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Index of Subjects Would this odd behavior be an indication of some kind of illness? Certainly, in wild mammals, 'friendly' behavior is certainly an indication of illness, though, I know a bird is not a mammal. Will be interesting to hear what others thoughts about this are. Gayle MacLean Dartmouth ---- James Hirtle <jrhbirder@hotmail.com> wrote: > > Hi all: > > Every year I get multiple reports of ruffed grouse acting abnormally. They either follow people around or run to a person. The latest report of this comes from Dublin Shore where a ruffed grouse follows a lady around and can even be picked up. It takes shelter in the window alcove of an abandoned house in foul weather. It will also chase after ATVs when they go by. I can understand the ATV thing as it probably thinks that the engines are a male on territory beating on a log and is flying after them to try and chase them off their territory. In a lot of cases chain saws being used or other equipment results in the grouse following the people around. This if I understand correctly is also a territorial occurrence. But what of those people who are not operating machinery that a ruffed grouse takes a fancy too? Is it a case like with chickens or some other bird species that when the young grouse first hatched that the first thing seen was a human and that the bird imprinted on such? Does imprinting occur with ruffed grouse? This is the only logical explanation that I can think off. There are too many reports of the behaviour of ruffed grouse following people around wherever they go and I'm scratching my head over why this particular bird in Dublin Shore allows itself to be picked up. I look forward to comments on others about this subject. I know that it has been breached in the past, but I do not think that imprinting fell into the line of responses. > > James R. Hirtle > Bridgewater >
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