Sooty Blue Grouse
D.o. fuliginous
The Sooty Blue grouse are residents in the foolwing mountain ranges. Coastal Alaska, south through Coastal areas of British Columbia,including
WesternWashington state and southward into all of Western Oregon,
Northwestern California. They can be found down at sea level and high as 4,500' elevation in the Cascade range.They will spend the winter time
eating Douglas fir needles and Hemlock needles and snow or water.
Once spring comes on they will go down to lower elevations if necessary . The hens will be 2-3 weeks behind the males.
One major difference between the coastal and interior population is the
display.The male Sooty blue grouse HOOTING can be heard up to 1/2 mille
away but the BOOMING can only be heard about 50'. Where as the
Dusky male blue grouse HOOTING can only be heard about 50 depending
on the lay of the land,wind ect.Where as Dusky blue grouse male BOOM
can heard up to 400-500 yards .The next major difference is the Sooty blue grouse air sac is yellow as where the air sac of the Duskyblue grouse is red.
Once a hen has breed with a male she will lay 8-10 eggs and incubate them
for 24 days and hatch and raise them on her own.
Male Hooting on the snow early spring.
Sooty male in summer time up on his Hotting pearch.