Richardson's grousb 101 



Enemies. — The same observer says: 



Although not here hunted by man, these grouse have plenty of other enemies, 

 such as wolves, coyotes, mink, weasels, and all the other predacious fur bearers, 

 as well as the duck hawks, Cooper's hawks, and western horned owls. The 

 big western red-tailed and Swainson's hawks do not bother the grouse even 

 when they are small. I remember once watching a redtail circling overhead. 

 I could not see what it was hunting, but apparently it was not Richardson's 

 grouse, for almost at the same time an undisturbed grouse and seven little 

 fluffy youngsters were noted in the grass under the circling hawk. Soon, the 

 mother grouse flew up into a small sapling and from there clucked loudly to 

 her brood, while the little grouse tried their best to fly up to her, one at a time, 

 on very shaky little wings. Sometimes I see a Richardson's grouse with many 

 tail-feathers missing, as if it had just escaped an enemy by the sacrifice of a 

 few feathers. 



Fall. — The fall migration to the higher elevations is thus described 

 by Anthony (1903) : 



The return migration is less pronounced in its beginning, and more gradual 

 in its progress. Toward the last of July the broods of well grown young, at- 

 tended by the adults, begin to appear along the ridges, returning as they came 

 by walking invariably up to the tops of the hills and ridges and as invariably 

 flying as near to the top of the next as their gradually descending flight will 

 carry them. Before the middle of August, the migration is in full swing, and 

 flocks are seen each evening, passing over Sparta. Frequently they alight in 

 the streets and on the house-tops. I recall with a smile the memory of a flock 

 of a dozen or more which lit one evening in front of the hotel. For a tiinq 

 pistol bullets and bird shot made an accident policy in some safe company 

 a thing to be desired, but strange to relate none of the regular residents of 

 the town were injured. The same may be said of most of the grouse, though 

 one, in the confusion, ran into the livery stable and took refuge in a stall, 

 where it was killed with a stick. 



Straggling flocks from south of Powder River prolong the tall migration 

 until near the first of October, after which none are seen below the high 

 elevations north of Eagle Creek. 



Winter. — Skinner (1927) says of the winter habits of these grouse 

 in Yellowstone National Park: 



Normally in summer, these grouse are on the ground, or on low logs and 

 boulders ; and they live mainly in the evergreen trees while the snow covers 

 the ground. But, when skiing through the winter forests in December and 

 January, I have had roosting birds burst out from under snow drifts. At 

 other times, most of these birds roost in heavy coniferous trees. If not dis- 

 turbed, they may stay in a small grove of trees, and not descend to the ground 

 for several successive days. At such times, they eat needles for food and use 

 the snow instead of water. 



Mrs. Bailey (1918) was told that in Glacier National Park where 

 the snow is from 1 to 25 feet deep, " they roost in holes in the snow." 

 74564—32 8 



