Spruce Grouse Photo Gallery
Male (Spruce)
Medium-sized chickenlike bird. Males have a slate gray head and neck, a red eyebrow, a black chest, and white spots on lower belly.
© Kevin Pero / Macaulay LibraryMichigan, October 11, 2020Male (Franklin's)
The Franklin's subspecies of Spruce Grouse in Montana, Idaho, Washington, and British Columbia have a darker black breast without white barring.
© Joshua Covill / Macaulay LibraryMontana, October 27, 2019Male (Spruce)
Medium-sized chickenlike bird. Male has a gray head and neck, a red eyebrow, a black chest, and white spots on lower belly.
© Greg Baker / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, September 07, 2016Not all videos have soundFemale
Plump bird of spruce forests. Females come in two color morphs, gray and chestnut. This female has chestnut mottling throughout with strong horizontal barring on the underparts.
© Nick Tepper / Macaulay LibraryNew Hampshire, June 13, 2020Female (Spruce)
"Bathes" in dust, especially when molting body feathers.
© Daniel S. / Macaulay LibraryVermont, August 07, 2021Not all videos have soundMale (Spruce)
Males have a slate gray head and neck, a red eyebrow, a black chest, and white spots on lower belly. The tail is either dark or tipped in chestnut depending on location. This individual from Maine has chestnut tips.
© Luke Seitz / Macaulay LibraryMaine, May 09, 2011Female
Eats primarily pine and spruce needles in the canopy, but also forages on the ground for insects, fresh growth on shrubs, and berries.
© Eric Liner / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, July 03, 2007Not all videos have soundFemale
Feeds primarily on needles from spruce and pines, but when not eating needles they forage on the ground, eating fresh growth from shrubs and understory plants.
© Alex Eberts / Macaulay LibraryMinnesota, January 05, 2018Compare with Similar Species
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Species in This Family
Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies(Order: Galliformes, Family: Phasianidae)
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