Feeble and infrequent at first, booming increases as winter merges into spring and continues until June. The cocks gather in groups, regularly, before sunrise and again at sunset, on open ridges or slight rises in the prairie.
Fights are frequent.
As a prelude to booming, the cock runs forward a short distance, stops, stamps his feet rapidly and pivots in a half or full circle. Then comes the boom. The sound is like that made by blowing across the mouth of a large bottle and consists of three notes, evenly spaced, rising at intervals of a quarter or a half tone and lasting about 3 seconds. Amplified by the resonant inflated air sacs, they can be heard a mile away. When several cocks are booming at once the calls blend into a continuous humming sound.