▁than ▁the ▁male ▁and ▁can ▁be ▁distinguished ▁by ▁the ▁regular ▁horizontal ▁mark ings ▁across ▁the ▁deck ▁fe athers ▁as ▁opposed ▁to ▁the ▁irregular ▁mark ings ▁on ▁the ▁males ▁deck ▁fe athers ▁which ▁run ▁parallel ▁to ▁the ▁fe ather ▁sh aft . ▁Fem ales ▁also ▁tend ▁to ▁have ▁less ▁obvious ▁comb s . ▁ ▁M ales ▁we igh ▁an ▁average ▁of ▁ 3 3 . 5   oz ▁( 9 5 1   g ) ▁and ▁females ▁average ▁ 2 9   oz ▁( 8 1 5   g ). ▁ ▁Distribution ▁Sh arp - ta iled ▁gr ouse ▁histor ically ▁occupied ▁eight ▁Canadian ▁provinces ▁and ▁ 2 1 ▁U . S . ▁states ▁pre - Europe an ▁settlement ▁( J oh ns g ard ▁ 2 0 0 2 ). ▁They ▁r anged ▁from ▁as ▁far ▁north ▁as ▁Al aska , ▁south ▁to ▁California ▁and ▁New ▁Mexico , ▁and ▁east ▁to ▁Quebec , ▁Canada ▁( J oh ns g ard ▁ 2 0 0 2 ). ▁ ▁Following ▁European ▁settlement ▁the ▁sharp - ta iled ▁gr ouse ▁has ▁been ▁ext ir p ated ▁from ▁California , ▁Kansas , ▁Illinois , ▁Iowa , ▁Nev ada , ▁and ▁New ▁Mexico , ▁( J oh ns g ard ▁ 1 9 7 3 ; ▁Con nel ly ▁et ▁al . ▁ 1 9 9 8 ). ▁ ▁Be havior ▁ ▁Fe eding ▁These ▁birds ▁for age ▁on ▁the ▁ground ▁in ▁summer , ▁in ▁trees ▁in ▁winter . ▁They ▁eat ▁se eds , ▁bud s , ▁ber