74 The Ruffed Grouse 



Table 1 



Cover Types Selected by Grouse for Nesting (Based on 

 1,270 Nests in New York, 1930-36) 



Percentage of Nests Ratio of Nesting Use 

 Found in Each to Cover Type 



Cover Type Type Prevalence ^ 



Open land 1.4 .002 



Overgrown (brush) land 9.8 .05 



Hardwood woodland 45.2 .12 



Hardwood-conifer mixed woods 21.5 .13 



Coniferous woodland 4.1 .07 



Slashings 9.9 .13 



Cover type not ^ Norm, including open land .09 



specified— 8.1 Norm, excluding open land .11 



Ratios based on Connecticut Hill cover typo 

 proportions. 



Specific Location of Grouse Nests. Two thirds of the nests I have 

 observed vi^ere located at the base of trees, with about two thirds of 

 these being hardwoods and almost all trees of considerable size ( see 

 Plate 18 ) . Of the other third, the majority were at the base of a tree 

 stump, with a few located beside or under logs, bushes, or brush 

 piles. 



There appears to be no significant selection among tree species 

 for nest location. The species chosen are those predominating in the 

 woodland. These were mainly beech, maple, birch, hemlock, pine, 

 chestnut (dead), oaks, etc. A somewhat disproportionate number of 

 nests at the base of dead chestnuts seems to be due to the additional 

 sunlight reaching the ground with the absence of the tree canopy 

 rather than to the species of tree. 



If we may presume to interpret the desires of a hen grouse for a 

 nesting location on the basis of having observed several hundred of 

 their choices, the selection appears to be a compromise between ( 1 ) 

 a position protected from attack by enemies; (2) good visibility of 

 the immediate terrain; (3) protection from the elements; (4) desire 

 for direct sunlight; (5) proximity to edges; (6) lack of obstructions 

 in the way of quick escape. The result is a fairly exposed situation 

 with a solid backing, and near the edge of a prominent cover type. 

 A spot at the base of a tree, or near a stump or log in a relatively 

 open woodland, and near a road, field, or thicket seems to meet 

 requirements. 



