dendragapus_fuliginosus_5058.JPG) ## Appearance The Sooty Grouse is a robust, chicken-like bird with a short, stout beak. Males are mostly dark bluish-gray with a bright yellow comb over each eye and a purple-red air sac on their throat. Females are mottled brown and gray, providing excellent camouflage in their forest habitat. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Galliformes - **Family:** Phasianidae - **Genus:** Dendragapus ## Interesting facts - Male Sooty Grouse puff out air sacs on their neck to make loud "hoots" during courtship! - Their diet changes so much that young grouse can't eat the same foods as their parents! - They can survive freezing winters by burrowing into the snow for warmth and shelter! - Unlike many birds, female Sooty Grouse often nest directly on the forest floor, well hidden. ## Special abilities - **Booming Bass Call:** Sooty Grouse can produce a deep, low-frequency hooting call using special throat sacs that carries far through dense forests. - **Master of Camouflage:** Sooty Grouse has intricately patterned plumage that helps them blend perfectly into the forest floor or tree bark, avoiding predators. - **Explosive Takeoff:** Sooty Grouse can launch into a rapid, powerful flight from a standstill, quickly escaping danger by bursting through trees. - **Winter Needle Diet:** Sooty Grouse can digest tough conifer needles, a unique ability that allows them to find food even in harsh winter conditions. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 40-58 cm - **Wingspan:** 65-75 cm - **Weight:** 0.8-1.4 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-8 years - **Speed:** 80 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 5-10 - **Incubation:** 24-26 days ## Diet & Feeding Sooty Grouse mainly munch on conifer needles, buds, and berries, especially in winter! - **Age differences:** Young grouse eat insects and greens; adults switch almost entirely to conifer needles. - **Primary Foods:** Conifer needles, Tree buds, Huckleberries, Blueberries, Catkins - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — Predator of eggs, chicks, and adult grouse. - **Eaten by:** [Coyote](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coyote) (*Canis latrans*) — Hunts grouse on the forest floor, especially nests. - **Eats:** Douglas-fir (*Pseudotsuga menziesii*) — Needles are a primary winter food source for grouse. - **Eats:** [Red Huckleberry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-huckleberry) (*Vaccinium parvifolium*) — Berries are an important summer and fall food for grouse. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and don't try to catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Sooty Grouse? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Sooty Grouse? 40-58 cm ### What is Sooty Grouse's wingspan? 65-75 cm ### How much does Sooty Grouse weigh? 0.8-1.4 kg ### How long does Sooty Grouse live? 3-8 years ### How fast can Sooty Grouse move? 80 km/h ### What does Sooty Grouse eat? Sooty Grouse mainly munch on conifer needles, buds, and berries, especially in winter! ### Where is Sooty Grouse usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Ross Lake National Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ross-lake-national-recreation-area) — Washington, US · National Park - [Atwell Mill Grove](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/atwell-mill-grove) — California, US · Forest - [Generals' Highway Stone Bridges](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/generals-highway-stone-bridges) — California, US · Historic District - [Giant Forest Lodge Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/giant-forest-lodge-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Giant Forest Village-Camp Kaweah Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/giant-forest-village-camp-kaweah-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Mineral King](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mineral-king) — California, US · Historic District [View all places to see Sooty Grouse](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/sooty-grouse) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Sooty Grouse: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sooty-grouse)