Sharp-tailed Grouse - Montana Field Guide

Sharp-tailed Grouse - Tympanuchus phasianellus

Species of Concern
Native Species

Global Rank: G5
State Rank: S3S4
(see State Rank Reason below)

Agency Status
USFWS:
USFS:
BLM:
FWP SWAP: SGCN1
PIF: 2

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Sexes are similar, although males have inconspicuous yellow eye combs and pale violet air sacs on the neck. Both sexes have feathered legs and upper parts mottled with white, buff, brown, and black. The wings have conspicuous white spots, and the breast and flanks have V-shaped brown markings on a snow-white background. Adult males and females average from 16.5 to 18.5 inches in length; adult males average 33 ounces and adult females 29 ounces in weight. Populations west of the Continental Divide that are thought to have been extirpated were, until recently, believed to be a smaller subspecies, the Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus). These populations tended to have grayer plumage, more pronounced spotting on the throat, and narrower markings on the underparts (Hoffman and Thomas 2007). However, nuclear and mitochondrial DNA of populations east and west of the Continental Divide overlap almost completely, indicating that Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse likely never inhabited western Montana and that the declines observed in that region were in populations genetically similar to those on the Great Plains (Spaulding et al. 2006, Wood et al. 2010).

For a comprehensive review of the conservation status, habitat use, and ecology of this and other Montana bird species, please see Marks et al. 2016, Birds of Montana.

Female Ring-necked Pheasants, especially in the early fall, can be confused with Sharp-tailed Grouse. Sharp-tailed Grouse, however, have much shorter tails, feathered legs, and white bellies (female Ring-necked Pheasants are mottled brown throughout).

Montana Range Range Descriptions

All Ranges

Year-round

Historical

(Click legend blocks to view individual ranges)

Western Hemisphere Range

Relative Density

Recency

SUMMER (Feb 16 - Dec 14)

Direct Evidence of Breeding

Indirect Evidence of Breeding

No Evidence of Breeding

WINTER (Dec 15 - Feb 15)

Regularly Observed

Not Regularly Observed

(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)

Move to breeding grounds in mid-March to mid-April, nested from mid-May to mid-June, reared broods from June to September, and moved to wintering areas from mid-October to mid-December.

The habitat is primarily grasslands interspersed with shrub and brush-filled coulees. They prefer stands of inter-mixed tree and shrub grasslands. With high population, they spread into islands of native grassland, usually along drainages surrounded by grainfields. Sharp-tailed Grouse persist only on native bunchgrass-shrub stands. In Idaho, Saab and Marks (1992) found birds selected big sage habitat types during summer. They appeared to prefer range habitats that were in good condition.

Until recently, Sharp-tailed Grouse in Montana were found west of the Continental Divide in larger mountain valleys with extensive native bunchgrass-shrub stands. However, they have now apparently been extirpated, or nearly extirpated, from this historic range (Hoffman and Thomas 2007).

Details on Creation and Suggested Uses and Limitations
How Associations Were Made
We associated the use and habitat quality (common or occasional) of each of the 82 ecological systems mapped in Montana for vertebrate animal species that regularly breed, overwinter, or migrate through the state by:
1. Using personal observations and reviewing literature that summarize the breeding, overwintering, or migratory habitat requirements of each species (Dobkin 1992, Hart et al. 1998, Hutto and Young 1999, Maxell 2000, Foresman 2012, Adams 2003, and Werner et al. 2004);
2. Evaluating structural characteristics and distribution of each ecological system relative to the species' range and habitat requirements;
3. Examining the observation records for each species in the state-wide point observation database associated with each ecological system;
4. Calculating the percentage of observations associated with each ecological system relative to the percent of Montana covered by each ecological system to get a measure of "observations versus availability of habitat".
Species that breed in Montana were only evaluated for breeding habitat use, species that only overwinter in Montana were only evaluated for overwintering habitat use, and species that only migrate through Montana were only evaluated for migratory habitat use. In general, species were listed as associated with an ecological system if structural characteristics of used habitat documented in the literature were present in the ecological system or large numbers of point observations were associated with the ecological system. However, species were not listed as associated with an ecological system if there was no support in the literature for use of structural characteristics in an ecological system, even if point observations were associated with that system. Common versus occasional association with an ecological system was assigned based on the degree to which the structural characteristics of an ecological system matched the preferred structural habitat characteristics for each species as represented in scientific literature. The percentage of observations associated with each ecological system relative to the percent of Montana covered by each ecological system was also used to guide assignment of common versus occasional association. If you have any questions or comments on species associations with ecological systems, please contact the Montana Natural Heritage Program's Senior Zoologist.

Suggested Uses and Limitations
Species associations with ecological systems should be used to generate potential lists of species that may occupy broader landscapes for the purposes of landscape-level planning. These potential lists of species should not be used in place of documented occurrences of species (this information can be requested at: mtnhp.org/requests) or systematic surveys for species and evaluations of habitat at a local site level by trained biologists. Users of this information should be aware that the land cover data used to generate species associations is based on imagery from the late 1990s and early 2000s and was only intended to be used at broader landscape scales. Land cover mapping accuracy is particularly problematic when the systems occur as small patches or where the land cover types have been altered over the past decade. Thus, particular caution should be used when using the associations in assessments of smaller areas (e.g., evaluations of public land survey sections). Finally, although a species may be associated with a particular ecological system within its known geographic range, portions of that ecological system may occur outside of the species' known geographic range.

Literature Cited
- Adams, R.A. 2003. Bats of the Rocky Mountain West; natural history, ecology, and conservation. Boulder, CO: University Press of Colorado. 289 p.
- Dobkin, D. S. 1992. Neotropical migrant land birds in the Northern Rockies and Great Plains. USDA Forest Service, Northern Region. Publication No. R1-93-34. Missoula, MT.
- Foresman, K.R. 2012. Mammals of Montana. Second edition. Mountain Press Publishing, Missoula, Montana. 429 pp.
- Hart, M.M., W.A. Williams, P.C. Thornton, K.P. McLaughlin, C.M. Tobalske, B.A. Maxell, D.P. Hendricks, C.R. Peterson, and R.L. Redmond. 1998. Montana atlas of terrestrial vertebrates. Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, Missoula, MT. 1302 p.
- Hutto, R.L. and J.S. Young. 1999. Habitat relationships of landbirds in the Northern Region, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station RMRS-GTR-32. 72 p.
- Maxell, B.A. 2000. Management of Montana's amphibians: a review of factors that may present a risk to population viability and accounts on the identification, distribution, taxonomy, habitat use, natural history, and the status and conservation of individual species. Report to U.S. Forest Service Region 1. Missoula, MT: Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana. 161 p.
- Werner, J.K., B.A. Maxell, P. Hendricks, and D. Flath. 2004. Amphibians and reptiles of Montana. Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Publishing Company. 262 p.

Commonly Associated with these Ecological Systems
Forest and Woodland Systems
Grassland Systems
Shrubland, Steppe and Savanna Systems
Wetland and Riparian Systems
Occasionally Associated with these Ecological Systems
Forest and Woodland Systems
- Aspen Forest and Woodland
Human Land Use
- Cultivated Crops
- Pasture/Hay
Recently Disturbed or Modified
Shrubland, Steppe and Savanna Systems
- Low Sagebrush Shrubland
- Mat Saltbush Shrubland
Wetland and Riparian Systems
- Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane Riparian Woodland and Shrubland

Diet consists of seeds, grasses, fruit, and insects.

Farming and intense grazing eliminate native grasses required for shelter, protection from predators, night roosting and spring nesting; dense trees and shrubs are needed for food, rest, escape, cover and winter survival. In western Montana, housing developments and agriculture have eliminated large portions of habitat required for shelter, protection from predators, night roosting and spring nesting; dense trees and shrubs are needed for food, rest, escape, cover, and winter survival.

Nesting occurs from mid-May to mid-June (Davis 1961). Displays were observed as early as April 3 (Skaar 1969) in the Gallatin Valley. The number of birds seen on dancing grounds in the Tobacco Plains near Eureka has varied from a high of 33 (1971) to a low of 4 in 1988. During 1990 and 1991, birds were supplemented with a transplant from British Columbia and reached a population of nearly 30 in 1991 (Bown 1980, Cope 1992).

Based on the Montana Natural Heritage Program's latest predicted habitat suitability model

Total species' range in Montana	299,879 km²	(79% of Montana)
Area predicted to have some level of suitable habitat	251,514 km²	(66% of Montana)

Stewardship responsibility for the predicted area of suitable habitat can be broken down as follows

	Total Suitable	Moderate Suitability	Low Suitability
Federal	13%	8%	5%
State	7%	4%	3%
Local	<1%	<1%	<1%
Conservation Lands/Easements	2%	1%	1%
Private/Tribal/Unknown	78%	41%	37%

See the Habitat Suitability for Biodiversity task in Map Viewer for a more detailed look at stewardship responsibilities within a variety of local jurisdictions.

Literature Cited AboveLegend: View Online Publication
- Bown, R.R. 1980. The status of the Columbian sharp-tailed grouse in the Tobacco Plains, Eureka, Montana. B.S. Thesis. University of Montana, Missoula. 42 pp.
- Davis, C.V. 1961. A distributional study of the birds of Montana. Ph.D. Dissertation. Corvallis, OR: Oregon State University. 462 p.
- Hoffman, R. W., and A. E. Thomas. 2007. Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus): A technical conservation assessment. U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, Golden, Colorado.
- Marks, J.S., P. Hendricks, and D. Casey. 2016. Birds of Montana. Arrington, VA. Buteo Books. 659 pages.
- Saab, V. A. and J. S. Marks. 1992. Summer habitat use by Columbian sharp-tailed grouse in western Idaho. Great Basin Naturalist 52:166-173.
- Skaar, P.D. 1969. Birds of the Bozeman latilong: a compilation of data concerning the birds which occur between 45 and 46 N. latitude and 111 and 112 W. longitude, with current lists for Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, impinging Montana counties and Yellowstone National Park. Bozeman, MT. 132 p.
- Spaulding, A.W., K.E. Mock, M.A. Schroeder, and K.I. Warheit. 2006. Recency, range expansion, and unsorted lineages: implications for interpreting neutral genetic variation in the sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus). Molecular Ecology 15(9): 2317-2332.
- Wood, A.K., B.D. Deeble, D.M. Becker, K.I. Warheit, and C.A. Dean. 2010. Subspecific identification of sharp-tailed grouse (Tymphanuchus phasianellus) samples from Montana. Proceedings of the 27th Western Agencies Sage and Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse Workshop. Twin Falls, ID. June 7-10, 2010.
Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?
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- Thompson, L.S. 1981. Circle West wildlife monitoring study: Third annual report. Technical report No. 8. Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. Helena, Montana.
- Thompson, W. L. 1993. Ecology of Merriam's Turkeys in relation to burned and logged areas in southeastern Montana. Ph.D. Dissertation. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 195 p.
- Thunderbird Wildlife Consulting, Inc., Gillette, WY., 2003, Spring Creek Mine 2002 Wildlife Monitoring. March 2003.
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service., 1984, Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, Montana: Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service., 1985, Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, Montana: Final Environmental Impact Statement.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1980. Management of Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. Draft. Reprint
- U.S. Forest Service. 1991. Forest and rangeland birds of the United States: Natural history and habitat use. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Agricultural Handbook 688. 625 pages.
- Van Horn, R.C. 1993. Ferruginous Hawk and Prairie Falcon reproductive and behavioral responses to human activity near the Kevin Rim, Montana. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, Montana: Montana State University. 86 p.
- Vold, S.T. 2018. Effects of livestock grazing management on the ecology of grassland birds and their predators in a northern mixed-grass prairie ecosystem. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 176 p.
- Waage, B. C. 1989. Sharp-tailed grouse lek (dancing ground) establishment on reclaimed mined lands. Pp. 116-122 in: Proceedings IV: Issues and technology in the mangement of impacted wildlife, February 6-8, 1989. Thorne Ecological Institute, Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
- Waage, B. C. 1992. Sharp-tailed grouse use of reclaimed mine lands in Eastern Montana. Pp. 160-168 in Am. Soc. Surface Mining and Reclam., Duluth, Minn.
- Waage, B.C. 1984. Western Energy Company Rosebud Mine, Rosebud County, Montana: Annual Wildlife Monitoring Report, 1983 Field Season. June 1984.
- Waage, B.C. 1986. Western Energy Company Rosebud Mine, Rosebud County, Montana: Annual Wildlife Monitoring Report, 1985 Field Season. December 1985.
- Waage, B.C. 1986. Western Energy Company Rosebud Mine, Rosebud County, Montana: Annual Wildlife Monitoring Report, 1986 Field Season. December 1986.
- Waage, B.C. 1987. Western Energy Company Rosebud Mine, Colstrip, Montana: Annual Wildlife Monitoring Report, 1987 Field Season. December 1987.
- Waage, B.C. 1988. Western Energy Company Rosebud Mine, Colstrip, Montana: Annual Wildlife Monitoring Report, 1988 Field Season. December 1988.
- Waage, B.C. 1989. Western Energy Company Rosebud Mine, Colstrip, Montana: Annual Wildlife Monitoring Report, 1989 Field Season. December 1989.
- Waage, Bruce C., 1991, Western Energy Company Rosebud Mine, Colstrip, Montana: Annual Wildlife Monitoring Report, 1990 Field Season. September 1991.
- Waage, Bruce C., 1992, Western Energy Company Rosebud Mine, Colstrip, Montana: Annual Wildlife Monitoring Report, 1991 Field Season. December 1992.
- Waage, Bruce C., 1993, Western Energy Company Rosebud Mine, Colstrip, Montana: Annual Wildlife Monitoring Report; 1992 Field Season. December 1993.
- Waage, Bruce C., 1993, Western Energy Company Rosebud Mine, Colstrip, Montana: Annual Wildlife Monitoring Report; 1993 Field Season. April 1993.
- Waage, Bruce C., 1995, Western Energy Company Rosebud Mine, Colstrip, Montana:1994 Annual Wildlife Monitoring Report; December 1, 1993 - November 30, 1994. February 27, 1995.
- Waage, Bruce C., 1998, Western Energy Company Rosebud Mine, Colstrip, Montana: 1997 Annual Wildlife Monitoring Report; December 1, 1996 - November 30, 1997 Survey Period. March 23, 1998.
- Waage, Bruce C., 1999, Western Energy Company Rosebud Mine, Colstrip, Montana: 1998 Annual Wildlife Monitoring Report; December 1, 1997 - November 30, 1998 Survey Period. February 24, 1999.
- Waage, Bruce C., 2002, Western Energy Company Rosebud Mine, Colstrip, Montana. 2001 Annual Wildlife Monitoring Report; December 1, 2000 - November 30, 2001. Febr. 26, 2002.
- Waage, Bruce C., compiler., 1985, Western Energy Company Rosebud Mine, Rosebud County, Montana: Annual Wildlife Monitoring Report, 1984 Field Season. October 1985.
- Waldt, R. 1995. The Pine Butte Swamp Preserve bird list. Choteau, MT: The Nature Conservancy. Updated August 1995.
- Watts, C.R. and L.C. Eichhorn. 1981. Changes in the birds of central Montana. Proceedings of the Montana Academy of Sciences 40:31-40.
- Westech Environmental Services, Inc., 2003, Wildlife monitoring: Absaloka Mine area, 2002. April 2003
- Western Energy Co., Colstrip, MT. Unpub., 1983, Western Energy Company's Application for Amendment to Surface Mining Permit NO. 8003, Area B: sections 7, 8, 17,18 T1N R41E, sections 12, 13 T1N R40E, Mining Expansion. March 1983.
- Western Energy Co., Colstrip, MT., 1980, Western Energy Company Rosebud Mine, Colstrip, Montana: Annual Wildlife Report, 1980.
- Western Energy Co., Colstrip, MT., 1981, Western Energy Company Rosebud Mine, Colstrip, Montana: Annual Wildlife Report, 1981.
- Western Energy Co., Colstrip, MT., 1981, Western Energy Company's Application for a Surface Mining Permit: Area C - Block 1. Vol. 1. May 1981.
- Western Energy Co., Colstrip, MT., 1982, Western Energy Company Rosebud Mine, Colstrip, Montana: Annual Wildlife Report, 1982.
- Western Technology and Eng., Inc., 1991, Wildlife resources of the Little Rocky Mountains Environmental Study Area. March 1991. In Application for Amendment to Operating Permit No. 00096, Zortman Mining, Inc., Phillips County, Montana. Vol. 3. Jan. 3, 1995.
- Westmoreland Resources, Inc., 1992, Mining and Reclamation Plan for Absaloka Mine. Book G. Wildlife. Vol. 2. Exhibit G-17. 1991 Wildlife Report. Wildlife Monitoring and Additional Baseline Inventory: Absaloka Mine Area (Western Technology and Engineering,
- Westmoreland Resources, Inc., Hardin, MT., 1983, 1980 Wildlife Monitoring Report. 12/21/79-12/20-80.
- Wood, Marilyn A., and Tim Manley, 1993, Northwest Montana Wildlife Mitigation Program Habitat Protection. Advance Design: Appendices G, H, I, J. October 1993.
- Yde, C.A. 1977. The distribution and movements of sharp-tailed grouse during spring and summer in relation to rest-rotation grazing. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 70 p.
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