Oregon Blue Dusky Grouse
Oregon Blue grouse are distrubed accross N.E Oregon,Centarl
Idaho mountains north and western Montana,N.W Wyoming inside of Yellow stone Naional park and Eastern Washington state. They are found at elevations abouve 3,000' and higher.They winter on the higher mountains ridge tops and eat dougfir
neddles and snow all winter long. As spring approachs the male fly down to lower elevations to pick and secure matting territory. The hens
come behind 2-3 weeks later to begin the nesting season. in mid April.
You will find males in the spring time on there territory doing what is
called hotting. This allows the hens to find the males.Once a hen
has picked a males that she likes. They will court for a few days
breeding 1 time. When the hen is ready to breed the male will approach the hen and do what is call a rush he will go up to her and cirle her
with a rushing movement and then BOOMS if she holds her ground they will mate then . You Can here the BOOMS from males 400-500 yards.
as for there hootting it is very quiet can only be heard for 50'.
The hen will lay 8-11 eggs over the next 15 days or so and incubate
them for 24 days and hatch them raise them by self and stay with them
until mid September .
Oregon Blue Hen sitting on a pearch.
Oregon Blue grouse male full display.
Nest of Oregon Blue grouse eggs.
Oregon Blue grouse chicks 3 days old.
Oregon Blue grouse chicks 5 days old.
Oregon Blue grouse male mid May
full display. His was Romeo 6 year olds.
Oregon Blue grouse male showing off
to his hen.
Oregon blue grouse male he was a 5 year old male named Spartacus.
Oregon blue grouse male he was a 6 year old male named Romeo.
A group of young Oregon blue grouse
in late August.
Young Oregon blue grouse male taking
a dust bath in sept.
Oregon blue grouse hen is spring time.