Sharp-tailed Grouse
Tail chicken ( Tympanuchus phasianellus )
The tail chicken ( Tympanuchus phasianellus ) is a species of the family of the pheasant -like. It is found only in North America. For the kind of six subspecies are distinguished.
Appearance
The tail chicken reaches a height 38-48 centimeters. Males weigh about 950 grams. Females have an average weight of 815 grams.
The tail chicken is a small grouse with a stepped tail. The middle pair of tail feather is the longest. The beak is horn colored brown, the iris is dark brown. In adult males the forehead and top of the head are brown. Through the Eye runs a dark streak. The females are similar to males, but are smaller and overall dull colored. In particular, the face and throat drawing are not so clearly contrasting. Young birds resemble females, but have a less long tail.
Distribution and habitat
The tail chicken comes from central Alaska and the Yukon prior to the West of Quebec. To the south direction of propagation it reaches the Great Plains. In the Eastern U.S. this species is missing in much of its original distribution range, the species is gone. This is especially true for the South West of their historical distribution area. In Idaho and Utah, the numbers have risen again since the 1980s.
The habitat of the tail chicken are open landscapes. It occurs in steppes, shrub steppes, savannas and forests with very sparse trees.
Way of life
The tail chicken is predominantly a state bird. However, snowfall, the type force locally to hike in more protected habitats. The males establish leks in September-October and return to this in March to May. There, the male lead in front of their complex mating behavior. They include, among other things, a Vorwärtsspreizen the wings, a spreading of the tail feathers and a fast running, which is accompanied by tail shaking. Males show this courtship behavior for two to four hours in the early morning hours and then look into the afternoon hours after food.
Tail chickens primarily eat plant material and insects. To become the preferred diet includes grasshoppers and crickets. Tail chickens show with humans occasionally a little shy behavior and can be found also on farms and even cities in order to look for seeds.
The nest is a flat bottom trough. The nest consists of five to 17 eggs. It broods alone the female. Incubation period is 21 to 24 days.