Sooty Grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus) [XC182939]
by Dan Minor from Cowichan Valley B, Cowichan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (alarm call)
Sooty Grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus) [XC76357]
by Bruce Lagerquist from Capitol State Forest, Grays Harbor Co., Washington, United States (song)
Subspecies
Dendragapus obscurus (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into Blue Grouse (Dendragapus obscurus) and Sooty Grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus) following AOU (2006).
Considered by some authors as conspecific with Blue Grouse (Dendragapus obscurus).
Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Blue Grouse (Dendragapus obscurus).
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:
sitkensis Swarth, 1921 - Alexander Archipelago (south-eastern Alaska) to Queen Charlotte Is (British Columbia). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Blue Grouse (Dendragapus obscurus).
fuliginosus (Ridgway, 1873) - South-eastern Alaska to southern California. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Blue Grouse (Dendragapus obscurus).
sierrae Chapman, 1904 - Inner coastal ranges from central Washington to California (Sierra Nevada). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Blue Grouse (Dendragapus obscurus).
howardi Dickey & van Rossem, 1923 - California, from southern Sierra Nevada south to Tehachapi Mts and Mt Pinos. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Blue Grouse (Dendragapus obscurus).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet