How to identify it
Crow-sized grouse. [1]
Male: gray with a white-edged black throat and chest, red combs above the eyes and a black tail tipped rusty (except the Franklin's form). [1]
Female: reddish or grayish with a shorter, darker tail than the ruffed grouse and black-and-white barring on the belly. [1]
Compared with the ruffed grouse: Ruffed grouse have a longer tail, longer broader side bars and lack belly barring. [1]
Species it is confused with
Check these before deciding what you are looking at. If you are not certain what it is, do not shoot.
- Ruffed grouse · Bonasa umbellus
Field notes
- Identification Spruce grouse plumage varies by sex and regional form. Compare the whole bird—tail pattern, barring, breast and habitat—and do not substitute a generic “grouse” identification.[1]
Where it lives
Dense conifer forest of spruce, pine, fir or hemlock with undergrowth; also regenerating jack pine burns. [1]
Field notes
- Habitat Focus on relatively dense younger spruce, fir or pine forest, including regenerating tracts and bog edges; conifer needles form the core food supply.[1]
How it behaves
Notoriously tame and easy to overlook. [1]
What changes by season
Conifer needles supply most of the diet for much of the year; birds also forage on the ground for fresh growth, berries and insects. [1]
Where it is listed for legal take
These authorities list this species for legal take in their own regulations.
Where legal take is listed
- Alberta — hunting · 2026 Alberta Guide to Hunting Regulations
- British Columbia — hunting · 2026-2028 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis
- Manitoba — hunting · Manitoba Hunting Guide 2026
- New Brunswick — hunting · Hunt & Trap Regulations Summary 2026–2027
- Newfoundland and Labrador — hunting, trapping · 2026-27 Hunting and Trapping Guide
- Northwest Territories — hunting · NWT Summary of Hunting and Trapping Regulations, July 1 2022 - June 30 2023
- Nunavut — hunting · Summary of the Nunavut Hunting Regulations 2021-2022
- Ontario — hunting · Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary — Small game and furbearing mammals
- Québec — hunting · Périodes de chasse au petit gibier 2026-2028
- Saskatchewan — hunting · Saskatchewan Hunters Guide 2026-27
- Alaska — hunting · 2026-2027 Alaska Hunting Regulations: Fur Animals, Small Game, Unclassified Game, and Deleterious Exotic Wildlife (pp.140-142)
- Idaho — hunting · Upland Game, Turkey & Furbearer 2026 & 2027 Seasons & Rules
- Minnesota — hunting · Minnesota Hunting & Trapping Regulations (effective July 2026 - June 30, 2027)
- Montana — hunting · 2026 Upland Game Bird Hunting Regulations
- Washington — hunting · 2026 Washington Game Bird and Small Game Hunting Regulations (Jul 1 2026 - Jun 30 2027)
Being listed is not an open season. Seasons, zones, licences, methods and limits decide whether this animal may be taken on a given day and place — check Hunt or the authority before you go. Listings read 2026-09-30.
Where it is found
Across Alaska and the boreal forest of Canada, south into the Rockies, Great Lakes states and northern New England.
Sources
Every claim above is attributed to one of these published sources.
National Audubon Society · reviewed 2026-09-30
National Audubon Society