Published at intervals by the Department of Lands and forests, Natural Resources Building, ALBERTA Edmonton, Alberta. Lands - Forests - Parks - t’i1d1ife DEDICATED TO THE WISE USE Vol. 12, No. 1 Spring 1969 AND MANAGEI\IENT Of THE PROVINCE’S RENEWABLE WEST NATURAL RESOURCES; ITS Editor, W. A. LAND, FORESTS, PARKS AND Assistant Editor, WILDLIFE. ANNE LAZOWSKI Artist, LIONEL DUNN Circulation, LEA THEORET CONTENTS ABOUT OUR COVER Page Upland Game Birds 3 Alberta’s Public Lands 16 Color—What Is Seen 24, 25 Lost Logger’s Railway Found 26 fish Parasites 34 Bad Black White Man 38 Do-It-Yourself 47 PHOTO CREDITS GAME BIPDS Alberta Government Front Cover, Back Cover Pages 16, 20, 22 Railway Story ALBERTA’S UPLAND BIRD POPULATION IS BROKEN DOWN INTO Mrs. Ade TWO GROUPS OR CATEGORIES... Pages 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 (A) NATIVE — Sharp Tailed Grouse John Ware Story Native birds are distinguished from — Pinnated Grouse Glenbow Foundation the introduced variety by completely — Sage Grouse feathered legs and, in winter, of Pages 41 and 45 rows (B) NON NATIVE small scales or pectinations on either One of the many ‘multi uses” Alberta’s Provincial Parks These are fowl-like birds with legs, Page 42 side of their toes. These form a kind toes and nostrils bare of feathers. Some public land is used for. enable birds to of snowshoe which the species have legs equipped with spurs. walk upon deep snow. Permission to reprint material from this Feathers also protect the nostrils Generally the introduced bird has a more spectacular coloration than the publication is hereby granted. A credit and generally a small bare area appears native bird and will usually be found line would be appreciated. above the eye. Alberta has eight varieties or species only in habitat favorable to its survival. of natives: Four species have been introduced into the province: Authorized as second class mail by the HON. HENRY A. RUSTE, — White Tailed Ptarmigan — Post Office Department, Ottawa, and Minister Willow Ptarmigan — Ring Necked Pheasant — — for payment of postage in cash. Retum Blue Grouse Hungarian Partridge postage guaranteed. Postage paid in V. A. WOOD, — Spruce Grouse — Chukar Partridge Edmonton. Deputy Minister — Ruffed Grouse — Merriams Turkey 2 3 A At 1 .44 - (57/ ‘I 7 7 J WILLOW PTARMICAN Identification WHITE TAILED PTARMIGAN Large amounts of white on wings and black tail are the best field marks in the summer. In winter, all white except black tail which usually shows only in flight. Identification A small grouse. In summer mottled with browns, Range blacks and whites. Shows white wings and tail in Mostly north of tree limits in summer, in winter they flight, in winter entirely white. migrate into Northern Alberta, occasionally as far south as the northern edge of the prairies. Range Mountains of Western North America, from Alaska Nesting to Mexico. Breeds throughout range. On the ground. Nest of grass, leaves and feathers. Eggs seven to ten, yellowish or browijish, spotted with Nesting rich reddish browns. On the ground. Nest of grasses and feathers. Eggs Food usually six to eight, buffy with fine spots of darker Generally berries, grass and weed seeds, but may feed browns. upon domestic grains during their winter migration southward. Food The White Tailed Ptarmigan’s diet consists mainly of Remarks berries, weed and grass seeds. However, during the During the mating and nesting period the male estab deep snows of winter, they may migrate to lower ele lishes a territory and does battle with any other male vations and feed upon domestic grain. that may enter his domain. Like most grouse, he is quite vocal at this time and emits a variety of booms Remarks and hoots. The downy young follow their mother from The White Tailed Ptarmigan is found only in the the nest a few hours after they hatch. Their colors mountains at high levels. The young sense that move blend in extremely well with the mosses allowing them ment is more easily detected than color, and remain to go unnoticed by predators. motionless until the mother clucks an all clear. 4 5 ‘ _4__’ BLUE GROUSE SPRUCE GROUSE Identification Overall color is slate gray, darkest on the back, some Identification what brownish on wings, white on the throat and A small, very dark grouse found in thick stands of abdomen, white tips on feathers on sides and under spruce and pine. Male—crown, back and wings dusky tail coverts, tail black, occasional gray terminal band. brown to dusky blue, each feather is finely barred with Small yellowish comb over eye. black. Face is black, a white line behind eye axid a scarlet comb above. Throat is black, sometimes marked Range with white, remaining or underparts black with white Fairly common throughout the mountain regions of barring. Alberta. Range Generally throughout the conifer forests of Alberta. Nesting Nesting On the ground. Nest of grass, leaves and pine needles near fallen log or foot of tree. Eggs, five to ten, buffy, On the ground. Nests of leaves and grasses in the moss finely spotted with light brown. under low hanging branches of a spruce tree. Eggs, 8 to 10, or 16, usually light brown beautfiully marked Food with dark browns. During the summer, the diet consists mainly of berries Food and small insects. In the winter, mainly buds and In the winter much of their diet is made up of conifer conifer needles. needles. During the summer and autumn, they eat on the ground upon insects, leaves and berries. Remarks Remarks In the spring, the male struts about like a turkey The Spruce is a subspecie of the Franklin Grouse. cock, occasionally pausing to fill his nuchal sacs and At the approach of an enemy they flutter into the emit a gutteral hoot. Both adult and young are quite branches of a conifer, relying upon their protective tame, but if alarmed, take off with a startling sudden coloration and immobility to make them inconspicuous. ness in rapid flight. Known as ‘Fool Hen”. 6 7 “ %% ‘I / SHARP TAILED GROUSE RUFFED GROUSE Identification A large brownish grouse, mainly white below with V Identification marks on breast and pointed tail. In flight, the white Head crested, a ruff of glossy black feathers on each sides of the tail make an excellent field identification side of the neck, fairly long tail with a black band mark. Male has an orange comb over the eye. near tip of tail are most prominent distinguishing marks of this bird. Range Throughout the province of Alberta, but fairly scarce Range in the Western Rocky Mountain Region. forested regions throughout Alberta. Nesting Nesting On the ground. Nest of grass concealed in grass or low On the ground, nest of leaves and grass usually near brush. Eggs 10 to 14, finely dotted with or under a fallen log or root. Eggs, $ to 14, buff, un reddish brown. spotted. Food Food In the farming areas of Alberta, his fare is mostly Diet is varied, in the winter it consists of poplar and grain and grass seed. In the wooded regions, berries willow buds, domestic grains and rose hips. In summer and grass seed. and autumn on weed seeds, grain and quantities of Remarks green vegetation. Every spring the Sharp Tailed Grouse gather on their Remarks ancestral dancing ground where, at dawn, the males It is more solitary in its habits than any other species perform a courting dance with much pomp and strut of grouse; small family groups may be foimd in early ting. Large purple sacs on their necks are inflated fall but these soon break up. In the spring the male with air. When this air is expelled through the mouth, displays upon a log. ‘Ruffs” extended, wings trailing a booming sound is produced. The female plays a and tail spread, from time to time he beats his wings passive role in this performance . they take no part against the air to produce a noise like the muffled roll in the dance but mating occurs here. of a drum. Occasionally he may drum in the fall. 8 9 •i;t..__a. .‘ SAGE GROUSE PINNATED GROUSE Identification Identification A very large grouse: males may weigh up to seven pounds. Crown and hind neck gray, finely marked with A large brownish grouse strongly barred below with black, back and wings gray, many feathers with white short, square tail. Throat, huffy with a few brown shafts and all but primaries finely barred or splotched spots at sides. The long feathers on sides of neck are with buff and black. The large black stomach patch positive identification. is very distinctive. Range Range Once found throughout the great plains of North The sage brush plains of South Eastern Alberta. America, now only occasional sightings are noted in the central prairie regions. Nesting On the ground — nest of grass and leaves usually in Nesting the shelter of sage brush. Eggs, 7 to 15, olive-buff On the ground. Nest of grass concealed in tall grass with fine spots of dark brown. or low bushes. Eggs, 8 to 18, huffy olive, sometimes finely marked with brown. Food During the autumn and winter the bulk of their food Food is sage leaves and buds. In the spring and summer Much of his food, summer diet, is made up of insects, they feed upon insects and grasses. primarily grasshoppers. In the winter grain is the main substance. Remarks Sage hens form large flocks during fall and winter. In Remarks the spring the males gather at dawn to perform a The Pinnated or true Prairie Chicken was a migrant, peculiar type of dance.