greater sage grouse facts

Females visit the leks to obtain matings, and then go off to raise their brood by themselves. Alaska sharp-tailed grouse. The greater sage-grouse is a signature species of the sagebrush steppe, where they depend on sagebrush plants for food, cover, and roosting. The models can be used in conservation planning. That’s because this remarkable bird represents the largest species of grouse native to North America. They get up to 2- 2 ½ feet tall, and weigh around 2-7 pounds. It is the largest grouse species found in North America. Size: Typically 30 inches in length and up to 2 feet tall; Males often weigh in excess of 4-5 pounds and hens weigh in at 2-3 pounds. Protecting leks and the 3-6 miles surrounding these breeding grounds is a priority to enable conservation of the bird. Large turkeylike bird found only in extensive areas of sagebrush. Females: Females are a mottled brown, black, and white. Sage-grouse models for conservation assessments have been developed using information from areas where sage-grouse populations persisted versus where they were extirpated. Lifespan: 1 to 1-1/2 years; However, they have been found to survive up to 10 years in the wild. Greater Sage Grouse: Largest North American grouse, has scaled gray-brown upperparts, white breast, black throat, bib, and belly, and yellow combs above eyes. Distribution: The historic range of the greater sage-grouse included Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, South Dakota, North Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, New Mexico, Arizona, and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. The rest of the year these birds melt away into the great sagebrush plains that are their only home. Others are well prepared for public viewing and may feature viewing blinds or guided tours. This species lives in the northwestern United States. This bird is sexually dimorphic. It has a long, pointed tail with legs feathered to the base of the toes and fleshy yellow combs over the eyes. Because the Greater Sage Grouse is better known than the other species, this article will focus only on this species. The bird’s range across the American West includes California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. In preparation for a strutting display, male Greater Sage-Grouse can gulp and hold a gallon of air in a pouch of their esophagus. For more greater sage-grouse facts, click here », Click here for information on the sage-steppe ecosystem », For more information on greater sage-grouse, visit our Environmental Conservation Online System (ECOS) ». Traditional lekking grounds may be used for years. They get water from feeding on snow. Diet/Feed: Omnivore, eating mainly sagebrush, some other soft plants, and insects. Privacy | The section below contains species information about the greater sage-grouse. Large, white collar-like patch on breast conceals two yellow air sacs displayed during courtship. Males have white breast and black throat. The major difference between them is Gunnison sage grouse is only two-thirds of the size of Greater sage grouse. FOIA. Description: The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a large, rounded-winged, ground-dwelling bird. Sadly, however, its population also seems to be in decline. Greater sage-grouse are found at elevations ranging from 4,000 to over 9,000 feet. Greater sage-grouse adult males range from 26 to 30 inches in length and average 4 to 7 pounds in weight; adult females range from 19 to 23 inches in length and 2.5 to 3.5 pounds in weight. The nest is usually under a bush or other cover to avoid predation. Gary R. Herbert authorized the Conservation Plan for Greater Sage-Grouse in Utah. Get Instant ID help for 650+ North American birds. The Mono Basin population of sage grouse may also be distinct. Description: The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a large, rounded-winged, ground-dwelling bird. The legs of the greater sage-grouse have feathers to the toes. They have long pointed tails. Males: Males are larger than females and sport a white ruff around their necks in addition to the typical mottled brown, black and white plumage. Sharp-tailed Grouse. The female incubates the eggs and cares for the chicks who hatch in about three weeks. The Greater Sage-Grouse reside in warm, dry, grasslands, as sagebrush, which grows in the described area, is their main food source. Greater sage-grouse and Gunnison sage-grouse are closely related, charismatic ambassadors for the Sagebrush Sea, a critically important western landscape that … The Greater sage grouse is the largest grouse species in North America. The best way to see Greater Sage-Grouse is to visit a lek before dawn during the late winter and early spring (March to May). They nest on the ground under sagebrush or grass patches. Fish and Wildlife Service. Learn more about what our partners are doing here. Prairie Grouse. Predation is only a threat when habitat is lacking or fragmented. Greater Sage-Grouse have declined greatly from presettlement estimates as high as 16 million to as few as 200,000 today—reflecting the widespread loss, alteration, or fragmentation of the vast sagebrush steppe that they depend on. Greater Sage-Grouse. Habitat fragmentation and development have caused severe declines for this spectacular bird. It is a field that has been cultivated since 1912, but grouse danced long before it was a cultivated field. Male grouse have yellow lores and patches on the back of … Over the harsh winter, sage-grouse actually manage to gain weight and strength in preparation for the breeding season by feeding on the leaves of sagebrush. Greater Sage-Grouse can live up to 9 years in the wild, but more often 3–6 years. Read on to learn about the sage grouse. Males have bright yellow air sacks on their breasts, which they inflate during their mating display. Like many other grouse species, the Greater Sage-Grouse male plays no role in the raising of the young. The Greater Sage Grouse does not warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act the U.S. Department of the Interior announced September 22, 2015. USFWS Home | Its range is sagebrush country in the western United States and southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada. During the winter, greater sage grouse feed almost exclusively … As invasive plants, changing wildfire trends, and human land use alter this region, Dr. Coates’ projects will provide resource managers with new tools for conserving sage-grouse populations and native sagebrush habitat. By squeezing it out with force, they begin their display. In February 2013, Gov. Nesting: The Greater Sage-Grouse female lays six to nine eggs in a depression in the ground lined with grass. Here are some interesting facts about the greater sage-grouse. Notices | Description and Life History of the Greater Sage-Grouse. 2017 Sage-Grouse & Captive Rearing About NAGP. The Sage Grouse Initiative has a page including directions and guidelines for minimizing disturbance while viewing sage-grouse leks. Populations of sage-grouse may have distinct seasonal habitats or well-integrated seasonal habitats, depending upon if they are migratory or non-migratory populations. Dozens of male Greater Sage-Grouse puff their chests and fan their starburst tails like avant-garde turkeys. Although young and adult birds will feed on other plant species and some insects in the summertime, sagebrush consists of 47 to 60% of the adult bird’s diet in the summer and 100% in the winter.

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