Sooty Grouse

Overview

The Sooty Grouse inhabits coniferous forest along the Pacific coast ranges from southeastern Alaska south through British Columbia to California, occupying a range formerly combined with the interior Dusky Grouse under the name "Blue Grouse." Males are dark sooty grey overall, with a distinct pale grey terminal band on the tail and inflatable yellow neck sacs displayed during courtship.

• Family: Phasianidae (grouse)
• Diet: conifer needles, buds, berries, and invertebrates
• Range: Pacific coast ranges from Alaska to California

Feather Identification

• Body feathers: dark sooty grey overall, similar to the Dusky Grouse but often with a slightly darker, more uniform tone.
• Tail: broad, dark tail feathers typically show a distinct pale grey terminal band, a key difference from the Dusky Grouse.
• Neck: males show bare yellow skin patches on the neck sides, inflated during display, bordered by whitish feather tufts.
• Females: mottled brown and grey overall, providing camouflage, and lacking the male's neck coloration.
• Vs. similar species: the presence of a clear pale grey tail band distinguishes it from the Dusky Grouse, whose tail lacks or shows only a faint band; the two species are also largely separated by geographic range, coastal versus interior.

Plumage Notes

Adult males show dark sooty grey plumage year-round, with the bare yellow neck skin becoming more vivid during spring courtship display. Females are mottled brown and grey for camouflage while nesting. Juveniles resemble females until their first full molt into adult plumage.

Habitat & Range

Sooty Grouse inhabit coniferous and mixed forest along the Pacific coast ranges, from southeastern Alaska south through coastal British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California. They typically show seasonal elevational movement, shifting to denser conifer stands at higher elevations in winter.

Behavior

Sooty Grouse forage on the ground and in trees for buds, needles, berries, and invertebrates, with conifer needles making up much of the winter diet. Males perform courtship displays involving inflating yellow neck sacs, fanning the tail, and giving deep hooting calls from elevated perches, often in dense forest, making them heard more often than seen. Nests are ground scrapes concealed by vegetation.