Statewide partnerships and action plans for conservation of the bird have been in place since 2012. These groups have petitioned to list sage grouse in. While sagegrouse require sagebrush landscapes to survive, leks are often located in open areas where the males can be better seen and heard by females. Sage grouse lek viewing is a popular annual activity for wildlife enthusiasts, including many audubon and bird tour groups. We will be viewing from a trailer, with the birds quite far off, so photography opportunities are not great. The greater sagegrouse is a large grouse with a chubby, round body, small head, and long tail. Gunnison sagegrouse viewing waunita watchable wildlife site. The dramatic display makes viewing sagegrouse a popular recreational activity in march and. Guidelines for viewing greater sagegrouse leks in central oregon. Leks are sometimes thought of as the singles bars of the animal kingdom. Sage grouse lek mating arena, in which each male, alphamale highest ranking, betamale, gammamale, etc. Gunnison sagegrouse lek site suitability modeling usgs.
New sage grouse viewing brochure pinedale, wyoming. Oct 18, 2016 we developed a hierarchical, bayesian state. The mating dance of the greater sage grouse is one of the most spectacular wildlife displays. The following section is an excerpt from a draft 020404 chapter of the wgfds wyoming handbook of biological techniques concerning monitoring of sagegrouse. Guidelines for viewing greater sage grouse leks in central oregon these guidelines were developed specifically for the central oregon sage grouse population and are much more conservative than one might find for more robust sage grouse populations.
You can utilize this technology on your windows, iphone, or android mobile device. To zoom into an area, hold the shift key and draw a rectangle. A guide to viewing and photographing wyomings greater sagegrouse ethically and responsibly charles w. We evaluated detection probabilities of male sagegrouse based on factors related to bird characteristics such as age or posture, lek and.
For sage grouse the relative abundance data is drawn from spring lek counts of males. Only a couple of male greater sagegrouse on the lek have what it takes to impress the females. Prairiechickens and sage grouse fan their feathers, pirouette. Only a couple of male greater sage grouse on the lek have what it takes to impress the females. This large grouse is wellknown for its elaborate courtship displays. A lek is the name of an area where sage grouse congregate in the spring. A geospatial pdf is a special version of adobes portable document format that relates a region on a map to its realworld coordinates via georeferencing. The montana sage grouse habitat conservation program works to sustain viable sage grouse populations and conserve habitat. Get oregon bird checklists, listing results, and rare bird reports. Leks are sometimes thought of as the singles bars of. Our last very early morning will be at the waunita lek, where we hope to see gunnison sagegrouse. Key areas and conditions for greater sagegrouse in north dakota.
Sage grouse are wyomings trademark game bird, and the annual courtship ritual on their lek or breeding grounds is the birds trademark event. Feb 17, 2016 a view of one of the mating centers of a greater sage grouse lek in fremont county, wyoming. Greater sagegrouse gsg have experienced decline in all parts of their range, and in canada the species is listed as endangered under the species at risk act because of substantial decline in the small population. Detection probabilities varied substantially among leks range 0. The lek access policy defines when sage grouse leks on cityowned property are accessible to the public, and the process by. Users also have the option of downloading a geopdf map. In wyoming, viewing sage grouse on their breeding grounds is fairly easy. Gunnison grouse viewing both selfviewing available and a trailer for reservation. Lek name and assigned lek identification label weather conditions at the time of survey number of male sagegrouse counted number of female sagegrouse counted xy latitude and longitude location. Arrive at lek sites at least one hour before sunrise. Applying sagegrouse lek bufferdistances when approving actions. Its range is sagebrush country in the western united states and southern alberta and saskatchewan, canada. Shared responsibilities mean that it makes sense for the blm as the largest land manager to align its strategies with the state agencies responsible for managing the species.
However, before 2014 the commission had yet to use that rationale to close sage grouse hunting in the state. I am encouraging all of you to conduct gunnison sage grouse viewing with the utmost integrity of ethics. Pdf monitoring populations of sagegrouse researchgate. Each spring, male sagegrouse perform an elaborate sunrise display on communal breeding grounds known as leks. Canadian sagegrouse are dependent on silver sagebrush as a source of food and shelter. Guidelines for viewing greater sagegrouse leks in central. Gunnison sagegrouse predictably use the waunita lek, located 19 miles east of gunnison just north of hwy 50. The us fish and wildlife service listed the gunnison sagegrouse as a threatened species on 12 november 2014 under the endangered species act. The greater sagegrouse is the largest species of grouse in north america. A lek is the name of an area where sagegrouse congregate in the spring. Use this map to view and explore types of sage grouse habitat designated as core blue, general green, connectivity lightblue habitats or blm priority areas. Anyone proposing new activities in sage grouse habitat must submit a.
Climb into a blind with biologist marc dantzker to get a first hand look at the drama that unfolds each year on a greater sagegrouse lek. Sage grouse lek viewing guide wyoming game and fish. Sage grouse lek viewing guide wyoming game and fish department. Anyone proposing new activities in sage grouse habitat must submit a project application for consultation. Under the fwp sage grouse conservation plan, adopted in 2005, fwp will recommend to the fish and wildlife commission sage grouse hunting season closures when populations dip below 45 percent of their long term average. Lek fidelity and movement among leks by male greater sage. The males choose an area where their courtship display can be easily seen by females. Cpw 2008 nwco there is only one known developed lek viewing site that cpw knows of in the nw colorado population area.
Due to greater sagegrouse fluctuating populations, hunting permits are assigned to specific areas. The greater sage grouse centrocercus urophasianus, also known as the sagehen, is the largest grouse a type of bird in north america. Rely nearly exclusively on big sagebrush for food during winter. Permits will be determined annually following spring lek counts and will be conservatively designed to take a small proportion of the estimated population, usually not to exceed five percent. Odfw greater sagegrouse backgrounder pdf oregon sagegrouse development siting tool. Each spring male grouse congregate at dawn on display grounds, called leks, and strut with tail feathers fanned and make popping noises with their bulbous air sacs. Encourage agencies to develop a remote lekviewing opportunity e. An icon of the american west, sagegrouse are found throughout montanas sagebrush steppe grasslands. Greater sagegrouse seem to have many factors working against them, both in outside threats and behavioral quirks that are leading to an unfortunate pattern of population decline. The greater sagegrouse centrocercus urophasianus, also known as the sagehen, is the largest grouse a type of bird in north america. The dominant males may each attract eight or more females. Gunnison sagegrouse lek viewing protocol the gunnison sagegrouse is a seriously imperiled species and highly vulnerable to human disturbance. The us fish and wildlife service listed the gunnison sage grouse as a threatened species on 12 november 2014 under the endangered species act. Sage grouse on the lek are sensitive to noise and anything else that interferes with females getting the best possible view of their dance and hearing the full performance, so the camera is placed unobtrusively and uses infrared light that sage grouse cant see to minimize any chance of disturbance.
Sage grouse definition of sage grouse by the free dictionary. Prairiechickens and sage grouse fan their feathers, pirouette and inflate colorful neck sacs that wheeze and pop. Climb into a blind with biologist marc dantzker to get a first hand look at the drama that unfolds each year on a greater sage grouse lek. Gunnison sage grouse lek site suitability modeling. Sage grouse winter movements and habitat use in central montana. Visitation to the leks is anticipated to increase due. In wyoming, viewing sage grouse on their breeding grounds is. The females arrive and walk through the lek, setting off a chain reaction of dancing and displaying among the males.
A guide to viewing and photographing wyomings greater. While sagegrouse require sagebrush landscapes to survive, leks are often located in open areas where the males can be. To guide your lek outings, the game and fish launched the sage grouse lek viewing guide to take you to the the best publicly accessible viewing locations across wyoming. Watch the greater sagegrouse live cam to see a lek in realtime. Department of agriculture forest service, colorado parks and wildlife, and the habitat partnership program. Watching grouse, prairechickens and ptarmigan colorado parks.
Wildlife monitor grazing use by wildlife, such as elk, deer and antelope, and if it is adversely affecting sage grouse habitat or populations, work with nevada department of wildlife to make adjustments. Prepared in cooperation with the national audubon society, the bureau of land management, the national park service, the u. These circumstances have prompted several environmental groups to petition the u. The greater sagegrouse is doing relatively well in oregon. Montanas sage grouse conservation strategy is based on the collaborative work of diverse stakeholders. Colorado greater sagegrouse conservation plan january 2008 photo by james yule, ed. Pdf use of camera traps to record activity on sagegrouse leks. Protocols for lek surveys should be consistent with. Fish and wildlife service to list sage grouse, in nevada and the remainder of the west, under the authority of the endangered species act. Pdf inperson counts of sagegrouse at leks are vital for informed sagegrouse management, but conducting these counts can be logistically.
Investigating impacts of oil and gas development on greater. Thus, habitat conservation measures may be biased towards breeding and nesting only. Broodrearing habitat should contain succulent herbaceous vegetation such as false dandelion, hawksbeard, milkvetch, and insects such as grasshoppers. Your cooperation is needed to ensure protection and perpetuation of wyomings sagegrouse populations. Greater sage grouse winter habitat selection and energy development. A greater sage grouse lek scene in a museum, diorama. A view of one of the mating centers of a greater sagegrouse lek in fremont county, wyoming. Currently there are less than 4,000 gunnison sagegrouse in existence worldwide with 87% in the gunnison basin. For best results viewing and printing pdf documents, it is recommended that you download.
Guidelines for viewing greater sagegrouse leks in central oregon these guidelines were developed specifically for the central oregon sagegrouse population and are much more conservative than one might find for more robust sagegrouse populations. Males change shape dramatically when they display, becoming almost spherical as they puff up their chest, droop their wings, and fan their tail into a starburst. In mono county, access to leks on cityowned lands is currently unrestricted and unregulated. Our last very early morning will be at the waunita lek, where we hope to see gunnison sage grouse. Brochure pdf oregon explorer sagegrouse development siting tool. Sagegrouse lek viewing guide wyoming game and fish.
Reese and others published monitoring populations of sagegrouse find. Learn about birds, go birding in oregon, be part of the oregon birding community. This data will be included in the state sagegrouse lek database. Sage grouse habitat losses have paralleled the trends in populations. Apr 04, 2017 sage grouse on the lek are sensitive to noise and anything else that interferes with females getting the best possible view of their dance and hearing the full performance, so the camera is placed unobtrusively and uses infrared light that sage grouse cant see to minimize any chance of disturbance. A few comments on the doi report in response to secretarial order 3353, august 4, 2017. Weather conditions and date influence male sage grouse. Document location of hens with chicks number during june 1 to july 30 using gps equipment locating sagegrouse winter concentration areas. A geospatial pdf is a special version of adobes portable document format that relates a region on a map to its realworld. The blm locates wild horse and burro capture facilities at appropriate distances from known sage grouse habitat to avoid adverse impacts.
Use binoculars and spotting scopes to observe birds. Notes from the lek beginner s guide to greater sage. The greater sage grouse is a large grouse with a chubby, round body, small head, and long tail. The lek access policy defines when sagegrouse leks on cityowned property are accessible to the public, and the process by. Sharptailed grouse fan their wings, bow forward and point their tails skyward.
The guide, located on the game and fish website, provides directions to each lek location. Two hybrid sage grouse x sharptailed grouse from central montana. Upland wildlife habitat management 645 sagegrouse lek. Conservation buffer distance estimates for greater sage grouse. Apr 20, 2011 the mating dance of the greater sage grouse is one of the most spectacular wildlife displays. Conservation buffer distance estimates for greater sage. Greater sagegrouse identification, all about birds, cornell. In the 1990s, one lek was depleted due to lek viewing activities. For sagegrouse the relative abundance data is drawn from spring lek counts of males.
Sagegrouse and the sagebrush ecosystem on a sagegrouse lek 1 minute, the cornell lab of ornithology bird academy lek cam live during lekking season, approximately march to may, 5 a. Notes from the lek beginner s guide to greater sage grouse. I am encouraging all of you to conduct gunnison sagegrouse viewing with the utmost integrity of ethics. Wyoming game and fish department spring is a good time to. Evaluate impacts to leks from actions requiring nepa analysis.
Imagine a group of birds the size of barnyard chickens, all bobbing and strutting this way and that, inflating air sacs on their chest like beach balls, then releasing the air with a resonant pop until the place sounds like a bubbling pot of stew. Mar, 2017 to guide your lek outings, the game and fish launched the sage grouse lek viewing guide to take you to the the best publicly accessible viewing locations across wyoming. In 2005, the greater sagegrouse recovery team produced the alberta greater sagegrouse recovery plan 20052010 that recommended strategies and actions to recover the species in a manner that respected the livelihoods and land uses within sagegrouse range. Sage grouse males show off for a female at sunrise on a lek. Schwartz the greater sagegrouse is the largest species of grouse in north america. Currently this is the only public lek where this rare species can be seen. Greater sagegrouse is a statemanaged wildlife species that depends on sagebrushsteppe ecosystems managed in partnership by federal, state and local authorities. Greater sagegrouse winter habitat selection and energy development. Colorado greater sage grouse conservation plan january 2008 photo by james yule, ed. Gunnison sage grouse lek viewing protocol the gunnison sage grouse is a seriously imperiled species and highly vulnerable to human disturbance. Each spring, male sagegrouse perform an elaborate sunrise display on. Currently there are less than 4,000 gunnison sage grouse in existence worldwide with 87% in the gunnison basin. A wildlife biologist gets a closer look at a male greater sagegrouse in wyoming.
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