Ruffed Grouse
Ruffed GrouseRuffed GrouseRuffed GrouseRuffed Grouse

Ruffed Grouse

Bonasa umbellus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
20–30% · Possible
overall probability at Wood Buffalo National Park
16 Verified records at Wood Buffalo National Park
May Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) is a medium-sized grouse occurring in forests from the Appalachian Mountains across Canada to Alaska. It is the most widely distributed game bird in North America. It is not migratory. It is the only species in the genus Bonasa. The ruffed grouse is sometimes incorrectly referred to as a "partridge", an unrelated phasianid, and occasionally confused with the grey partridge, a bird of open areas rather than woodlands. The ruffed grouse is the state game bird of Pennsylvania, United States. Wikipedia →

20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Ruffed Grouse sighting in Wood Buffalo National Park, based on 16 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Wood Buffalo National Park

American Spruce Grouse
LC

American Spruce Grouse

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Canachites canadensis

20–30% · Possible
Sharp-tailed Grouse
LC Endemic

Sharp-tailed Grouse

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tympanuchus phasianellus

10–20% · With luck
Willow Grouse
LC Endemic

Willow Grouse

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lagopus lagopus

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

20–30
Jan
20–30
Feb
20–30
Mar
20–30
Apr
40–50
May
10–20
Jun
20–30
Jul
20–30
Aug
20–30
Sep
20–30
Oct
20–30
Nov
20–30
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
2 Voyageurs National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
3 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
4 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
5 Elk Island National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
6 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
7 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
8 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
9 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
10 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
11 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
12 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
13 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
14 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
15 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
16 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
17 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
18 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
19 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
20 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
21 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
22 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
23 Nahanni National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Ruffed Grouse in Wood Buffalo National Park?

About 28% of wildlife watchers report a Ruffed Grouse sighting in Wood Buffalo National Park, based on 16 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Ruffed Grouse in Wood Buffalo National Park?

May has the highest sighting rate for Ruffed Grouse in Wood Buffalo National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Wood Buffalo National Park