Saying that I like spring-time would be a cliché. I mean, who doesn’t like spring? After a long cold and snowy winter, spring is like a breath of fresh air. The dull brown and drab gray landscape that dominates late winter turns bright emerald green, dotted with blooming flowers in a multitude of colors. Birds are singing and fish are spawning. For a wildlife photographer, spring is a magical season, filled with so many possibilities and promise that it is often hard to concentrate on just one subject.

However, this spring I have made a plan to concentrate on photographing a group of birds that have always intrigued me—the grouse. I traveled to the prairies along the Minnesota / South Dakota boarder to photograph Greater Prairie Chickens. Once a week for the past four weeks I visited the chickens breeding grounds. These birds have such an interesting breeding system. And when I say system I mean an elaborate system. Catch this, the males all gather in one central location where the grass is short and the visibility is greatest. This arena is called a lek. Once at the lek the males all put on a show for the females by performing a combination of displays and dances. Leaning forward the males fan their tails, droop their wings to the ground and also erect a set of long narrow feathers located along its neck like horns. Then the male gulps air and inflates bright yellow air sacs located along its neck, which helps to produce a booming sound. The males do this over and over in hopes of attracting the eye of a receptive female.

Speaking of females, they travel from the surrounding area to the lek to watch the prospective males. She will stand along the edge of the lek or sometimes just walk right through the middle as she watches the males perform. Once she decides which male suits her they will either copulate right on the spot or fly a short distance away to mate.

As I think about it, the lek system of mating is perfect for a prairie species. Since there are no trees the sound of their booming travels a long distance and the open arena allows for maximum viewing.

Half way back across the state of Minnesota in the deciduous forest region is another favorite grouse, the Ruffed Grouse. For years I have been trying to find a good location to photograph this denizen of the woodlands and I finally found it this week. Several things intrigue me about the Ruffed Grouse. The habitat they prefer is young aspen and pine forests combination. Not a common forest type anywhere. In addition the population of the Ruffed Grouse has huge population swings peaking every ten years then crashing.

But it’s the mating ritual of the Ruffed Grouse that I am hear to see and photograph. Each spring the males skulk along the forest floor in search for the perfect log. Once it is located the male stands on the log and begins to advertise to prospective females. Unlike the Prairie Chicken which performs in groups out in the open, the Ruffed Grouse is a solo performer in a dense forest. So the trick is to get your advertising “song” out across your territory to the ears of prospective females. And this is the cool part. Unlike the male Prairie Chicken who inflates air sacs and makes a booming noise the Ruffed Grouse uses a mechanical means instead of his voice.

Perched on his log the male’s posture becomes erect with his head in the air, his tail fans out and lies across the log like the train of a wedding dress. His wings are cupped and droop forward and now he is ready to announce his presence to all the females in his woodlot. Slowly at first he gives a single flap of his wings, and not just any old flap. No, this flap is so strong and powerful that is actually makes a thudding sound. Then as if the wings were wound up with a steel spring the wings start to flap faster, and faster each time creating another thud until the flapping and thudding is so rapid it sounds like a drum beat. Each set of rapid flapping lasts only 7-10 seconds then the male ruffles up his feathers and settles down.

Curious, I wondered how long in between each flapping session so I began to time it. The male that I was photographing was on a fairly regular schedule of every three and a half minutes between drumming.

When you first hear the drumming of a Ruffed Grouse you notice right away that you are not really heard it as much as you feel it. Turns out this is a very effect way to get your “song” out across dense woodland. Another cool thing about these birds.

Females are attracted to the males drumming and slowly walk in to meet the male on his drumming log. When a female approaches he stops drumming and begins a visual display. He fans his tail like a turkey while stands on his log. If he is acceptable mating with take place and she will wonder off and the male will return to a life of drumming on his log.

These are just a few reasons why I really, and I mean really like spring. Until next time…