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Bird

Ruffed Grouse

Bonasa umbellus

Lives in West Virginia all year and nests here. Found in all 55 counties, across 10 habitats.

Here
All year
Nesting
Nests here
Range
All 55 counties
Habitats
10

At a glance

Group
Birds
Here
All year
Nesting
Nests here
Range
All 55 counties
Habitats
10
Habitat models
Year-round

Where it lives

The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.

Habitats in West Virginia 10

Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 10

Moist forests

Woods Scene
Year-roundSouthern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest; South-Central Interior Mesophytic ForestHarvey Joiner, Woods Scene: tall beeches in a moist Kentucky woodland, light falling through a closed canopy onto a damp forest floor. Regional view: the painting does not name the exact site. Shown: Kentucky beech woods (Harvey Joiner, Louisville painter of Kentucky beech forests; the painting does not name the site), a neighboring state.Woods Scene, Harvey Joiner, c. 1880-1920. Public domain. Source record.

Dry forests and woodlands

Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.

Year-roundSouthern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest - Xeric; Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Hardwood; Central and Southern Appalachian Montane Oak Forest; Central Appalachian Oak and Pine Forest; Central Appalachian Pine-Oak Rocky Woodland; Southern Appalachian Montane Pine Forest and Woodland

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

Year-roundCentral Appalachian Riparian - Forest Modifier; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Forest Modifier; Central Interior and Appalachian Floodplain Systems; Central Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems; South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain

Hemlock forests

Shady, evergreen forests of eastern or Carolina hemlock, often along rocky mountain streams and in gorges.

Year-roundAppalachian Hemlock-Hardwood Forest

Moderately dry forests

Forests between dry and moist, often oak-hickory on slopes.

Year-roundNortheastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest

Rich cove forests

Sheltered, moist mountain hollows and lower slopes with deep, fertile soil.

Year-roundSouthern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest

Spruce-fir forests

Cool, evergreen forests of red spruce and Fraser fir on the highest mountains.

Year-round

Streams, rivers and their banks

Flowing water and its banks, bars and rocky shoals.

Year-roundCentral Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems; South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian

Tree plantations and managed pine

Planted or intensively managed stands of pine or hardwoods grown for timber; a land use rather than a natural community.

Year-roundDeciduous Plantation; Evergreen Plantation or Managed Pine; Managed Tree Plantation

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

Year-roundBeside its main habitat.Pasture/Hay; Utility Swath - Herbaceous
Other habitats in its models (41)

Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in West Virginia. Those recorded in West Virginia first, the rest by region.

Elsewhere in the South (21)
  • Central and Southern Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • Central Interior Highlands Calcareous Glade and Barrens Year-round.
  • Central Interior Highlands Dry Acidic Glade and Barrens Year-round.
  • Nashville Basin Limestone Glade Year-round.
  • Ouachita Montane Oak Forest Year-round.
  • Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland Year-round.
  • Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Year-round.
  • Ozark-Ouachita Mesic Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • Ozark-Ouachita Riparian Year-round.
  • Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Woodland Year-round.
  • Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • Ridge and Valley Calcareous Valley Bottom Glade and Woodland Year-round.
  • Southeastern Interior Longleaf Pine Woodland Year-round.
  • Southern and Central Appalachian Bog and Fen Year-round.
  • Southern Appalachian Low Mountain Pine Forest Year-round.
  • Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Glade and Barrens Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Small Floodplain and Riparian Forest Year-round.
  • Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest Year-round.
Northeast (4)
  • Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir-Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • Central Appalachian Alkaline Glade and Woodland Year-round.
  • Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry Hardwood Forest Year-round.
Midwest (4)
  • North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest Year-round.
  • North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest Year-round.
Land cover and other classes (12)
  • Eastern Great Plains Floodplain Systems Year-round.
  • Harvested Forest - Grass/Forb Regeneration Year-round, beside its main habitat.
  • Introduced Upland Vegetation - Treed Year-round.
  • Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Year-round.
  • Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Virginia/Pitch Pine Modifier Year-round.
  • Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest-Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Loblolly Pine Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Mixed Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-Heath Forest - Mixed Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Large Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest - Pine modifier Year-round.

All habitats

Seasons in West Virginia

  • Year-round: nests here, in all 55 counties.

Food plants

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Plants matched by genus.

Native plants in these genera 548

Plant genera in its diet records (73)
  • Rosa Fruit and leaves. 52 diet records. 8 native plants in West Virginia
  • Rhus Fruit. 46 diet records. 7 native plants in West Virginia
  • Cornus Fruit. 36 diet records. 5 native plants in West Virginia
  • Populus Buds and leaves. 34 diet records. 5 native plants in West Virginia
  • Quercus Seeds and fruit. 34 diet records. 20 native plants in West Virginia
  • Corylus Flowers and fruit. 30 diet records. 3 native plants in West Virginia
  • Amelanchier Fruit. 26 diet records. 6 native plants in West Virginia
  • Ostrya 26 diet records. 1 native plant in West Virginia
  • Acer Fruit and buds. 25 diet records. 12 native plants in West Virginia
  • Carex Seeds and fruit. 25 diet records. 161 native plants in West Virginia
  • Geum Fruit. 24 diet records. 6 native plants in West Virginia
  • Desmodium 23 diet records. 20 native plants in West Virginia
  • Trifolium Leaves. 22 diet records. 3 native plants in West Virginia
  • Polystichum Leaves. 21 diet records. 1 native plant in West Virginia
  • Salix Buds and leaves. 20 diet records. 11 native plants in West Virginia
  • Cuscuta 18 diet records. 9 native plants in West Virginia
  • Vitis Fruit and leaves. 18 diet records. 9 native plants in West Virginia
  • Antennaria 17 diet records. 9 native plants in West Virginia
  • Symphoricarpos Fruit. 17 diet records. 3 native plants in West Virginia
  • Betula Buds and fruit. 15 diet records. 5 native plants in West Virginia
  • Toxicodendron 15 diet records. 5 native plants in West Virginia
  • Vaccinium Fruit and leaves. 14 diet records. 9 native plants in West Virginia
  • Viburnum Fruit. 13 diet records. 10 native plants in West Virginia
  • Viola Fruit and leaves. 13 diet records. 31 native plants in West Virginia
  • Gaultheria Fruit and leaves. 12 diet records. 2 native plants in West Virginia
  • Zea 11 diet records. 0 native plants in West Virginia
  • Prunus Seeds and buds. 10 diet records. 10 native plants in West Virginia
  • Shepherdia Buds. 10 diet records. 0 native plants in West Virginia
  • Kummerowia 9 diet records. 0 native plants in West Virginia
  • Rubus Fruit. 9 diet records. 17 native plants in West Virginia
  • Fragaria Leaves. 8 diet records. 2 native plants in West Virginia
  • Crataegus Fruit and buds. 7 diet records. 23 native plants in West Virginia
  • Malus Fruit and leaves. 7 diet records. 2 native plants in West Virginia
  • Potentilla Leaves. 7 diet records. 3 native plants in West Virginia
  • Smilax Fruit and leaves. 7 diet records. 7 native plants in West Virginia
  • Hieracium 6 diet records. 7 native plants in West Virginia
  • Kalmia Leaves and buds. 6 diet records. 2 native plants in West Virginia
  • Aster Leaves. 5 diet records. 0 native plants in West Virginia
  • Carpinus 5 diet records. 2 native plants in West Virginia
  • Fagus Buds and fruit. 5 diet records. 1 native plant in West Virginia
  • Lonicera Leaves and fruit. 5 diet records. 2 native plants in West Virginia
  • Thalictrum 5 diet records. 6 native plants in West Virginia
  • Ulmus 5 diet records. 3 native plants in West Virginia
  • Arctostaphylos Fruit. 4 diet records. 1 native plant in West Virginia
  • Celastrus Fruit. 4 diet records. 1 native plant in West Virginia
  • Heuchera Leaves. 4 diet records. 8 native plants in West Virginia
  • Ilex Fruit. 4 diet records. 6 native plants in West Virginia
  • Rumex 4 diet records. 3 native plants in West Virginia
  • Alnus Buds and flowers. 3 diet records. 3 native plants in West Virginia
  • Botrychium Leaves. 3 diet records. 8 native plants in West Virginia
  • Impatiens 3 diet records. 2 native plants in West Virginia
  • Maianthemum Fruit. 3 diet records. 4 native plants in West Virginia
  • Pyrola Leaves. 3 diet records. 3 native plants in West Virginia
  • Ranunculus 3 diet records. 17 native plants in West Virginia
  • Sambucus 3 diet records. 3 native plants in West Virginia
  • Arceuthobium Buds. 2 diet records. 0 native plants in West Virginia
  • Arctous Fruit. 2 diet records. 0 native plants in West Virginia
  • Berberis Fruit. 2 diet records. 1 native plant in West Virginia
  • Coptis 2 diet records. 1 native plant in West Virginia
  • Epigaea Leaves and fruit. 2 diet records. 1 native plant in West Virginia
  • Equisetum Leaves. 2 diet records. 5 native plants in West Virginia
  • Mitella Leaves. 2 diet records. 1 native plant in West Virginia
  • Oxalis 2 diet records. 5 native plants in West Virginia
  • Rhododendron Buds and fruit. 2 diet records. 8 native plants in West Virginia
  • Taraxacum Leaves. 2 diet records. 0 native plants in West Virginia
  • Tiarella Leaves. 2 diet records. 1 native plant in West Virginia
  • Dryopteris Leaves. 1 diet record. 7 native plants in West Virginia
  • Hamamelis Fruit. 1 diet record. 1 native plant in West Virginia
  • Nyssa Fruit. 1 diet record. 1 native plant in West Virginia
  • Polygala 1 diet record. 0 native plants in West Virginia
  • Polygonum 1 diet record. 4 native plants in West Virginia
  • Thelypteris 1 diet record. 2 native plants in West Virginia
  • Vicia Seeds. 1 diet record. 3 native plants in West Virginia

Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.

Also found in its main habitats

Its main habitats in West Virginia, by how much of its habitat model each one is, with the birds most characteristic of each and the plants that grow wild there. Shared habitat, not food.

Dry forests and woodlands

Birds 88

Plants 192

All of dry forests and woodlands in West Virginia

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Birds 103

Plants 303

All of floodplain and bottomland forests in West Virginia

Tree plantations and managed pine

Birds 61

Plants 1

All of tree plantations and managed pine in West Virginia

USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models.

Sources