|
Grouse Dance Ready
For Viewers
Lincoln, Neb. -- Its that time of year again - prairie grouse annual courtship rituals are just getting underway on Nebraskas prairie grasslands, and the public can observe the courtship activities at several sites.
From now until the end of April, the booming calls of prairie grouse can be heard and the birds can be seen dancing and courting in the Sandhills and in the southeastern part of the state. Scott Taylor, the Game and Parks Commissions upland game program manager, says the birds courtship activities will peak in early April.
There are two species of prairie grouse in Nebraska and they are often confused. The greater prairie chicken is slightly larger than the sharptail grouse and each species is best identified by its breast markings. The markings on the sharptail are v-shaped, while the prairie chicken has a uniformly barred breast.
The sharptail grouse is commonly found in the Sandhills region of the state. The prairie chicken is found in the Sandhills too, and has also become more common in the southeastern corner of the state.
In early spring, flocks of both species break into smaller groups of separate sexes, marking the start of spring courtship. The males of each species arrive on display grounds before sunrise each day and vie for territory and the favor of females by intimidating other males with vocal and visual displays.
Each species differs in the manner courtship rituals are conducted. Each is an intriguing, spectacular phenomenon, Taylor said. The displays continue for two to three hours and display grounds may host as many as 50 males.
Prairie chicken displays begin with short, headlong runs punctuated by abrupt stops and rapid foot-stomping. During displays, males erect their plumed "warbonnets" and inflate their orange neck air-sacs. With wings drooping and tails spread to their full extent, they produce a resonant booming sound. The display areas for prairie chickens are called booming grounds because of these sounds made by the males.
For sharptails, the display itself is an elaborate combination of cooing calls, rapid foot-stamping, a mechanical clicking of the tail and headlong charges with wings drooped and tail erect.
At least five locations in Nebraska offer opportunities for the public to view the annual rituals. Their names, approximate locations and how to contact them for information are: the Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Ellsworth, (308) 762-4893; Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest near Nenzel, (402) 823-41554; Bessey Ranger District of the Nebraska National Forest near Halsey, (308) 533-2257; Valentine National Wildlife Refuge near Valentine, (402) 3767-3789; and Burchard Lake Wildlife Management Area near Burchard in southeastern Nebraska, (402) 471-5415.
|
|
