28 



BIRDS OF AMERICA 



The Sharp-tailed Grouse is commonly confused 

 with the Prairie Chicken but most gunners recog- 

 nize it at once by its acuminate tail and the 

 absence of neck tufts. They designate it by such 

 names as Sharp-tail, Pin-tail, Sprig-tail, Spike- 

 tail. White-belly, etc. 



The species formerly was known to naturalists 

 as Pedicrcctcs phasiancUiis, the Sharp-tailed 

 Grouse. It has been divided into three sub- 

 species, differing chiefly in the shades of color- 

 ation. The Sharp-tailed Grouse is the more 

 northern race which is confined to Canada and 

 Alaska. This is a very dark bird with heavy, 

 dark markings on the upper parts. The Colum- 



of environment. Therefore a description oi the 

 habits of one race may be taken as typical of the 

 species. 



With the first promise of spring on the Great 

 Plains the remarkable mating antics of the 

 Sharp-tail begin. As a spectacle this erratic 

 dance would furnish amusement to a Hottentot. 

 The birds have a meeting place where they 

 gather at the booming calls of the male at early 

 dawn and again at sunset. At first they appear 

 to be standing quietly, then one begins the dance 

 by partly spreading its wings in a horizontal 

 direction, lowering its head, raising and spread- 

 ing its tail, distending the air-sacs and then, 



Drawing by R. I. Brasher 



SHARP-TAILED GROUSE (i nat. size) 

 This bird prefers thickets or the edges of timber 



bian Sharp-tailed Grouse { Pirdicrcrtrs f^liasia- 

 nellus cohiuibianns) is much paler in tint, with 

 the dark markings less conspicuous, and fre- 

 quents the plains of the western region, from 

 central British Columbia and central Alberta 

 south to California, Utah, and Colorado, though 

 now practically extinct in California. The 

 Prairie Sharp-tailed Grouse (Pedicrcctcs pltasia- 

 nclliis caiiipcstris) is native to the prairie regions 

 of southern Canada and the northern United 

 States. These races have similar habits except 

 as they mav be modified somewhat bv difTerences 



bristling up, runs across the floor of the meeting 

 place, stamping its feet so hard and fast as to 

 produce a drumming sound, uttering also what 

 Ernest S. Thompson terms a sort of " bubbling 

 crow," beating the air with its wings, and vi- 

 brating its tail with a low rustling sound. Im- 

 mediately all join the dance. Some circle to the 

 right, others to the left, passing each other stiffly, 

 charging back and forth, bowing, squatting, and 

 posturing. Faster and faster goes the dance ; 

 more and more madly swings the giddy whirl 

 until the excited birds jump over the backs of 



