Officially known to as the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania is one of the original thirteen states that made up the United States. Although it is just the 33rd biggest state in terms of land area, its population ranks it as the fifth most populated state in the United States.
In 1931, the state of Pennsylvania designated the ruffed grouse, scientifically known as Bonasa umbellus, as its official bird. The bird with a pattern of brown and grey feathers is sometimes called a partridge; however, it is not the same species as the Gray Partridge, which is a smaller bird with a more uniform appearance.
Why did Pennsylvania choose the Ruffed Grouse as its official state bird?
The state of Pennsylvania has not yet designated a specific bird to serve as the official state bird. Instead, the state chose to make the ruffed grouse its official game bird in the year 1931. The food supply of the early inhabitants in the state was supplemented significantly by the presence of this bird, which is native to the forests of the state.
When was it decided that the Ruffed Grouse would be Pennsylvania’s official state bird?
The ruffed grouse was selected to represent the state of Pennsylvania in its role as the official game bird on June 22, 1931. On the same day, the state also officially designated its state tree. Section 1005 of Purdon’s Pennsylvania Statutes and Consolidated Statutes, Title 71, Part 1 Chapter 6 Provisions Similar or Closely Related to Provisions of the Administrative Code – Secretary and Department of Internal Affairs – State Emblems names the pheasant as the official state game bird of Pennsylvania.
What does the state bird of Pennsylvania look like?
The length of the Ruffed Grouse averages out to be about 14 inches. This chicken-like bird is about the size of a medium-sized chicken and has stocky build with rounded wings. The back, head, and neck of the bird are either grey or brown, and the breasts are white with brown and black chevrons and bars. The rear of the bird is also grey. They have black ruffs that develop on the sides of their necks, and they have a crest that sits on the top of their heads. These birds have a long tail that is square in shape and can be either grey or brown in color. The tail is characterized with thin, light, and black bars, in addition to a thick black band towards the sub terminal region.
What kind of food do Ruffed Grouses eat?
They are able to maintain their varied diet as a result of their ability to cross the river in such a way that allows them to do so. The birds’ diets consist of fruits, insects, and the fresh, green leaves of a wide variety of plants and trees when the weather is mild and there is no snow on the ground. In addition to eating insects, this grouse also enjoys the flesh of frogs, salamanders, and snakes as well as other reptiles and amphibians.
As soon as snow begins to fall, the ruffed grouse changes its diet to one that consists primarily of flowers. This indicates that it obtains its food by feeding on the catkins and buds of dormant blooming plants, such as filberts, ironwood, birches, cherries, and aspens.
What is their behavior?
This hardy grouse is able to flourish in the harsh winters of North America, when other birds, such as pheasants, quail, and turkeys, are killed out. The ruffed grouse spends its winters in snowy locations that have ground cover from the end of November to the beginning of March.
The male of this species is known to be quite territorial and hostile against other individuals. They only mate with one or two hens and spend their whole adult life guarding a wooded territory that is between six and ten acres in size.
The male frightens away any prospective predators by perching himself on a log or huge rock and beating his wings against the air to create a vacuum. This is done while drumming his wings. He maintains this routine throughout the year but picks up the tempo in the spring.
In the beginning of summer, during the month of May, the female ruffed grouse selects a thicket inside the breeding territory of her partner, which is normally located in the woods. This is where they will make their nest. The underside of a low shrub or by the side of a downed tree are two of the most popular hiding places. The female looks for a place on the ground where the wind has naturally piled up a bunch of dead leaves and selects that location.
The female ruffed grouse builds on top of this beginning nest by including additional dried leaves and herbaceous plants. She will lay anywhere from five to twelve eggs if she determines that the nest meets her needs. Incubation is required for these little yellow eggs, however in contrast to the case with other species of birds, the female ruffed grouse will abandon the nest while the eggs are being incubated. Because of this, they are susceptible to being eaten by predatory birds like crows and ravens, who consider them a tasty treat in their diet. However, if these other birds approach her nest while she is present, the mother bird will attack them. She will use both her feet and her wings to defend herself against any threat, just like a hen would.
The young birds are allowed to leave the nest with their parents as soon as the eggs have hatched out. They imitate their mother and immediately start soaring through the air. At the age of one week, they are only capable of flying a few yards at a time, which is not sufficient for flight on their own, so they must accompany their parents while they look for food. During the night, the mother bird provides security and warmth for her young by covering them with her wings while they sleep. Though an adversary arrives while they are out eating, the mother will behave as if she has been injured in order to lure the predator to herself and protect her young from being eaten.
Do Ruffed Grouses live in groups or colonies?
The Ruffed Grouse will spend its entire life on this patch of land, but when it gets hungry, it will fly out to look for food in the surrounding area. The beginning of these expeditions takes place around the month of October, which is when food resources begin to become more limited. Birds of this species frequently travel between the Ohio and Susquehanna rivers in smaller groups of eight to ten individuals. On rare occasions, greater numbers of birds, sometimes as many as 15, would fly to the other bank of the river and stay in the forests nearby for anywhere between one and two weeks. Miniature migrations are when the animals are most vulnerable to being shot by hunters. These birds frequently move into neighboring states such as Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, or Indiana on their migrations.
The greatest threat that these birds face, other from other birds that prey on them and consume their eggs, is humans. Despite the fact that hawks, opossums, pole-cats, weasels, foxes, and raccoons are all natural predators of birds, people have been hunting birds since the first immigrants arrived in the nation.
Where do ruffed grouse like to live best?
Brushy regions, immature aspen stands, mature aspen stands with an understory of hazel or ironwood, and thick seedling aspen stands should all be included in an ideal ruffed grouse habitat. When aspen is not there, oak, conifers, and lowland scrub and trees are all viable alternatives.
What is the name given to a female grouse?
The male, often known as a blackcock, may measure up to 55 centimeters (22 inches) in length and weigh over 2 kilograms (4.4 lb) (about 4 pounds). He has white wing bars and under tail coverts, and his tail is shaped like a lyre, curling outward like a lyre. He is iridescent blue-black in color. The female, also called a grey hen, has a mottled brown and black barring appearance, and she is somewhat smaller than the male.
What is the lifespan of a ruffed grouse?
Even while it is thought that certain birds may live for up to 11 years, the typical life span of a Ruffed Grouse is far shorter, and very few birds live to reach 7 or 8 years old or more.
