Galliform Birds

Cousins of the Backyard Chicken

Galliform birds are most familiar to us in the form of the common backyard chicken, but are also wild inhabitants of the bush around Grand Forks and many other areas of British Columbia in the form of wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, sharp tailed grouse, spruce grouse, California quail and ring necked pheasants.

The latter two were introduced as game birds, raised and released for hunting purposes, but have become naturalized as they are perfectly adapted to the climate, plants and habitat.

Never over abundant as they are prey to coyotes, cats (both domestic and wild) and birds of prey such as hawks, falcons and owls the Galliform birds are not invasive like the starling or sparrows introduced on a whim a century ago.

Feathers ruffled, a ruffed grouse silently melts into the bush

The main characteristics of Galliform birds are that they scratch in leaf litter for grit, bugs and other micro organisms, have a crop where they grind up the food for digestion in the stomach, and are almost flightless, preferring to run and make small hops into bush for concealment.

They fly enough to get up into trees to roost at night, and glide once airborne.

They are gregarious, staying in a small family group for life, the hens only leaving to hatch their broods of chicks, and then rejoining the small flock usually consisting of a male, sometimes more, several hens and some underling chicks of varying ages.

In the case of some, quail and turkeys, the male takes a part in raising the young chicks, in other cases such as the pheasants and grouse, the females raise the young alone.

Communication between them is an important part of their social fabric. They are seldom quiet, constantly communicating in an incessant murmur of chirps, other times an alarm is given when a hawk or other predator is sighted, and all clear signal when the danger is gone.

The males of all the Galliforms will crow in some form loudly enough to proclaim their territory, which can be extensive depending on the food available.

Grouse will also drum to let other grouse know about their presence, and as a courtship ritual. If you hear a strange sound in the early spring that sounds like a small engine starting up, gradually getting faster, it’s probably a ruffed grouse.

Sharptailed grouse - the country cousins

Chicks will cheep shrilly when cold, wet or hungry, and then it’s urgent that she find them and give them her warm feathers to warm up or dry off or scratch for some food.

Chicks of all Galliform birds have a small body mass and only the chick down for warmth, so depend on the hen’s larger body size and superior feathering for brooding.

Grouse and ptarmigan have a particular evasion tactic for survival - they wait until the predator is almost upon them, then fly up with a loud squawking - leaving the predator clutching at his or her chest.

One of their other favorite strategies is the use of mimicry - looking just like a piece of bark or a tree stump, they hide in plain sight.

Galliform birds of all kinds have a special place in my heart; I watch them whenever I get the opportunity of seeing them in the wild, always interested in their secret lives. They are elusive, wary and yet trusting, and when you get that glimpse of them, it feels as though you are honored to share their presence.

Take your camera, and don’t forget to use it because the wild Galliforms can melt into the safety of the bush in seconds.

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