The dusky grouse (Dendragapus obscurus) is a medium-sized grouse species native to the western United States and Canada. In Colorado, dusky grouse can be found in forested mountains across the state.
Preferred Habitat
Dusky grouse prefer coniferous forests with a mix of trees, shrubs, and open meadows. They are most common in lodgepole pine, Douglas fir, spruce-fir, and aspen forests at elevations between 7,000 and 11,000 feet. Dense undergrowth is important for providing cover and food.
Some key areas where dusky grouse can be found in Colorado include:
- Medicine Bow Mountains
- Park Range
- Sawatch Range
- San Juan Mountains
- Sangre de Cristo Mountains
- Flat Tops Wilderness
- White River National Forest
- Routt National Forest
- Grand Mesa National Forest
- Gunnison National Forest
Seasonal Changes in Habitat Use
Dusky grouse use different habitats depending on the season:
- Spring: mixed coniferous forests, meadow edges for breeding
- Summer: higher elevation coniferous forests for nesting and brood rearing
- Fall: aspen forests where they feed on buds and catkins
- Winter: lower elevation coniferous forests with good snow cover
In fall and winter, look for dusky grouse in areas with fruit-bearing shrubs like chokecherry, huckleberry, serviceberry, and mountain ash.
Best Places to Find Dusky Grouse
Some of the top spots in Colorado to spot dusky grouse include:
- Dusky Grouse Habitat Management Area: This area within the San Juan National Forest near Pagosa Springs offers excellent grouse viewing opportunities, especially in spring.
- Mad Creek: Located in the Routt National Forest north of Steamboat Springs, this area has many aspen stands and meadows frequented by dusky grouse.
- Difficult Creek: This drainage in the Flat Tops Wilderness west of Boulder is a prime summer habitat with ample food and cover.
- Geneva Basin: High above Guanella Pass west of Denver, this remote area has boreal forest habitat and reliable dusky grouse populations.
- Mammoth Gulch: The mixed coniferous forest around this gulch in the Holy Cross Wilderness northwest of Leadville is an excellent place to find the birds.
Locating Grouse in the Field
Dusky grouse can sometimes be challenging to spot due to their plumage color blending into the forest. Here are some tips for finding them in the field:
- Walk quietly and slowly off-trail, stopping frequently to look and listen.
- Focus on edges of meadows, trails, and streams in the forest.
- Scan treetops at dawn and dusk when they are most active.
- Listen for their soft hooting calls and the strong whirring sound of their wings when flushed.
- Look for fresh signs like tracks, droppings, and tail feathers caught in branches.
Early mornings in spring are an excellent time to find amorous males displaying on fallen logs and making their hooting courtship calls.
Viewing Tips by Season
Here are some key tips for finding dusky grouse during different seasons in Colorado:
Spring
- Listen for hooting on breeding grounds at dawn and dusk.
- Search meadow openings surrounded by conifers.
- Look for males displaying on logs, stumps, and rocks.
Summer
- Seek out broods in higher elevation forest with thicker undergrowth.
- Listen for faint chick calls and clucking of hens with broods.
- Check for signs like small tracks and droppings around wet meadows.
Fall
- Concentrate efforts in aspen stands, berries, and forest openings.
- Scan trees for birds feeding on buds and catkins.
- Look for fresh signs like droppings and molted wing feathers.
Winter
- Seek areas at lower elevation with good snow cover.
- Check south-facing slopes warmed by the sun.
- Focus on spots near thermal cover like thick conifers.
Best Times of Day
Dusky grouse are most active at dawn and dusk as they fly between roosting and feeding areas. Other peak activity times include:
- Early morning: territorial displays by breeding males on leks
- Late morning: feeding and dust bathing
- Late afternoon: feeding again before roosting for the night
Midday is when they are least active, spending time resting under cover. Focus your efforts during the peak activity periods.
Dusky Grouse Behavior
Being familiar with dusky grouse behaviors can help you locate and view them:
- Breeding Displays: Males make hooting calls and strut to attract females in spring.
- Dust Bathing: Grouse flutter in dirt to clean feathers and remove parasites.
- Roosting: They spend nights roosting in conifers, sometimes communally in winter.
- Foraging: Birds walk along forest floors probing leaf litter with their bills.
- Brood Rearing: Hens lead chicks to insect-rich wet meadows in summer.
Knowing these behaviors can help you interpret what you see and determine if an area looks promising for spotting birds.
Appearance and Sounds
Being able to identify dusky grouse by sight and sound improves your chances of detection:
- Medium-sized grayish-brown grouse with yellow air sacs on sides of neck.
- Male has orange comb over eye and purplish air sacs when displaying.
- White spots on underside of tail visible during flight.
- Low hooting sounds by males on territory or attracting females.
- Loud whirring wing noise when flushed, along with sharp clucking.
Any initial movement or noise that causes suspicion likely signals a nearby grouse. Stopping to scan carefully may reveal a well-camouflaged bird.
Nesting and Reproduction
Learning some key facts about dusky grouse nesting and reproduction can further help with locating birds:
- Breeding occurs April-May with males displaying on forest leks.
- Nest is a scrape on the ground concealed by vegetation, logs, or rocks.
- Clutch size averages around 5-6 eggs that are lightly colored and blotched.
- Incubation is 23-26 days; chicks can fly short distances at 10-12 days.
- Broods stay together through winter, scattering the following spring.
Focusing on quality nesting areas in spring and brood habitats in summer can increase sightings of females, chicks, and juveniles.
Distinguishing Features
Dusky grouse have some distinguishing features to tell them apart from other grouse species:
- Smaller and darker than ruffed grouse with shorter tail and lack of ruffs.
- Sparser barring on underside compared to spruce grouse.
- More spotted than sooty grouse with bigger tail spots when fanned.
- Less mottling on breast feathers than sharp-tailed grouse.
- Longer tail and darker plumage than greater sage-grouse.
Getting a clear view to note key field marks is the best way to confirm dusky grouse identity.
Hunting Regulations
Hunting is allowed for dusky grouse in Colorado with proper licenses. Hunters should consult current regulations:
- Season generally runs September 1 – November 14.
- Daily limit is 3 birds of either sex per hunter.
- Possession limit is 6 at any time.
- Licensed hunters age 18+ need an upland game bird stamp.
- Youth hunters under age 18 must still have a habitat stamp.
Areas near active hunting zones may have lower grouse densities during the season. Observe all signs and road closures.
Conservation Status
Dusky grouse remain a common game bird with stable populations in Colorado. However, they face some conservation concerns:
- Population declines in peripheral range areas like New Mexico.
- Habitat loss from logging, wildfire, and development.
- Drought stress in some regions.
- Over-hunting in localized areas.
Maintaining high-quality habitat across their Colorado range gives dusky grouse the best chance of thriving.
Conclusion
Dusky grouse can be found scattered across Colorado’s coniferous mountain forests nearly statewide. They frequent a mix of forest types and elevations depending on season and life cycle requirements. The best areas to find them include lodgepole pine, spruce-fir, aspen, and mountain shrub habitats between 7,000-11,000 feet elevation. With field knowledge of their preferred habitats, behaviors, sounds, and signs, locating dusky grouse is quite possible with targeted efforts. Always practice proper ethics when observing or hunting the birds to ensure healthy populations remain for future generations.