The ruffed grouse occupies elevations up to 2 kilometers above sea level and inhabits terrestrial landscapes including highlands, tundra, and ground forests. The species is found in temperate mixed forests with warm summers and abundant oaks, birches, and maples, as well as temperate coniferous forests characterized by cool temperatures, numerous coniferous trees, and snow during winter. Ruffed grouse also utilizes flooded meadows where water frequently covers the ground and there is plentiful grass, and taiga environments with cold winters and many coniferous trees such as spruce and pine. The climate is consistently very wet with frequent rainfall and high humidity, and summers can be cool or warm with abundant rain and snowfall in winter.