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. Encourage agencies to develop a remote lekviewing opportunity e. The following section is an excerpt from a draft 020404 chapter of the wgfds wyoming handbook of biological techniques concerning monitoring of sagegrouse. New sage grouse viewing brochure pinedale, wyoming. Greater sagegrouse is a statemanaged wildlife species that depends on sagebrushsteppe ecosystems managed in partnership by federal, state and local authorities. 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. Prepared in cooperation with the national audubon society, the bureau of land management, the national park service, the u. Greater sage grouse winter habitat selection and energy development.
The greater sage grouse centrocercus urophasianus, also known as the sagehen, is the largest grouse a type of bird in north america. In wyoming, viewing sage grouse on their breeding grounds is. Gunnison sagegrouse lek viewing protocol the gunnison sagegrouse is a seriously imperiled species and highly vulnerable to human disturbance. Its range is sagebrush country in the western united states and southern alberta and saskatchewan, canada. Schwartz the greater sagegrouse is the largest species of grouse in north america. Prairiechickens and sage grouse fan their feathers, pirouette. You can utilize this technology on your windows, iphone, or android mobile device. Montanas sage grouse conservation strategy is based on the collaborative work of diverse stakeholders.
Feb 17, 2016 a view of one of the mating centers of a greater sage grouse lek in fremont county, wyoming. Colorado greater sagegrouse conservation plan january 2008 photo by james yule, ed. A greater sage grouse lek scene in a museum, diorama. Anyone proposing new activities in sage grouse habitat must submit a. Apr 20, 2011 the mating dance of the greater sage grouse is one of the most spectacular wildlife displays. The mating dance of the greater sage grouse is one of the most spectacular wildlife displays. For sage grouse the relative abundance data is drawn from spring lek counts of males. Odfw greater sagegrouse backgrounder pdf oregon sagegrouse development siting tool. Conservation buffer distance estimates for greater sage grouse. We evaluated detection probabilities of male sagegrouse based on factors related to bird characteristics such as age or posture, lek and. Watching grouse, prairechickens and ptarmigan colorado parks. Conservation buffer distance estimates for greater sage. Gunnison sage grouse lek site suitability modeling.
The greater sagegrouse is a large grouse with a chubby, round body, small head, and long tail. Learn about birds, go birding in oregon, be part of the oregon birding community. A few comments on the doi report in response to secretarial order 3353, august 4, 2017. Sage grouse lek viewing is a popular annual activity for wildlife enthusiasts, including many audubon and bird tour groups. Colorado greater sage grouse conservation plan january 2008 photo by james yule, ed. A guide to viewing and photographing wyomings greater sagegrouse ethically and responsibly charles w. Statewide partnerships and action plans for conservation of the bird have been in place since 2012. The lek access policy defines when sage grouse leks on cityowned property are accessible to the public, and the process by. The guide, located on the game and fish website, provides directions to each lek location. Gunnison sagegrouse viewing waunita watchable wildlife site. Thus, habitat conservation measures may be biased towards breeding and nesting only. 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 guide to viewing and photographing wyomings greater. 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.
Two hybrid sage grouse x sharptailed grouse from central montana. Use binoculars and spotting scopes to observe birds. Oct 18, 2016 we developed a hierarchical, bayesian state. A lek is the name of an area where sagegrouse congregate in the spring. Key areas and conditions for greater sagegrouse in north dakota. Detection probabilities varied substantially among leks range 0. Protocols for lek surveys should be consistent with. 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. Lek fidelity and movement among leks by male greater sage. This data will be included in the state sagegrouse lek database. In wyoming, viewing sage grouse on their breeding grounds is fairly easy. A geospatial pdf is a special version of adobes portable document format that relates a region on a map to its realworld.
Notes from the lek beginner s guide to greater sage grouse. 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. Only a couple of male greater sagegrouse on the lek have what it takes to impress the females. The lek access policy defines when sagegrouse leks on cityowned property are accessible to the public, and the process by. 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. 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. 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.
Notes from the lek beginner s guide to greater sage. This large grouse is wellknown for its elaborate courtship displays. 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. Arrive at lek sites at least one hour before sunrise. Get oregon bird checklists, listing results, and rare bird reports. Each spring, male sagegrouse perform an elaborate sunrise display on communal breeding grounds known as leks. Department of agriculture forest service, colorado parks and wildlife, and the habitat partnership program. The greater sagegrouse is doing relatively well in oregon. Gunnison sagegrouse predictably use the waunita lek, located 19 miles east of gunnison just north of hwy 50. I am encouraging all of you to conduct gunnison sagegrouse viewing with the utmost integrity of ethics. Guidelines for viewing greater sagegrouse leks in central. Applying sagegrouse lek bufferdistances when approving actions. Guidelines for viewing greater sagegrouse leks in central oregon. Sage grouse habitat losses have paralleled the trends in populations.
Weather conditions and date influence male sage grouse. We will be viewing from a trailer, with the birds quite far off, so photography opportunities are not great. Sage grouse lek viewing guide wyoming game and fish department. The greater sagegrouse centrocercus urophasianus, also known as the sagehen, is the largest grouse a type of bird in north america. The dramatic display makes viewing sagegrouse a popular recreational activity in march and. However, before 2014 the commission had yet to use that rationale to close sage grouse hunting in the state. Currently there are less than 4,000 gunnison sagegrouse in existence worldwide with 87% in the gunnison basin. Watch the greater sagegrouse live cam to see a lek in realtime. The males choose an area where their courtship display can be easily seen by females. Fish and wildlife service to list sage grouse, in nevada and the remainder of the west, under the authority of the endangered species act. Users also have the option of downloading a geopdf map. 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.
Greater sagegrouse identification, all about birds, cornell. 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. 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. Pdf inperson counts of sagegrouse at leks are vital for informed sagegrouse management, but conducting these counts can be logistically. The montana sage grouse habitat conservation program works to sustain viable sage grouse populations and conserve habitat. Leks are sometimes thought of as the singles bars of the animal kingdom. The us fish and wildlife service listed the gunnison sage grouse as a threatened species on 12 november 2014 under the endangered species act. Your cooperation is needed to ensure protection and perpetuation of wyomings sagegrouse populations. 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. 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.
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. These groups have petitioned to list sage grouse in. These circumstances have prompted several environmental groups to petition the u. 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.
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. To zoom into an area, hold the shift key and draw a rectangle. Broodrearing habitat should contain succulent herbaceous vegetation such as false dandelion, hawksbeard, milkvetch, and insects such as grasshoppers. Wyoming game and fish department spring is a good time to. The us fish and wildlife service listed the gunnison sagegrouse as a threatened species on 12 november 2014 under the endangered species act. Sage grouse are wyomings trademark game bird, and the annual courtship ritual on their lek or breeding grounds is the birds trademark event. 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. 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. While sagegrouse require sagebrush landscapes to survive, leks are often located in open areas where the males can be.
Sagegrouse lek viewing guide wyoming game and fish. Rely nearly exclusively on big sagebrush for food during winter. Upland wildlife habitat management 645 sagegrouse lek. Our last very early morning will be at the waunita lek, where we hope to see gunnison sage grouse. An icon of the american west, sagegrouse are found throughout montanas sagebrush steppe grasslands. Investigating impacts of oil and gas development on greater. In the 1990s, one lek was depleted due to lek viewing activities. 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. Prairiechickens and sage grouse fan their feathers, pirouette and inflate colorful neck sacs that wheeze and pop. The dominant males may each attract eight or more females. Sage grouse lek viewing guide wyoming game and fish. Cpw 2008 nwco there is only one known developed lek viewing site that cpw knows of in the nw colorado population area.
Currently this is the only public lek where this rare species can be seen. In mono county, access to leks on cityowned lands is currently unrestricted and unregulated. For best results viewing and printing pdf documents, it is recommended that you download. The blm locates wild horse and burro capture facilities at appropriate distances from known sage grouse habitat to avoid adverse impacts. Canadian sagegrouse are dependent on silver sagebrush as a source of food and shelter. 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. Sage grouse definition of sage grouse by the free dictionary. Visitation to the leks is anticipated to increase due. For sagegrouse the relative abundance data is drawn from spring lek counts of males. I am encouraging all of you to conduct gunnison sage grouse viewing with the utmost integrity of ethics. Sage grouse winter movements and habitat use in central montana. Gunnison grouse viewing both selfviewing available and a trailer for reservation.
Currently there are less than 4,000 gunnison sage grouse in existence worldwide with 87% in the gunnison basin. Pdf monitoring populations of sagegrouse researchgate. Gunnison sagegrouse lek site suitability modeling usgs. A guide to viewing and photographing wyomings greater sage. Document location of hens with chicks number during june 1 to july 30 using gps equipment locating sagegrouse winter concentration areas. Due to greater sagegrouse fluctuating populations, hunting permits are assigned to specific areas. Greater sagegrouse winter habitat selection and energy development. Reese and others published monitoring populations of sagegrouse find. Only a couple of male greater sage grouse on the lek have what it takes to impress the females.
A view of one of the mating centers of a greater sagegrouse lek in fremont county, wyoming. The greater sagegrouse is the largest species of grouse in north america. 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. Sage grouse males show off for a female at sunrise on a lek. Sharptailed grouse fan their wings, bow forward and point their tails skyward. The greater sage grouse is a large grouse with a chubby, round body, small head, and long tail. Evaluate impacts to leks from actions requiring nepa analysis. Anyone proposing new activities in sage grouse habitat must submit a project application for consultation. A lek is the name of an area where sage grouse congregate in the spring. Brochure pdf oregon explorer sagegrouse development siting tool. Pdf use of camera traps to record activity on sagegrouse leks. 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. Sage grouse lek mating arena, in which each male, alphamale highest ranking, betamale, gammamale, etc. Gunnison sage grouse lek viewing protocol the gunnison sage grouse is a seriously imperiled species and highly vulnerable to human disturbance.
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