Saskatoon, Dancing Grouse Photography Tour

Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation Inc.

Witness the spectacular mating dance of the Sharp-tailed Grouse up close from the comfort of your vehicle. Photograph the birds as they perform their colourful dance with unique sounds.

Saskatoon

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The tour begins before sunrise in the Flying J Travel Center parking lot, 3850 Idylwyld Dr N, Saskatoon, SK Canada S7P 0A1. You will meet the other members of your tour group. There are washrooms plus food to purchase at this location.

You will then follow the leader in your own vehicle to the site situated only a 15 minute drive from this meeting location. You will arrive in the dark and drive across a rough pasture to the proper viewing location. You will be directed to cover the windows on the right side of your vehicle with a towel or similar cloth that you should bring. It may be chilly so please wear warm clothes (long underwear, winter coat, etc) and bring a blanket to keep on your lap.

You may open the windows on the left side of your vehicle. You should keep quiet and avoid talking so as to avoid disturbing the birds. As we wait for the sun to rise on our right, we will hear the weird and unique sounds made by the grouse as they begin dancing in the dark.

As dawn arrives, you will view this unique spectacle that inspired the local indigenous Cree population to create their chicken dances. Most birds will dance on the left side of your vehicle. Some may be as close as 2 meters. Many birds will dance less than 25 meters from your vehicle. Great opportunities to photograph the action with a camera equipped with a telephoto lens.

During the dance look for the purple colour exposed on their chests and bright yellow eyebrows. The birds raise their white tail and rattle their feathers. Watch the rapid stomping of their feet on the prairie. It may sound like a machine gun.

Following each dance, the males sit down in pairs staring at each other. Occasionally, a short fight with beating wings may occur.

Usually a few female grouse walk across the lek (dancing ground). When this happens, the dancing activity reaches a crescendo.

During the tour, you might also spot migrating hawks, geese and other birds. Sometimes a deer or a coyote may appear.

We stay at the site until most birds depart. We will then drive back to the meeting place where the tour ends. The tour usually lasts between 3.5 and 4.5 hours.

Your guide donates his time for your tour so that proceeds support the work of Saskatoon's "Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation" charity.