If you’ve ever spent much time in the woods, you’ve probably heard a male ruffed grouse drumming. But have you ever seen it?
This video by BDN contributor Christi Elliott gives you a closeup look at this activity meant to let females know where they are and to tell other males to stay away.
This upland bird will defend an area the size of approximately 6-10 acres, according to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Sometimes males will drum on moonlit nights, but usually the birds are not nocturnal.
Female grouse are receptive to drumming males for just a few days, then nest at the bases of trees, bushes, brush piles, stumps or other ground spots. She lays anywhere from 9 to 14 eggs and incubates them for about 24 days, the department said.
The babies, hatched in late May or early June generally, are ready to help find their food in just a few days. The eggs and babies are sought by several predators including weasels, foxes, raccoons, hawks, owls and skunks, among others.
The hen will pretend that her wing is injured to try to draw the predator away from her eggs or brood, the MDIF&W said. The families begin to break up when the babies are 12-14 weeks old, into the fall.
It is legal to hunt ruffed grouse in Maine October-December. It is illegal to hunt their cousins the spruce grouse, which are protected.
Eider ducks are a large North American sea bird. The females are this brown color, as you can see in this video footage contributed by Brian Sawyer.
This mom duck sure is busy with such a busy brood.
The male eiders are much more striking in color, with their distinctive blacks, whites, grays and on king eiders, orange.
Maine is at the very bottom of the eider’s range.
