Part of what draws us to these birds are their habit of freezing in place when they see us.
Timeless q
VALUE. CRAFTSMANSHIP. Superb Grey Partridge
the Sage Grouse requiring extensive areas of Artemisia (sage- brush) to survive. This is by far our largest grouse weighing in at four to seven pounds. Because of declining habitat, the future of this creature is uncertain. Along with the Sharp Tail, it is listed as a Species of Concern by the State of Montana. Alas, many grassland-dependent birds are not faring well because of habitat loss over time. Male Sage Grouse are well known for elabo- rate mating displays, which some Native American dances ceremonially mimic.
Gaining elevation, we arrive in the realm of the mountain grouses: the large slate-colored Sooty Grouse in the foothills, the mottled, fan- tailed Ruffed of the montane forest zone, Franklin's Grouse in the subalpine and finally, the relatively rare White- Tailed Ptarmigan. This bird is
YELLOWSTONE CUSTOM
COUNTRY HOMES
WWW.BIGSKYBUILDERS.COM 406-842-5068
Ruffled Grouse JEREMIE HOLLMAN
HOWARD MILLS, OWNER AT YCCH@3RIVERS.NET
q contact www.distinctlymontana.com 25
STEVE SHERMAN
