Editing Grouse (section)

==Reproduction==
In all but one species (the [[willow ptarmigan]]), males are [[Animal sexuality#Polygamy|polygamous]].  Many species have elaborate [[courtship display]]s on the ground at dawn and dusk, which in some are given in [[Lek (biology)|leks]]. The displays feature males' brightly colored [[comb (anatomy)|combs]] and in some species, brightly colored inflatable sacs on the sides of their necks. The males display their [[plumage]], give vocalizations that vary widely between species, and may engage in other activities, such as drumming or fluttering their wings, rattling their tails, and making display flights. Occasionally, males fight.<ref name=Firefly/>

The nest is a shallow depression or [[Bird nest#Scrape|scrape]] on the ground—often in cover—with a scanty lining of plant material. The female lays one [[Clutch (eggs)|clutch]], but may replace it if the eggs are lost. She begins to lay about a week after mating and lays one egg every day or two; the clutch comprises five to 12 eggs. The eggs have the shape of hen's eggs and are pale yellow, sparsely spotted with brown.  On laying the second-last or last egg, the female starts 21 to 28 days of incubation. Chicks hatch in dense, yellow-brown down and leave the nest immediately. They soon develop feathers and can fly shortly before they are two weeks old. The female (and the male in the willow grouse) stays with them and protects them until their first autumn, when they reach their mature weights (except in the male [[capercaillie]]s). They are sexually mature the following spring, but often do not mate until later years.<ref name=Firefly/>