The spring courtship dance of the sharp-tailed grouse is the most spectacular mating display of any bird in North America. sask yxe
In winter, sharp-tails flock together to feed on waste grain and buds of aspen and berry bushes. Often one bird perches high in a tree watching for predators while the rest of the flock feeds near the ground. Bristles on their toes act like snowshoes to help them walk across snowy fields. Their heavily feathered legs and insulating downy feathers help them stay warm. On the coldest days, they may burrow under the snow to take advantage of its insulation.
When dancing, the males raise their tails, outstretch their wings and rapidly stomp their feet like pistons. Listen for booms, clucks and tail rattling plus the sound of their stomping feet. Look for their bright yellow combs above each eye and purple air sacs on their breast. During each dance, which lasts about 10 seconds, males resemble a group of noisy spinning tops, each buzzing around in circles on their own territory.
The greater prairie chicken is the closest relative of the sharp-tailed grouse. They are more heavily barred and have a black fan-shape tail, unlike the sharp-tail’s narrow white-edged tail. They require long-grass prairie that is no longer found in Saskatchewan. Unfortunately, data from Breeding Bird Surveys shows the sharp-tailed grouse population has declined at about five per cent each year since 1968. Hopefully, we can protect their habitat so they will not become extinct like the prairie chicken.
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