[CT Birds] On Grouse

[Carrier Graphics]

I think Dave P's comments about Grouse is right on. 

It seems the lack of succession forest growth here in CT, I believe, is the biggest culprit to their success in breeding and survival. When I look back- 30 plus years and more, I remember seeing Grouse it seems only in these forest conditions. I also remember these successional growth forests where much more common back when. I have recently encountered Grouse most often in CTs northwestern tier, where successional growth is a bit more common from where forests were clear cut or mainly so several years back.  I believe the best habitat in CT for Grouse to live and survive is where their  are large tracts of mature forest interspersed with Successional growth, and their are not many of these areas left in CT for the Grouse to live and survive in. 
predation is an issue as well, but without the proper habitat, predation, I believe, is only of secondary concern.

In West Hartland last year, I had 4 encounters with Grouse.  One was of a female with 6 young who all took flight from a dirt rd into a dense area of mature Hemlocks.

Paul Carrier 




I wanted to jump in with a comment or two (despite being at work for  the
seventh straight day cranking out a document) because of how much I am
personally saddened by the decline of the drummer of Connecticut's
woodlands.

Ruffed Grouse require a mixture of habitats. Preferably mixed  coniferous
and deciduous as well as a healthy mixture of mature and successional.  In
CT we generally lack substantial areas of successional (or "reverting")
habitat. It seems we either have lawn or forest with little or no  expanse
of successional habitat (brush/sapling mix). Northern Bobwhite habitat
requirements are even more complex and hence the species is now  extirpated
as a breeder in CT. Without a real commitment to manage habitat in CT  for
Ruffed Grouse the species  will likely remain a very uncommon resident,  or
worse.

Dave