| Features of upland game birds | • Chicken-like birds; strong legs well suited for running
• Wings short and rounded, adapted for short flights
• Adept at hiding in ground cover
• Generalized diet, mainly of insects, seeds and berries in the summer and conifer needles in winter
• Grouse population numbers undergo cyclic fluctuations |
| How do you differentiate between native, non-native game birds, and ptarmigans? | • Introduced species – scaly legs, not feathered
• Native grouse – legs feathered, toes not feathered
• Ptarmigan – legs and toes feathered |
| Which type of grouse are found in the forest? | dusky, sooty, spruce, ruffed |
| Which type of grouse are found in the prairies? | sharp-tailed |
| Which type of grouse are found in alpine areas? | ptarmigan |
| Dusky grouse physical features | -Largest grouse in BC along with Sooty Grouse
• Males bluish to blackish grey; females grey to brown
• Males have yellow to reddish eye combs and purple – red skin patches on neck (surrounded by white feathers) |
| Sooty grouse physical features | - Larges in BC along with dusky grouse
• Males bluish to blackish grey; females grey to brown
• Males have yellow to reddish eye combs and yellowish skin patches on neck (surrounded by white feathers)
• Have grey band at end of tail |
| Which species is represented in this distribution map? | Dusky grouse |
| Which species is represented in this distribution map? | Sooty grouse |
| Dusky and Sooty grouse mating behaviour | Courting males become territorial, display neck patches, climb on rocks or stumps and produce a loud “hoot” to attract females |
| Spruce grouse physical features | • Medium sized grouse, also known as “fool’s hen”
• Found throughout BC forests, except on the coast
• Males are black-grey with white tipped feathers on belly and tail
• Males have bright red eye comb |
| Spruce grouse diet | Mainly conifer needles in winter |
| Ruffed grouse physical features | • Most wide-spread grouse in BC, although not on QCI
• Prefer mixed deciduous / conifer forests
• Also known as “willow” grouse
• Brown and grey colour phases
• Fan-shaped tail has a dark terminal band
• Both male and female have distinctive crests |
| How do you differentiate a male and a female ruffled grouse? | Most males have a continuous tail band, whereas it can be broken in the centre in females
• Males have a prominent blackish neck ruff, that is displayed during breeding season
• Males also have orange to reddish eye combs |
| Ruffled grouse mating behaviour | • Males perform drumming displays in the breeding season to attract females into their territories
• Favourite rocks or logs are chosen for display
• Sound is produced by rushing air underneath the wing |
| Sharp tailed grouse features | • Medium-sized grouse; prefers grasslands and open woodlands
• Found mainly in Peace, also in Cariboo and OK blue-listed
• Body feathers brown with white and buff spotting
• Pointed tail; centre feathers are darker and longest
• Males have yellow eye combs and purple neck patches |
| Sharp tailed grouse mating behaviour | • Males establish leks (communal display sites) during breeding season; females visit lek sites
• Males challenge each other to maintain territories; dominant birds are located in the centre of the lek
• Male courtship displays on these “dancing grounds” include strutting, wing “rattling” and inflating neck sacs |
| Ptarmigan features | • Small grouse found in mountainous alpine areas
• Nostrils and feet feathered for warmth in winter
• Different winter and summer plumage
– Mostly white in winter
– Mixture of mottled brown and white in summer
• Found in mountains throughout much of the interior |
| What is the status of VI subspecies of ptarmigan? | Blue listed - no hunting |
| Willow ptarmigan features | • White in winter, except for black feathers in tail
• In breeding season, males have bright red eye combs
• Found mainly in coastal and northern mountain ranges |
| Rock ptarmigan features | • White in winter, except for black feathers in tail and black eye stripe
• Breeding males have orange to red eye combs
• Distribution overlaps with willow ptarmigan, but found at higher elevations |
| California quail features | • Elongated” tear drop” shape head plume that curls forward
• Gray upper body with white barring on brown belly and flanks
• Males have black distinctive black crest and throat patch with white streaks across forehead and throat |
| California quail features | • Social bird that forms coveys consisting of several family groups
• Well adapted to urban/rural areas that have sufficient tree/shrub cover
• When disturbed, prefer to run rather than fly |
| Chukar features | • Grayish-brown with white cheeks and distinctive black line through eyes that forms a “V” at the throat
• White belly and flanks with black barring; red bill
• Introduced populations in the Southern Interior (e.g., Thompson-Okanagan)
• Prefer sagebrush habitat |
| Gray partirdge features | • AKA Hungarian partridge
• Grayish bird with rusty orange face and brown barring on flanks
• Introduced populations in the Southern Interior
• Prefer agricultural areas |
| Ring necked pheasant features | • Males have -green heads with red eye patch, white ring around neck, and bronze body
• Females are tan with brown and black mottling
• Both have long, pointed tail feathers with a barred pattern |
| Wild turkey features | • Largest NA game bird
• Distinctive fan-shaped tail
• Head and neck nearly bare; blue and red
• Males have a large red wattle |
