Photo Credit: Steven Walling

Sharp-Tailed Grouse
Tympanuchus phasianellus

Grouse Family (Tetraonidae)

Size: 41-48 cm (16-19 in)

Habitat/Range: They inhabit grasslands in pine savannahs, shortgrass and midgrass prairies, and shrub steppes. They nest on the ground.

Eating Habits: Sharp-Tailed Grouse eat a variety of foods including seeds, berries, buds, forbs, leaves and insects (especially grasshoppers).

Description:

Adults have a fairly short tail with the two middle feathers being square-tipped and somewhat longer than their lighter, outer tail feathers (giving the bird its "sharp" tail). The plumage is a mottled brown against a cream background.  They have a white belly covered in faint "V"-shaped flecks. Adult males have a yellow stripe over their eyes and a violet patch on their neck that they use to attract females.  During the mating season, they perform dancing rituals on leks, or dancing grounds.  Males are slightly larger and heavier than females. The Sharp-Tailed Grouse is Saskatchewan's provincial bird.