Amazing Nature: The Mating Game
On this pleasant Sunday, something moving around the trees caught my eye as I was sitting by the kitchen window. I was treated to an amazing sight of nature being hit by the love bug.
Three ruffed grouse were moving rapidly through the bushes along the highway towards the upper driveway. Then behind them I saw another birdlike figure following behind them. At first I wasn’t sure what it was.
It was a male grouse with the feathers around his neck ruffed up and his tail starting to fan out.
The male grouse must have heard me come outside as he turned to look at me.
Within a few minutes they were all by the driveway, near the road. I hoped they wouldn’t go on the road. Not only they might be killed but I didn’t want hunters to know there were grouse on the property.
The females do not seem to be impressed with this beautiful male displaying his plumage.
The females are ignoring him.
I am surprised to see the male looking for romance this time of year as it is in the spring they do their courting and do a dance where you can hear the drumming.
Here the male turns again to look at me. Even though he has other things on his mind he heard the click of the camera or maybe he is just showing off. He probably is a young male testing his appeal to the females.
In the spring when the mating season is in full swing, the males have been known to chase humans away.
This male in his full regalia is an amazing sight. I always feel honoured to see nature at work.
Here on Prince Edward Island the ruffed grouse are sometimes referred to as native partridge. They like forest lands, especially with new growth where they also have shelter, and where they have access to apple trees.
The grouse are rather small birds but bigger than pigeons. These endearing birds are related to the chicken family. I love seeing them come out of the forest and peck at the apples in the trees. They will fly up into the trees for the apples and eat buds and insects.
This is my entry to #amazingnature contest hosted by @adalger and to #sublimesunday initiated by @c0ff33a.
Location: Prince Edward Island, Canada
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T6
#thealliance
Wow, dancing grouse is something worth seeing. I have only seen on the telly and never in person. That is really fantastic they are living so close to you.
We are sometimes too far or too busy to even care about what nature does... :) Glad you got the chance to witness it! The mating season is always interesting as the males will start to do their job which they don't normally do... hehe.
Sometimes I'll just think...what if some bird attempts to mate outside of the mating season? Lol.
Thanks @lilacse. Actually their mating season is in the spring. Maybe the little male was just practising his moves but he looked serious about it all. 😊
Thanks for sharing, this is like looking at mini peacock doing their thing!
Thanks @roselifecoach. Yes he does look like a mini peacock strutting around. 😂
Hahaha... Yeah...
Brilliant click
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Thanks @shuvo. 😊
Thats soo sweet, a grouse in full regarlia ^^ .. you documented a really impressive mating game here ;) .. I hope nothing bad happened on the road with the females, maybe they were just away a short time to refresh their make up and are now looking for him again, hehe
Thanks so much @adalger! 😊 I’m glad you got a smile out of the terminology I used. 😂 .
The grouse ladies and their hopefully suitor headed into the woods finally.
Into the woods, wohoo ^^ .. we will never know what happened there, hehe ;)
What a wonderful attempt. Hopefully, he doesn't give up that easily.
The little Romeo was pulling out all he had. 😊
What a blessing to see 💖💖💖
Thank you for sharing ☺
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Welcome @thereikiforest. 💝. It was a special sight to see.
Wonderful pictures and write-up, @redheadpei.
My theory is that the male grouse was trying to impress you. 😁
Haha, thanks Jayna. I was impressed. 😂
Poor dude! lol. He's working hard too!
I felt sorry for him, WW. He was working it. 😂
That would make a really funny Halloween costume!
One could go as a Grouse/partridge Man -if there were enough feathers around. 😂
What a gorgeous fellow with his fanned tail. But, I expect the ladies want him to work harder!!
The little guy was pretty impressive but it did look like the ladies didn’t think so. 😆