Blue Grouse Mating Call in Tuolumne Meadows

On the trail below May Lake. The bird makes a loud, low, booming call. You can hear it a number of times in this recording, but you will NOT hear it through your laptop's speakers. It's very low-pitch, so you will only hear it if you watch the video through speakers that can reproduce low frequencies well.

[@purtnearperkins]

They do the same thing for mating calls as well as warding off other males to establish and or defend their own territory as well. Mating only happens around April. The hens lay eggs around May/June. A wonderful bird. And wonderful eating as well.

[@brettshamblin3180]

what noise? i just hear people talking

[@chrisdiersen1522]

Read the video description.

[@HollyMaxam]

what if we hear noises just like this but they only make one "whoop" at a time, wait a few minutes and then make another "whoop"? Is it the same bird?

[@bsod55]

I only hear people talking

[@chrisdiersen1522]

You need to listen on headphones or speakers that can reproduce the low frequencies of the bird's call.

[@palehorsesurvivalandtactic9771]

That's a sooty grouse

[@jtsiah]

No, it's a dusky grouse, sooty have a red air sac and dusky have yellow. Dusky and sooty grouse were considered once species (blue grouse) at one point.

[@michaeltyree2625]

Lol, no, it’s a sooty grouse. You have it the wrong way around. Sooty is yellow, dusky is red