Have you ever walked in the woods and heard a mysterious thumping sound, like someone trying to start an old engine that won’t quite turn over? You probably heard the unique behavior of a ruffed grouse drumming! Starting around this time of year, male ruffed grouse will jump up on a log, stump or rock and drum. They trap air between their wings and bodies, flapping in faster and faster succession, creating a vacuum of air that creates the characteristic thumping noise. Males use this behavior to

26K views · 2.1K reactions | For a few weeks in spring, the plains of Wyoming become a veritable dance floor, where greater sage grouse and male greater prairie chickens bust out their best moves to make sure nearby females take note. America's Wild Seasons | Smithsonian Channel | Facebook