One of the greatest shows on earth is the dancing of the Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse in the Moody Creek area of Madison County. They will fly or walk into the lek and start putting on a show. I love to watch their dance.
The males puff up their purple air sacks on their neck and their yellow eye brows stand up while they dance trying to attract a female.
Their dance includes spreading their wings, stomping their feet, rubbing their two main tail feathers together to create a scraping sound, clucking and chirping and moving in circles.
The chief of the lek has to defend his property because most of the females will pick him for mating. This creates battles between the males that included tearing at each others air sacks, locking beaks, raking the other with their feet and pinning them to the ground.
At times the loser will fly up and land on my truck hood to get away from the violence. They usually do not stay long once they realize I am just three feet away from them.
What an experience to witness these battles over women. It seems that all species are about the same.
so true. usually with humans, there's alcohol involved. :)
ReplyDeletenice shots! i watched a video of this 'dance' once. it was fascinating!
LOL, fighting over the females again hey! Oh well, that's life. Great shots Bill. I hope some of my blog friends have visited you since my posting of the hawk as I attached a link to the post. Love your blog.
ReplyDeleteAmazing! I am sounding like a gushing teenager, but I just can't come up with enough adjectives for your great bird posts. As I said on your other blog thank you for sharing this fabulous birding experience and great pictures.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great series!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting photos and observations of these birds.
ReplyDeleteI just love the Grouse.... Great post
ReplyDeleteI am fortunate to live very close to the Red Grouse here in the UK
Smashing species
Great photos! They are beautyful! I have grouses to on my WBW, but black ones :)
ReplyDeleteGreat shots, Bill! I would love to see this show they put on. The colors and display are really cool.
ReplyDeleteA great show Bill.
ReplyDeleteLove that second shot. I didn't know they were hiding those colors.
ReplyDeleteGreat action captures Bill.
ReplyDeleteMust be great to witness it all first hand.
Great series of the "dance".
ReplyDeleteAgreat post and a beautiful set of images.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of a wonderful bird!
ReplyDeleteGreat series, I love the second photo!
ReplyDeleteWe have the Spruce Grouse that I love looking for during the summer months.
this was quite a capture, i like the first shot with the whirring wings.
ReplyDeleteWhat a show! That second shot blown up a couple clicks is amazing. The ferocity of animals compeating for mates is quite a spectacle. Now we have craigslist if we want to make a spectacle of ourselves!
ReplyDeleteI always have something else in my mind when I read "Madison County" (something with Brigdes, you know). You took fantastic shots of the beginning of the "romance" in a bird-world, starting really dramatically as a competition for a mate. Really great post!
ReplyDeleteFantastic shots Bill! I love the yellow eyebrows!
ReplyDeletewell its a battle of survival of the species too...Awesome photography!
ReplyDeleteCool shots -- how awesome to see the bright colors on their head and neck!
ReplyDeleteThat is a spectacular show they put on all right. Thanks for sharing it, Bill. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic bird this is. The second shot is amazing!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely stunning photos, Bill! I would love to see a spectacle like this!
ReplyDeleteThe grouse in flight is a great shot!
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