Spruce Grouse (Canachites canadensis) This grouse lives in
young, middle aged to mature Michigan jack pine forests, as well
as dense spruce, fir, cedar, and tamarack swamps, in the Lower
and Upper peninsulas. It is larger than a pigeon and stands
about 15 to 17 inches in height. The female is deep brown in
color and has black barred feathers, with facial feathers
extending down the beak. Her body lacks the black belly feathers
of the male and is tancolored and mottled. The tail is unbarred
with a buffcolored band. Her flank feathers are blotched with
white. Flanks on a male spruce grouse are white spotted. The
male also has a patch of red colored skin above the back of the
eye, and the tail is tipped with a chestnut band. This blending
of colors allows the spruce grouse to blend with the colors of
needles, leaves and lichens. Spruce grouse walk with jerky heads
and a stiff legged gait, as if planting each foot with purpose
as they strut among the duff on the forest floor. They leave
three pronged footprints a