(Bonasa umbellus sabini)
The Oregon ruffed grouse is the handsomest species of the ruffed
grouse genus, and is truly a beautiful bird with its deep, rich
browns, orange and black. The eastern species of this genus is wrongly
known in the north Atlantic states by the name of partridge, and as
wrongly called pheasant in Virginia and some other of the southern
states. The Pacific Coast species ranges from northern California
along the Coast range through Oregon, Washington and far into British
Columbia. It is a wary bird, full of cunning and gamy qualities. The
male of this genus is, I believe, the only member of the grouse family
that drums all the year; all others confining their drumming to the
nesting season. This drumming is made with the wings and not by the
inflation of an air sack as with other species. The sound, also, is
much different, having more of a rolling reverberation. In the spring
they will take their position on some rock or dead log and strut back
and forth with their heads thrown back and their tails spread out to
show the beautiful hues of the feathers and drum for hours to attract
the hens or challenge the other males to an almost life and death
combat, in which they fight in the same manner as the game cock. They
live among the pines, usually near some little opening where they are
fond of feeding. When startled they take at once to the timber and are
quickly lost to view. For this reason dogs are almost useless in
hunting them. They are never found in numbers greater than a single
brood, even though the brood may be decimated by the gun of the
sportsman or the cunning of the vermin to no more than two or three.
The flesh of the ruffed grouse is white and generally tender and of
fine flavor, although in the late fall or winter when its food
consists almost wholly of fir buds it tastes quite strong of
turpentine. Its food generally is about the same as the sooty grouse
and in about the same percentages.
=Color=--Head, light chestnut, the feathers on the top being long and
capable of erection when excited; a tuft of long, rich brown feathers
will be found on each side of the neck; back, reddish chestnut mottled
with black; rump and tail-coverts, more of a cinnamon color blotched
with dark brown; flanks, lighter and barred with black; tail, rusty
brown barred with deep brown and tipped with two bands of gray,
separated by a streak of black; under tail-coverts, orange, barred
with black and tipped with white; wing feathers, brown with a central
stripe of light yellow.
The female is marked the same but somewhat lighter in coloring.
=Nest and Eggs=--The nest, like that of all the gallinaceous birds, is
made on the ground and hidden away in some thick cluster of brush or
beneath some log. The eggs are of a buff color spotted with dark
brown, and number from ten to fifteen.
=Measurements=--Total length from 16 to 19 inches; wing about 7 or 8
inches. Weight about 2 pounds.