, ▁and ▁br ush y / wo ody ▁rip arian ▁draw s , ▁cre eks , ▁and ▁rivers ▁for ▁a ▁winter ▁food ▁source ▁above ▁the ▁snow ▁cover ▁as ▁bud s ▁and ▁ber ries . ▁ ▁T . ▁p . ▁h ue yi : ▁the ▁New ▁Mexico ▁sharp - ta iled ▁gr ouse ▁is ▁ext inct . ▁ ▁Description ▁ ▁Ad ult s ▁have ▁a ▁relatively ▁short ▁tail ▁with ▁the ▁two ▁central ▁( deck ) ▁fe athers ▁being ▁square - ti pped ▁and ▁somewhat ▁longer ▁than ▁their ▁l ighter , ▁outer ▁tail ▁fe athers ▁giving ▁the ▁bird ▁its ▁distinct ive ▁name . ▁The ▁pl um age ▁is ▁m ott led ▁dark ▁and ▁light ▁brow ns ▁against ▁a ▁white ▁background , ▁they ▁are ▁l ighter ▁on ▁the ▁under parts ▁with ▁a ▁white ▁bel ly ▁uniformly ▁covered ▁in ▁faint ▁" V " - sh aped ▁mark ings . ▁These ▁mark ings ▁distinguish ▁sharp - ta iled ▁gr ouse ▁from ▁less er ▁and ▁greater ▁pra irie ▁ch ick ens ▁which ▁are ▁heavily ▁bar red ▁on ▁their ▁under parts ( Con nel ly ▁et ▁al . ▁ 1 9 9 8 ). ▁Ad ult ▁males ▁have ▁a ▁yellow ▁comb ▁over ▁their ▁eyes ▁and ▁a ▁vio let ▁display ▁patch ▁on ▁their ▁neck . ▁This ▁display ▁patch ▁is ▁another ▁distingu ishing ▁characteristic ▁from ▁pra irie ▁ch ick ens ▁as ▁male ▁pra irie ▁ch ick ens ▁have ▁yellow ▁or ▁orange ▁colored ▁air ▁sac s ( Con nel ly ▁et ▁al . ▁ 1 9 9 8 ). ▁The ▁female ▁is ▁smaller