Countdown To Spring - Day Nine
By Kimberly J. Epp
Spring is literally around the corner...and coming soon to a lek near you - if you are a Sharp-tailed Grouse, that is! You may feel rather boxed in yourself, so this is a great time to learn about birds like the Sharp-tailed Grouse, and their nesting habits.
Male Sharp-tailed Grouse dancing on a lek in Southern Saskatchewan (photo by Krista Routledge)
Sharp-tailed Grouse are a declining grassland bird. Although these birds do not migrate far, Sharp-tailed Grouse migrate to reach optimal habitat for the summer and winter.
During the very early mornings in Spring, the males gather on their display grounds - otherwise known as the lek. The males point their tails up in the air, dance, and do their best to attract a female.
Male Sharp-tailed Grouse dancing on a lek in Southern Saskatchewan (photo by Krista Routledge)
Females select their nests in grasslands with brushy cover, usually less than a mile from the lek. The nesting sites are in places with vegetation at least 3 inches high. The female usually lines her nest with breast feathers. Nests are 7 inches wide - and 2.8 inches deep.
Male Sharp-tailed Grouse dancing on a lek in Southern Saskatchewan (photo by Krista Routledge)
These grouse typically lay 5 to 17 speckled pale brown eggs, although typically they lay 12. Incubation is by the female only, at about 23 to 24 days. The young can make flights after leaving the nest, at about one to two weeks of age.
Male Sharp-tailed Grouse dancing on a lek in Southern Saskatchewan (photo by Krista Routledge)
We have one more day left in the countdown. Can you guess the bird that will be featured the final day? It is a bird we often see on the lakes in early Spring...as typical as the Canada Goose.
*Photos - Male Sharp-tailed Grouse dancing on a lek in Southern Saskatchewan (photos by Krista Routledge).