Blue Grouse

Dendragapus obscurus

The blue grouse is one of the largest of all the Canadian grouse. The sexes are distinguished by the bluish gray band along the edge of the male's tail feathers. The habitat preferences of this species vary with the season; during the breeding season they inhabit meadows, forest edges, forest openings, and open mountainsides, while at other times of the year, the blue grouse prefer the cover of coniferous forest. Their nests are placed in depressions in the soil close to a supply of grasses, conifer needles and other nest building materials. Each breeding season, the female will lay between seven to ten eggs. The blue grouse is a permanent resident in the Montane Cordillera, and is common in the Yukon, British Columbia, and southwestern Alberta.

Distribution of Blue Grouse in Canada