Plants and Animals
Tympanuchus phasianellus Sharp-tailed grouse
Key Characteristics
The Sharp-tailed grouse is a chicken-like bird with a length of 17 inches (43 cm) and a wingspan of 25 inches (64 cm). It has a stocky oval shape with a small head and a light colored, sharply pointed tail. It is pale below, with chevron markings on its flanks. Its back and wings are darker and it has a slight crest at the back of its head. Males displaying and booming on the lekking ground will exhibit purple air sacs on either side of the neck while they dance with wings and neck outstretched parallel to the ground and tail upright.
Status and Rank
US Status: No Status/Not Listed
State Status: SC - Special Concern (rare or uncertain; not legally protected)
Global Rank: G5 - Secure
State Rank: S3S4 - Rank is uncertain, ranging from vulnerable to apparently secure
Occurrences
| County | Number of Occurrences | Year Last Observed |
|---|---|---|
| Alger | 5 | 2009 |
| Chippewa | 24 | 2018 |
| Delta | 1 | 2000 |
| Luce | 1 | 2002 |
| Mackinac | 5 | 2013 |
| Ontonagon | 4 | 2000 |
| Schoolcraft | 11 | 2010 |
Information is summarized from MNFI's database of rare species and community occurrences. Data may not reflect true distribution since much of the state has not been thoroughly surveyed.
Habitat
Sharp-tailed grouse are year round residents and use a wide variety of early successional habitats from grasslands, prairies, savannas, and barrens. In Michigan these habitats are frequently in isolated pockets within forested landscapes. Shrub thickets may be important for providing winter cover and food.
Natural Community Types
For each species, lists of natural communities were derived from review of the nearly 6,500 element occurrences in the MNFI database, in addition to herbarium label data for some taxa. In most cases, at least one specimen record exists for each listed natural community. For certain taxa, especially poorly collected or extirpated species of prairie and savanna habitats, natural community lists were derived from inferences from collection sites and habitat preferences in immediately adjacent states (particularly Indiana and Illinois). Natural communities are not listed for those species documented only from altered or ruderal habitats in Michigan, especially for taxa that occur in a variety of habitats outside of the state.
Natural communities are not listed in order of frequency of occurrence, but are rather derived from the full set of natural communities, organized by Ecological Group. In many cases, the general habitat descriptions should provide greater clarity and direction to the surveyor. In future versions of the Rare Species Explorer, we hope to incorporate natural community fidelity ranks for each taxon.
Management Recommendations
Avoid mowing, brush cutting/removal, or herbicide application during the nesting season from May through July. Insecticide applications may also reduce the prey items available to adults and chicks. Prescribed burning may be used outside the nesting season to set back the succession from dense shrubs to more grassland or savanna. Prescribed burns should be as large as possible but burn managers need to consider impacts to other natural communities and species before conducting the burns.
Active Period
Brood Rearing from third week of May to fourth week of July
Nesting from first week of April to third week of May
Survey Methods
Sharp-tailed grouse are most easily surveyed early in the nesting season while males are displaying on the leks (communal dancing ground) from dawn to approximately one hour after sunrise. Their booming calls may be heard from a considerable distance, whether on foot or in an automobile. Surveys conducted later in the nesting season will be more difficult but should focus on locating broods.
Visual survey, displaying males
Survey Period: From first week of April to third week of May
Time of Day: Morning (sunrise)
References
Survey References
- Bibby, C.J., N.D. Burgess, and D.A. Hill. 1992. Bird Census Techniques. Academic Press, New York.
Technical References
- Brewer, R., G. A. McPeek, and R. J. Adams Jr., eds. 1991. The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Michigan. Michigan State University Press, East Lansing. 650pp.
- Sibley, D.A. 2000. The Sibley Guide to Birds. Knopf, Toronto. 544pp.