The Greater Sage-Grouse is certainly a formidable-looking bird. Being the largest grouse in North America and having tail feathers, which look like giant spikes, make for a ferocious sight. These birds are well known for their complicated courtship rituals, in which the males perform a special “strutting display” to attract the females. Another distinct feature of the Greater Sage-Grouse is two large yellow throat sacs (gular sacs), which are inflated by the males during the courtship display. Unlike pelicans, whose gular sacs are used to store fish while hunting, the throat sacks of the Greater Sage-Grouse are merely for display.

An egret in the second decade of April 2025 cools off in the Florida heat by gular fluttering, rapidly vibrating its throat muscles with an open beak. The mechanism helps to dissipate heat through evaporation. (Photo by Ronen Tivony/ZUMA Press Wire/Alamy Live News)

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A blue-throated macaw receives acupuncture and laser therapy treatment at the veterinary hospital in Brasilia Zoo, July 30, 2015. The zoo's veterinary hospital uses acupuncture and laser therapy to improve the health and well-being of animals with chronic diseases. (Photo by Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters)

An Oriental Garden Lizard sits on a tree in Gauhati, India, Tuesday, April 16, 2019. During the breeding season, the male lizard's head and throat turn a bright color. (Photo by Anupam Nath/AP Photo)

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Video bloggers stream live broadcast of an event to celebrate the fourth birthday of the world's only giant panda triplets, Meng Meng, Shuai Shuai and Ku Ku, at Chimelong Safari Park in Guangzhou, China July 29, 2018. (Photo by Bobby Yip/Reuters)