US Forest Service burning forests and fields to help wild grouse population

During mating season, the male sharptailed grouse display their "talent" by rapidly stamping their feet and rattling their tail feathers while turning in circles or dancing forward.

We could hear them before we saw them, when the light in the eastern sky was still dim. It was a sort of cooing sound at first. Then clucks and something like muffled owl hoots. Then a whistle-like whine. And finally the clicking. When the clicking got louder, that's when the action started.

Suddenly, sharptail grouse appeared out of a low-hanging ground fog, first ones and twos running into view and eventually building to an even dozen. All of them with tails up, wings out. All of them males. All of them sex-starved and ready to rumble.