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Grouse (Tetraonidae)

Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis) - HBW 2, p. 401

French: Tétras du Canada German: Tannenhuhn Spanish: Gallo Canadiense
Other common names: Canada Grouse; Franklin's Grouse (franklinii)

Taxonomy: Tetrao canadensis Linnaeus, 1758, Hudson Bay.
Closely related to F. falcipennis, with which forms superspecies; these two often included in Dendragapus, but probably merit generic separation (see page 376); present species formerly awarded monotypic genus Canachites. Occasional hybrids are known with Dendragapus obscurus, Lagopus lagopus and Bonasa umbellus. Race osgoodi often included in nominate. Six subspecies currently recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • osgoodi (Bishop, 1900) - Alaska (Yukon and Kowak Valleys) and NW Canada E to Great Slave L and L Athabaska.
  • atratus (Grinnell, 1910) - S Alaska (Bristol Bay to Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound).
  • canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) - Canada from C Alberta to Labrador Peninsula.

     See all 6 subspecies
  • osgoodi (Bishop, 1900) - Alaska (Yukon and Kowak Valleys) and NW Canada E to Great Slave L and L Athabaska.
  • atratus (Grinnell, 1910) - S Alaska (Bristol Bay to Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound).
  • canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) - Canada from C Alberta to Labrador Peninsula.
  • canace (Linnaeus, 1766) - SW Canada (S Manitoba to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia) and NE USA (N Minnesota to E Maine).
  • torridus Uttal, 1939 - Nova Scotia.
  • franklinii (Douglas, 1829) - SE Alaska and British Columbia through N Rocky Mts to C Idaho and NW Wyoming.

Photos

12 photos
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