Skip to main content

Dusky Grouse

Dendragapus obscurus
Meet the Dusky Grouse, one of the largest Grouses in North America. Fun fact #1? Until recently it was thought to be a subspecies of the Blue Grouse. But the Blue Grouse is actually no more. DNA analysis split it up into two full-fledged species-- the Dusky Grouse and the Sooty Grouse.

These birds can be found in the Rocky Mountains of North America, and their habitat depends on the time of years. During the winter they live near-exclusively in the coniferous forests, but during the summer breeding season they will live in grasslands and low, dry mountain forests.

The Dusky Grouse has a really curious anatomical feature. Most bird species have about 10 tail feathers, and that number is the same bird to bird. The Dusky Grouse has anywhere from 15 to 22 tail feathers-- a huge variance!

Male and female Dusky Grouses are different in appearance. Females are grey-brown ans speckled, while males are darker brown and have a bare purple throat sack ringed with white feathers. They also have an eye-wattle that varies from yellow to red.
IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Western North America
Size : Length up to 18in (45cm)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Galliformes
Family : Phasianidae -- Genus : Dendragapus -- Species : D. obscurus
Image :  National Park Service
Labels:

Comments

  1. essay bestJune 21, 2017 at 2:40 PM

    Drusky Grouse.. Well this is new for me. This was informative for me mate. Thanks for posting about it. May be you can post more photos of it? Looking forward to more great pictures.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bornean Orangutan

The Bornean Orangutan is one of two extant Orangutan species in the world. It is the third largest primate (after Gorillas) and is the largest primarily tree-dwelling animal in the world. Males are substantially larger than females, and average at around 165lbs. Bornean Orangutans are largely solitary. A handful might live within a small range but they will seldom interact with one another. Males and females only meet up to breed, which happens only once every several years. A young Orangutan will stay with it's mother for about five years, and the females tend to go about eight years between births. That is the longest interim period of any animal! Sadly, the Bornean Orangutans are in a lot of trouble. They need large forests in order to thrive, and deforestation and habitat degradation has left many homeless. They are also hunted for meat and for traditional medicines. Conservation areas are being established to help these guys in the wild, and it is believed that there are a
59 comments
Read more

Four!

For anyone who was counting, yesterday was our birthday-- four years! Four years filled with animals from A to Z, more than 1,100 of them! I can't thank my readers enough, it's been wonderful! And in celebration of that milestone... I'm taking a break. Hopefully not forever, but for a little bit at least. In the mean time I plan on getting a new layout out, along with some updates to some of the older articles. I'll post updates here and on the Facebook page, I'm also brainstorming some new animal-related projects, so keep an eye out! Thanks again for four awesome years!
18 comments
Read more

Halloween Crab

Gecarcinus quadratus The Halloween Crab goes by many names, including the Red Land Crab, Whitespot Crab, and Moon Crab. I personally like Halloween Crab though, since it really reflects the interesting colors. They have black carapaces, orange-red legs, and purple claws! Halloween Crabs live in the Pacific coast mangroves and forests of Central and South America. They actually live in the forests as adults, and return to the ocean in order to reproduce. Did you know that they live as far away as 18 miles (30km)  from water? Not where you normally think Crabs to be! While living in the forest, the Crabs forage nocturnally for different plant matter, including leaves and sapling. They also dig long burrows into the ground for protection. These burrows can measure nearly 5 ft long! Halloween Crabs are sometimes kept in captivity, and can be very tricky pets due to their excellent climbing skills. IUCN Status :  Not Listed Location :   Cent
Post a Comment
Read more