Bonasa

Bonasa is a small genus of birds in the grouse subfamily Tetraoninae, within the family Phasianidae. The genus currently includes two widely recognized living species: Bonasa bonasia, the hazel grouse, and Bonasa umbellus, the ruffed grouse. Together they represent the North American and Eurasian lineages of this group, respectively, and many classifications treat them as distinct species with limited interbreeding in the wild.

Members of Bonasa are medium-sized, cryptically colored ground birds with mottled brown, gray, and black plumage that provides camouflage in forest litter. They have short tails and rounded bodies; the sexual dimorphism is subtle, though males of the ruffed grouse may display a dark neck ruff during courtship.

Distribution and habitat vary by species. The ruffed grouse inhabits forests and forest edges across eastern and central North America, often preferring deciduous and mixed woods with ample understory. The hazel grouse is found in boreal and temperate forests of Europe and Asia, from western Europe to Japan, favoring dense cover and clearings created by natural or human activity.

Ecology and behavior: Bonasa species are primarily ground-dwellers, foraging on buds, leaves, fruits, seeds, and insects. Nests are simple scrapes on the forest floor, with clutches typically consisting of several eggs. The female incubates the eggs. In Bonasa umbellus, males drum by wingbeats to produce a resonant sound used in courtship and territorial displays, often at dawn.

Conservation status is generally of least concern, though populations can fluctuate and are influenced by habitat loss, fragmentation, and hunting pressure in some regions.