. ▁The ▁males ▁use ▁" co o ing " ▁calls ▁also ▁to ▁attract ▁and ▁comp ete ▁for ▁females ▁( S isson ▁ 1 9 6 9 ; ▁Ber ger ud ▁and ▁Gr at son ▁ 1 9 8 8 ; ▁Con elly ▁et ▁al . ▁ 1 9 9 8 ). ▁The ▁females ▁select ▁the ▁most ▁dominant ▁one ▁or ▁two ▁males ▁in ▁the ▁center ▁of ▁the ▁le k , ▁cop ulate , ▁and ▁then ▁leave ▁to ▁nest ▁and ▁raise ▁the ▁young ▁in ▁solit ary ▁from ▁the ▁male . ▁Occ asion ally ▁a ▁low - ran king ▁male ▁may ▁act ▁like ▁a ▁female , ▁approach ▁the ▁dominant ▁male ▁and ▁fight ▁him . ▁ ▁Hab itat ▁selection ▁The ▁sharp - ta iled ▁gr ouse ▁is ▁found ▁throughout ▁different ▁pra irie ▁e cos ystem s ▁in ▁North ▁America . ▁They ▁inhab it ▁e cos ystem s ▁from ▁the ▁p ine ▁sav ann ah s ▁of ▁the ▁eastern ▁upper ▁Mid west ▁to ▁the ▁short ▁grass , ▁mid ▁grass , ▁and ▁shr ub ▁ste ppe ▁pra i ries ▁of ▁the ▁Great ▁Pla ins ▁and ▁Rock y ▁Mountain ▁West ▁( A ld rich ▁ 1 9 6 3 ; ▁Joh ns g ard ▁ 1 9 7 3 ; ▁Joh ns g ard ▁ 2 0 0 2 ). ▁Selection ▁of ▁specific ▁habitat ▁characteristics ▁and ▁veget ation ▁communities ▁is ▁variable ▁among ▁the ▁different ▁sub species ▁of ▁sharp - ta iled ▁gr ouse . ▁Selection ▁of ▁these ▁specific ▁habit ats ▁depends ▁on ▁the ▁quality ▁of ▁habitat ▁available ▁to ▁gr ouse