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How to Find and Identify the State Bird of Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania state bird was chosen by its legislature in 1931. The lawmakers decided that the ruffed grouse was deserving of such an honor. Although not as plentiful in the Keystone State as in years past, the ruffed grouse is still abundant in its habitat. A close relative of the turkey and the quail, the ruffled grouse often can be heard long before he is seen. Here is how you can find the elusive bird.

Instructions

- 1
  Search wooded areas where there is lots of brush and small growth. The ruffed grouse can live in a fully grown forest but prefers to wander about in areas that have been logged over, cut down, and are in the process of regrowing. There it will eat insects, acorns, insects, berries and twigs to its heart’s content. Ruffled grouse populations rise and fall in cycles of about eight to 11 years. Check with the Pennsylvania Game Commission for information on the grouse population to increase your chances of finding one.
- 2
  Realize that with its protective coloration you will rarely see a ruffed grouse walking. You may never see one that is standing still. Although the ruffed grouse is almost a big as a small chicken it blends in so well with the forest floor that it is almost impossible to make out. It comes in two color phases; one is gray while the other is a brownish hue. The Pennsylvania state bird has a small crest on the top of its head and a “mane” of feathers around its neck, giving it its name. It is more prominent on the males, who are slightly larger than the females to begin with.
- 3
  Be prepared as you walk through the woods for an explosion of sound if you meet a ruffed grouse. Its great eyesight and sense of hearing will allow the grouse to spot you long before you see it. As you approach the grouse, it will take off in such a flurry of feathers that it will have the ability to startle you. It sounds like a whir of low thunder. The grouse cannot fly very far at one time so you may be able to follow it and get a better look.
- 4
  Look in the same spot the next day for a grouse that you may have scared. Grouse do not stray far from one area unless forced to do so by hunters or predators. A grouse that got away without you seeing it one day may be back in the same region the next, and with you prepared you have a better chance of observing the Pennsylvania state bird.
- 5
  Don’t give up on the grouse just because it is winter. Grouse have a habit of flying right into soft snow banks in the woods to get out of the wind and weather. The bird could burst out as you get near, giving you quite a show if you are able to see it.

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