Citation. Archibald, H. L. 1976. Spring drumming patterns of ruffed grouse. The Auk 93:808-829.   [1235  CC]

Abstract. During the breeding season of 1970, I used automatic radio-tracking equipment (Cochran et al. 1965) to monitor the drumming and location of territorial male Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus). This paper reports on daily and seasonal distributions of drumming, Individual drumming activity patterns, and communication between neighboring males. Publications on drumming, which date back as far as 1755 (Allen in Bent 1932: 142), have been summarized by Bent (1932: 141-147) and Gullion (1967: 87). More recently Gullion (1966), Meslow (1966), Sumanik (1966), Boag and Sumanik (1969), Plamer (1969), McBurney (1970), Aubin (1970, 1972), Samuel (1974), Samuel et al. (1974), and Archibald (1974) have reported on various aspects of drumming behavior. Revies of tetraonid reproductive behavior and social systems have been provided by Hjorth (1970) and Wiley (1974), respectively.

Keywords. ruffed grouse, Bonasa umbellus, drumming behavior, radiotelemetry