Grouse population in a woodlot is capped by the count of summer windthrown oaks

Evidence

My woods houses a dozen ruffed grouse, but during periods of deep snow my grouse shift to my neighbor’s woods, where there is better cover. However, I always retain as many grouse as I have oaks wind-thrown by summer storms. These summer windfalls keep their dried leaves, and during snows each such windfall harbors a grouse. The droppings show that each grouse roosts, feeds, and loafs for the duration of the storm within the narrow confines of his leafy camouflage, safe from wind, owl, fox, and hunter. The cured oak leaves not only serve as cover, but, for some curious reason, are relished as food by the grouse. — Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac, 268

Categorization

• QUESTION: The ‘curious reason’ oak leaves are relished is left open — a candidate for follow-up ecological reading.
• XREF: connects to: Tree disease and decay sustain a web of wildlife that healthy woodlots lack — Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac: With Other…, 277