We believe in the power of nature to replenish our spirit and restore balance to our lives. That’s why, each day from today through Christmas Day, we will post a “Moment of Chill”—a short video that will transport you to a place where you don’t have to do anything but watch, enjoy, and breathe.
Today’s #MomentofChill is from Lang Elliott of Music of Nature, and it captures one of the incredible sounds you can hear in the north woods–the drumming of the male ruffed grouse. (Most phones have difficulty reproducing the low frequency of this incredible sound; use headphones, if you can.)
Male ruffed grouse “drum” in springtime as a way to establish territory and to attract females. Although it looks as if the sound is caused by the bird’s wings hitting its chest, the sound actually comes from small sonic booms. The wings beat up to five times per second, causing the sound waves to stack up until they create a penetrating shock wave that creates the boom. Male grouse usually perform on a “drumming log,” which might help project the low-frequency sound. Drumming exerts a remarkable amount of energy, and a male might lose 10 percent of its body mass during mating season.
And if you’re having a rough day and feel the need for some new chill NOW, visit the Moment of Chill homepage.
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