Sharp-tailed Grouse
(Genus, species: Tympanuchus phasianellus)
The sharp-tailed grouse are one of the larger
grouse. They have sharp pointed tails which stick straight up when
the birds are displaying. They are often mistaken for their
cousin, the prairie chicken.
One of the more interesting details of the
sharp-tailed grouse relates to their courting rituals. The males gather on a
group breeding ground called a lek and show off (or display) for the females.
When displaying,
the males point their tails up, spread their wings, hold their heads low, and stamp their
feet in a sort of stutter-dance that looks a lot like an airplane trying to take
off. The males of a community all dance at the same time as a part
of their battle over territory and to impress females.
First Nations people call the sharp-tailed grouse the
"fire bird" because their habitat was kept open by fires that
killed trees and shrubs.
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Used with permission. ©
Robert
McDonald
Thanks to Robert for allowing us to use this picture.
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The Lek:
The Lek is one of the most important parts of sharp-tail life.
Reduction of suitable Lek locations has caused the decline of
sharp-tailed grouse in some areas. The Lek is an elevated patch of
native grasslands that ranges from the size of a small house to that of
a baseball diamond -- the elevation enables them to spot predators at a
distance. The grouse live in communities with up to two
dozen males "displaying" in one Lek. A community's Lek is
used for years... even decades.
The male birds spend the fall and winter dividing up
the Lek into individual areas -- with the dominant males located near the
center of the Lek. When spring arrives, things get even more
competitive and the
males may even peck at each other to keep or expand their territorial
boundaries --
especially when females wander through the area.
The
main purpose of the Lek is to provide an area for the males to display
their dancing ability to the females. The strongest and fittest
males dance in the center of the Lek. The longer and stronger the
bird is able to dance, the more impressed the female is. During
the dance, many of the males must take breaks to rest... those that rest
the least and dance the fastest are dominant and preferred by the
females. |
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Distribution/Location
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General:
The sharp-tailed grouse is found mainly in South-Western Canada
and the Northern United States. |
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| Description - male:
Mottled brown and grey underparts with spotted underparts. The tail
feathers are long and pointed. During spring, the male has yellow
"combs" (eyebrows) and purple air sacs on his neck that are inflated when they
display. Description - female:
Very much like the male but without the yellow eyebrows and purple air
sacs.
Description - chicks:
The chicks have the same mottled brown and grey camouflage as their
parents but their heads are quite yellow.
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Photographer: Bates Littlehales
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| Feeding:
The sharp-tailed grouse are mainly vegetarians although they do eat some
insects during the summer. Their plant diet include seeds, leaves,
grains, berries, buds and flowers. |
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Used with permission. © Robert
McDonald
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Habitat:
Sharp-tailed grouse live mainly in prairies, grasslands, agricultural
areas and open woodland habitats. They usually live in more open,
grassy areas during the summer and sheltered, wooded areas during the
winter. |
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| Nesting:
The sharp-tailed grouse nests in May and June. The female
selects a male partner during the display period in spring but nests
alone afterward. The nests are on the ground usually under
shrubs or grass. The nests are shallow depressions lined by
feathers, ferns or grass.
She lays an average of 10 to 14 eggs (ranging from 5-17).
After hatching, the young quickly leave the nest, but the mother
keeps tending the young and leads them to feeding areas. The
young feed themselves when they reach these areas.
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| Enemies:
Great horned owls, goshawks, foxes, skunks and raccoons all prey on
sharp-tailed grouse. They are also hunted for
sport.
As well, many historical Lek areas have been
turned into agricultural areas. The lack of native grasslands
keeps them from having a strong, continued population in some areas.
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| Migration:
The sharp-tailed grouse do not have significant migration habits, though
they do move from the more open, grassy areas in the summer to treed areas
during the winter. |
Worksheets and Other Activities:
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