Ruffed Grouse Puts On A Show In Ontario

Watch a Ruffed Grouse go into full display mode, with fanned tail and raised “ruff” (i.e., erected neck feathers), on the platform of the Ontario FeederWatch Cam. According to our cam host, this amazing display was incited by a crow that landed on a branch above the feeders.

Ruffed Grouse are generally timid birds that keep a low profile. Their cryptic plumage makes them hard to spot, but their drumming displays are a sight to see! When displaying for females or defending territory, the male grouse stands atop a log, rock, or low dirt mound with crest, ruff and tail erect, puffing up to nearly double its normal size and beating its wings to create a rapid-fire drumming sound.