The grouse’s natural habitat is in deciduous and mixed forests, especially in those with dense undergrowth and scattered clearings. They occur from the tree line of Alaska and northern Canada south throughout our country. During the summer the grouse feeds on insects, seeds, fruits and sometimes, a small snake or frog; the winter diet is much more limited consisting of buds and catkins. A shallow, sheltered depression lined with leaves and filled with 9 to 12 pinkish-buff, plain or spotted eggs characterizes the nest.

The dusky grouse is closely related to the sooty grouse, the two of which were previously considered to be of the same species, known as the blue grouse. Typically the sooty grouse is found more in coastal habitats of BC and the dusky in more interior regions. The approximate boundary between the two species is near if not directly within the Sub Region of the Evergreen Stewardship Plan.

General issues across the Sub Region will be addressed below, followed by management plans specific to individual populations.

Issues:

  • It is unknown which or both of the blue grouse species are located within the Sub Region
  • There may be herbicide spraying in regions in the Sub Region that may be affecting birds that eat or depend on the sprayed plants

Goals:

  • Determine if dusky grouse are located within the Sub Region
  • Determine where and when herbicide spraying occurs, and what plant species are being treated
  • Determine if the herbicide spraying is affecting dusky grouse populations