It
is June, the time for young grouse to climb out of their eggshells. It actually
started at the beginning of the month and maybe even in late May in some
places.
We
spotted our first brood the second week of the month. Momma grouse slinked
across the road, so we stopped to watch. When she safely crossed, she called
the young one. Not much bigger than bumble bees they crossed the road as singles
or in pairs, eleven all total.
A
few days later I spotted another brood crossing on our own road. On the
approach of my truck they all stopped in the street. The hen had two near her
and three more stood frozen near the tall grass along the side of the road. I
waited and waited and finally crept closer with the truck. Mom herded the crew
back where they came from.
A
day or two later we spotted a hen beside the road. On our approach she flew
into the woods accompanied by four or five young the size of quail.
Not
long after that I spotted another cluster with their mother, all much smaller,
about the size of sparrows.
So
it is obvious they don’t all hatch at the same time, but they do grow so fast that
they reach near adult size in little time. According to the Ruffed Grouse
Society, baby grouse are able to walk as soon as they hatch and take off
following their mother. About a week after they are born they can fly like
little bumble bees.
