This morning I saw 2 groups/bunches? (see my note below) of Spruce Grouse near the Sand River along Highway 2 north of Two Harbors. The first group was seen at 7:10am (about 20 minutes before sunrise) and consisted of 9 females and 1 male. A 2nd male appeared, looking smaller and intimidated by the 1st male. The hens were picking at grit/salt on and along the highway while the male did a full display, including puffing out his breast feathers, throwing his head back, erecting the red combs above the eyes, raising and spreading his tail. Several times he leapt into the air and beat his wings in a drumming fashion. He’s a stunning bird and strutted around like he was fully in charge, although females seemed more interested in the grit, including those times when he tried to mount several. This location was 2.2 miles north of the Sand River. I observed them for some 10 minutes, during which time several cars and logging trucks sped by. The grouse flew up, but before the tail lights disappeared, they were back on the road, which seemed to be used like a lek.
The second group was seen 5 minutes later (at around 7:25am) ½ mile north of Sand River. This group consisted of 1 male and 6 females. This male also engaged in a display similar to the one in the first group.
And to give me a nice comparison, a single Ruffed Grouse was along the road 1.6 miles south of the Sand River.
I wasn’t sure what to call a group of grouse, so I checked with James Lipton’s “An Exaltation of Larks.” The proper historical term is “drumming.” So for you English majors, is it proper for me to say that I saw 2 drumming of grouse?
I also found it interesting to read that Thomas in his “Birds of Minnesota” was convinced in 1932 that Spruce Grouse were headed for extinction, noting that “apparently neither legislation nor any other means will save this bird, and, with the altered conditions attendant upon the occupancy of the north woods, it will inevitably disappear before many years have passed.”
I hope to see them for many years to come.
Gene Bauer