Have you ever walked in the woods and heard a mysterious thumping sound, like someone trying to start an old engine that won’t quite turn over? You probably heard the unique behavior of a ruffed grouse drumming! Starting around this time of year, male ruffed grouse will jump up on a log, stump or rock and drum. They trap air between their wings and bodies, flapping in faster and faster succession, creating a vacuum of air that creates the characteristic thumping noise. Males use this behavior to

Another day, another dancing bird. These are male sharp-tailed grouse gathering in communal dancing grounds called leks. With wings extended and feet stomping, they rattle their tail feathers and zip around the lek in effort to secure breeding rights. One of our biologists in northern Utah captured this footage last spring! #WildlifeWednesday | Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

Dance like no one is watching, or like you're a sharp-tailed grouse. Every spring, sharp-tailed grouse form mating grounds, or leks, where they congregate to compete for territories and perform mating displays. This crowded scene leads to fighting among the males as they attempt to dance and win the affections of the females. Video footage filmed by USFWS at Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge in Montana. Video description: a sharp-tailed grouse taps its little feet quickly back and fort