The most common name for these birds all around Nova Scotia seems to be "Partridge". Ruffed Grouse are also sometimes called "chicken-of-the-woods", because they are woodland birds very similar to a chicken in size and shape. They are also referred to as "heart attack birds" because of their habit of waiting until almost the last second before bolting off the ground with loud whirring wings. This behavior startles would-be predators and often catches the woodland walker by surprise, too.

In summer, Ruffed Grouse are often found together but they disperse in the fall to find food and are primarily solitary creatures during the winter months. In winter, Ruffed Grouse may wander into yards that border woodlands, especially if there is an apple tree. If you do not have an apple tree, put out a few apples or some cracked corn to encourage them to visit. Watch for them early in the morning or in the evening about a half hour before dusk. They will also arrive at times in the middle of a snowstorm. Snow doesn't bother Ruffed Grouse; in the fall they grow comb-like rows of bristles between their toes. These bristles transform the Ruffed Grouse's feet into snowshoes, allowing the bird to walk through the winter woods with ease.

Ruffed Grouse much prefer walking to flying, so much so that you can often find one just by following its footprints. If you are lucky enough to see a Ruffed Grouse, be sure and look at its tail. Ruffed Grouse are basically brown birds but they do come in two colour phases, reddish and gray-brown. The colour difference is most evident in the tail. The tail is also the best way to tell females from males - males have a wide dark band along the tip of the tail, but in females the band is either broken or thinner in the middle.