blue grouse

The blue grouse is a type of grouse found in western North America. These birds are characterized by their predominantly slaty gray plumage, which is obscurely mottled. The blue grouse belongs to the genus Dendragapus and is also known as the dusky grouse.1

Grouse, as a family, are game birds belonging to the order Galliformes. While the blue grouse is specifically mentioned, other North American grouse include the ruffed grouse, spruce grouse, and sage grouse. The spruce grouse, found in conifer forests, is similar in size to the ruffed grouse but darker. The blue grouse is described as a large, dark bird, plainer and longer-tailed than the spruce grouse, and heavier than the ruffed grouse.2