This is not an AI-generated image. This is a real bird species found in North America.
Grouse refers to a group of bird species belonging to the tribe Tetraonini or subfamily Tetraoninae (formerly classified under the family Tetraonidae), within the pheasant family (Phasianidae) of the order Galliformes. Scientific classification is based on mitochondrial DNA sequence studies. Organizations such as the American Ornithological Society, ITIS, the International Ornithologists’ Union, and others follow this classification.
Grouse inhabit temperate and subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere, ranging from coniferous forests to moors and mountain slopes, spanning from 83°N (rock ptarmigan in northern Greenland) to 28°N (Attwater’s prairie chicken in Texas).
The term “grouse” is commonly used to refer to various chicken-like birds that are sedentary, forage individually or in pairs, prefer living in shrubs and grass-covered hills, build nests on the ground, and primarily feed on plants and seeds. Grouse is also another term for “partridges.”
In reality, grouse are highly cautious and sensitive birds. They possess an acute sense of hearing, capable of detecting human footsteps from several hundred meters away. This makes it challenging for hunters to approach them. However, despite their sharp senses, grouse can sometimes become literally “deaf.”
This phenomenon occurs when the grouse emits its familiar mating call. During this time, the bird becomes motionless and completely oblivious to surrounding sounds. Hunters have learned to exploit this behavior by approaching quietly while the bird is calling and then shooting it.