FIRST SPECIMEN RECORDS FOR RUFFED GROUSE IN COLORADO

We report the first specimen records for Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) collected in Colorado, provide the location, describe the habitat, and briefly discuss the rarity of this species within the state. Three Ruffed Grouse were collected, an adult male in September 1988 and a juvenile male and adult female in September 1990, on Hoy Mountain, Moffat County, Colorado, within 0.6 km of Utah. The habitat is primarily open Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forest with scattered clumps of quaking aspen (Populus tremuhides) and Utah serviceberry (Amelanchier utahensis). Habitats to the north, east, and south are primarily dominated by sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) steppe and piñonjuniper (Pinus spp.-Juniperus spp.) woodland. We hypothesize that natural expansion of Ruffed Grouse further east, north, and south is prohibited by unsuitable habitat exacerbated by the limited flight range capability of the species.