. Birds of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Birds; Birds. RUFFED GROUSE (Bonasa umbellus) The ruffed grouse is a brown or brown-red chicken-sized bird. It is a common permanent resident in both Yellowstone and Grand Teton, breed- ing in mixed or deciduous woods, and wintering in the conifer forests. This grouse has a broad, barred, fan-shaped tail with a black band near the tip. The mottled plumage of the ruffed grouse matches the colors and shadows of the mixed woods it inhabits. This protective coloration helps protect the grouse against natural enemies, such as the coyote. In spr
. Birds of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Birds; Birds. RUFFED GROUSE (Bonasa umbellus) The ruffed grouse is a brown or brown-red chicken-sized bird. It is a common permanent resident in both Yellowstone and Grand Teton, breed- ing in mixed or deciduous woods, and wintering in the conifer forests. This grouse has a broad, barred, fan-shaped tail with a black band near the tip. The mottled plumage of the ruffed grouse matches the colors and shadows of the mixed woods it inhabits. This protective coloration helps protect the grouse against natural enemies, such as the coyote. In spring, the male grouse attracts the female with a display that includes drumming. The drumming sound is produced by rapid wingbeats which compress a pocket of air against the bird's inflated chest. The varied diet of this species includes seeds, buds, foliage, nuts, wild fruits, and insects. As winter approaches, the ruffed grouse grows a series of hairlike bristles along the toes. These aid the bird in walking over snow. Grouse frequently bury themselves in snowdrifts at night. The snow provides them with warmth and Sage Grouse Kenneth W. Fink SANDHILL CRANE (Grus canadensis) The height of a deer, this gray-brown inhabitant of marshes, meadows, and sagebrush-grassland environments is an uncommon breeding bird in both Yellowstone and Grand Teton. Cranes feed extensively on vege- table matter including bulbs, roots, grains, and berries, as well as insects, snakes, frogs, and mice. Sandhill cranes have an unusual dance which occurs most often in the spring and usually on the roosting ground. While dancing, the long legs of the crane are employed as springs and the wings are used for balance. Although the dance is used as part of a courtship display, birds of various ages participate throughout the year. The voice of the Sandhill crane is a shrill, musical rattle often uttered in flight. Bones of the Sandhill crane have been found in Pliocene and Pleistocene deposits, m
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