Tympanuchus phasianellus
The courtship dance of the male Sharp-tailed Grouse has been emulated in traditional dances of many aboriginal cultures. Courting grouse gather at traditional dancing grounds called 'leks.' With their wings drooping at their sides, their tails pointed skyward and their purple air sacs inflated, the males furiously stamp the ground. Each male has his own small stage that he defends against rival males. Locally, some populations of Sharp-tailed Grouse have begun to decline over the last few decades, causing concern to many wildlife managers. The Sharp-tailed Grouse is often mistakenly called a Prairie Chicken, but that name properly belongs to two species of grouse found on the Great Plains (T. cupido and T. pallidicinctus). 'Lek' is derived from the Swedish word for 'play.' |
I.D.: Sexes similar: mottled upperparts; spotted underparts; long central tail feathers; light outer trail feathers. Male: purple air sacs on the neck. Size: L 15-20 in. (38-51 cm). Range: common in the eastern foothills in Montana; locally common in southeastern Idaho and central Colorado; local at Waterton Lakes NP. Habitat: open habitats, mostly grasslands, sagebrush flats, intermountain valleys. Nesting: typically on the Great Plains up though the NWT; on the ground, occasionally under a shrub; usually not far from a lek; in a shallow depression lined with grass and feathers; female incubates 10-14 eggs for up to 24 days. Feeding: gleans the ground and vegetation for buds, seeds and flowers; also eats insects and seeds. Voice: rarely heard. Male: on breeding grounds, a mournful, cooing hoo or hoo hoo. Similar Species: Ruffed Grouse: slight crest; rounded tail. Ring-necked Pheasant: female has a longer tail, unfeathered legs and less barring on the belly. |
