Ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) drumming surveys, 1987-2017, Adirondack Long-Term Ecological Monitoring Program Project No. 9 by Adirondack Ecological Center of the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Newcomb, New York. Environmental Data Initiative

The objective is to document long-term population trends of ruffed grouse in a northern hardwood ecosystem. The survey area is the Huntington Wildlife Forest, a 6,000 ha field station which receives no hunting pressure. Routes are surveyed starting an hour prior to sunrise on 2-5 mornings each year between April 14 and May 9 (occasionally later), on days when wind and rain are minimal to absent. Counts are standardized relative to weather conditions and timing. Observers count the number of individual ruffed grouse heard drumming (""drummers"") at 32-50 route stations during a 4-minute period. Trends at stations over time as well as overall drummer index are calculated and compared to independent datasets.