Chapter 6, Bird of Grace and Spirit: The Gunnison Sage-Grouse. By Vicky Osborn, Television/Radio Specialist . Why is healthy sagebrush important for mating? The sage-grouse effort has brought together soil and water conservation districts, federal, state, local, private, and nonprofit groups, all of which are united behind the common goal of getting conservation on the ground across land management boundaries. All of the males will display the entire lekking season at the same site. Science to Solutions: Intact landscapes support long-distance movements. Photo of a sunny spring lek by Tatiana Gettelman. Science to Solutions: Intact landscapes support long-distance movements. Fish and Wildlife Service announced their decision not to list the Sage Grouse as endangered (though ⦠Recorded coverage is available on the website. Protecting a Unique Western Icon What the heck is a lek? Gunnison Sage-grouse wake up early and arrive on the leks (breeding grounds) before dawn. When do sage grouse gather on a lek? The sagebrush West is home to more than 350 species of plants and animals, and is the largest, mostly intact ecosystem in the lower 48 states. Trending Today. Watch the mating dance at an Oregon lek last spring, courtesy of The Nature Conservancy’s “Sage Grouse Lek Cam”. Slowly, a female approaches. significantly reduced threats to the greater sage-grouse, Go on a tour or to a public site to minimize disturbance to birds, such as Idaho’s. Sage-grouse grow up to two feet tall and 30 inches long and weigh from two to seven pounds. The forbs and insects available in the surrounding sagebrush ecosystem provide much-needed nutrition as she incubates her eggs. Thursday, April 12, 2018 - 3:04 PM MDT. Latest Weather Late April is the best time to visit since most breeding is complete, but males are still actively strutting. A male sage grouse struts across the lek, hoping to impress the ladies with his moves. The loss of sage-grouse as a cultural resource has contributed to the slow decay of the Yakama culture. Click here to watch live and recorded footage (best between 5-9 a.m. PDT). This unobtrusive wildlife camera is designed to capture the intimate details of the sage grouse’s unique mating ritual without disturbing the birds or causing resource damage. The timing for when sage-grouse gather on specific leks will depend on the weather and where you are in the range. The NRCS-led Sage Grouse Initiative has joined the Fish and Wildlife Service, dozens of federal and state agencies, and thousands of private landowners to launch an unprecedented, landscape-scale conservation effort of the sagebrush West, an ecosystem that supports iconic wildlife, outdoor recreation, ranching and other traditional land uses. That’s why leks are usually found where there is less vegetation. Known for their showy courting displays, sage-grouse rely on native sagebrush habitat to shelter their young. It’s really been exciting to work with all of the partners on how to get the greatest conservation dollar out of every project. Photo by Brianna Randall. When to see Gunnison Sage-grouse displays: The best time to view the elaborate and bizarre breeding dance of the Gunnison Sage-grouse is from 1 April to early-May. Sage-grouse habitat also supports over 350 plant and wildlife species, including mule deer, pronghorn, and golden eagles. Here the males, well-known for their spiky tail feathers and white puffed-up chests with yellow sacs, put on a flashy dance to draw the attention of nearby females. Watching sage grouse strut from the comfort of your couch (or your office chair) is a treat, and a great alternative to chilly pre-dawn lek visits. On September 22, 2015, the U.S. What fires you up about working to conserve the sage-steppe? Photo by Scott Copeland. Sage grouse males show off for a female at sunrise on a lek. Contractor Opportunity: Director of Agricultural Communications for Working Lands for Wildlife initiatives in the West. After a hen chooses a male to mate with, she flies off to nest in the surrounding sagebrush and places her nest on the ground, usually under a sagebrush. Certain heâs made an impression, the male begins to strut faster, adjusting his dance to put on his best show. This Sage Grouse land is the southernmost extent of lands that the Sage Grouse inhabits, meaning that it is already at the farthest, very vulnerable, edge of their range. Sage-grouse is a beautiful species of bird that makes its home in the sagebrush sea of the North American West. Sage Grouse Displays Mating Dance. This initiative is part of Working Lands For Wildlife, which is led by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. Anything outside with my husband, Warren, and our dog, Molly Brown, including: backcountry skiing, trail running, hiking, playing soccer, ultimate frisbee, whitewater rafting, hunting, mountain biking, and gardening. There are two different species of sage grouse in Utah, and each species has an incredible mating dance. With each passing generation, however, these traditions are being lost. Although several males will display on a lek, all of the females will choose the same one or two males to mate with (yup, it’s ladies’ choice!). Dance of the Sage Grouse. Viewers take care to observe respectful viewing techniques when visiting sensitive sage grouse mating leks. Watching sage grouse strut from the comfort of your couch (or your office chair) is a treat, and a great alternative to chilly pre-dawn lek visits. Episode 9: Sunrise dance party In this episode, DWR Upland Game Coordinator Heather Talley talks about one of Utah's most unique bird species, the sage grouse. The camera also often captures video of other wildlife such as mule deer, elk, and eagles. Trisha cuddles a radio-collared sage grouse hen in Idaho. The cameras illuminate the lek with infrared light, which these extremely sensitive birds aren’t able to see. Working at a landscape-scale on issues that benefit several hundred species! The female seems interested. Learn more about sage grouse mating: “What The Heck Is A Lek?”. Learn about the wet, or mesic, habitats that cover 2% of the arid West but are critical to... Test your knowledge of the life cycle of sage grouse in this Sage Whiz Quiz. Copyright © 2021 Sage Grouse Initiative.All rights reserved. Male sage grouse have danced at leks across their 173 million-acre, 11-state range for hundreds of thousands of years. Have you ever seen a sage grouse strut? A Closer Look. Sage grouse male displays on lek. These areas may be sparsely vegetated naturally, or due to activity by animals or humans. The Sage Grouse Initiative is a partnership-based, science-driven effort that uses voluntary incentives to proactively conserve Americaâs western rangelands, wildlife, and rural way of life. This collaborative effort has significantly reduced threats to the greater sage-grouse across 90 percent of the species’ rangeland breeding habitat. It was known as simply the sage grouse until the Gunnison sage-grouse was recognized as a separate species in 2000. Use binoculars and spotting scopes to observe birds. The lek cam will be streaming live coverage from March 29, 2017, to May 15, 2017. Don’t drive on or near the lek and park away from the edge of the lek. Landscape-Scale Sagebrush Conservation Partnership. The Sage Grouse Initiative is a partnership-based, science-driven effort that uses voluntary incentives to proactively conserve America’s western rangelands, wildlife, and rural way of life. Learn about the wet, or mesic, habitats that cover 2% of the arid West but are critical to... Test your knowledge of the life cycle of sage grouse in this Sage Whiz Quiz. Copyright © 2021 Sage Grouse Initiative.All rights reserved. A lek is the name of an area where sage-grouse congregate in the spring. The males choose an area where their courtship display can be easily seen by females. Itâs time for the big dance. Photo by Rick McEwan. If possible, please upgrade, or install a different browser. Dr. Pete Coates is providing resource managers with the tools and information they need to conserve sage-grouse as ⦠Greater Sage-grouse are iconic birds found only in the Great Basin of the western U.S. However, if you aim to get out and see the amazing spring dance in-person, the Sage Grouse Initiative offers the following ‘dos and don’ts’ for respectful wildlife viewing. Unfortunately, because of oil and gas development, conversion of land for agricultural use, climate change and human development, sage-grouse only inhabit half their historic range. In many ways, the sage-grouse represents the unique and diverse habitat of the North American West. Every spring across Americaâs sprawling sagebrush sea, iconic greater sage-grouse congregate at breeding sites to begin a new mating season. The Mono Basinpopulation of sage grouse may also ⦠Chapter 5, A Sense of Wonder: The Greater Sage-Grouse. Every spring sage grouse descend on leks across southern Idaho for their annual courtship. Keep your pets in the vehicle or, better yet, leave them at home. Located on a breeding ground called a lek, male birds puff out their chests, pop their air sacs, and fan their tail feathers every morning in the spring to impress hens. However, if you aim to get out and see the amazing spring dance in-person, the Sage Grouse Initiative offers the following âdos and donâtsâ for respectful wildlife viewing. You are using an old version of Internet Explorer, which is not supported by this website. While males are displaying, females move in on the perimeter of the lek and evaluate the males–they use the sagebrush for cover. Its range is sagebrush country in the western United States and southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada. Don’t make loud noises or sudden movements. Males are larger and more colorful, especially when they inflate the yellow breast air sacs, emitting a popping sound ⦠Turn off the engine and lights and stay in your vehicle. This initiative is part of Working Lands For Wildlife, which is led by USDAâs Natural Resources Conservation Service. A male sage grouse inflates the air sacs in his chest while performing a mating display at The Nature Conservancyâs Crooked Creek Ranch, about 20 miles west of Dubois, Idaho. The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), also known as the sagehen, is the largest grouse (a type of bird) in North America. PORTLAND, OR â The sage grouse's strutting dance is one of North America's defining wildlife spectacles, and one that few Americans have ever seen. Now, a new live-streaming video offers the public a chance to see this amazing display without having to sneak out into the sagebrush in the frigid half-light before dawn. Sage-grouse males gather together on dancing grounds called leks for the equivalent of an avian dance-off while the females look on and feign disinterest. The Nature Conservancy’s “Sage Grouse Lek Cam”. Sagebrush plays an important role in providing hiding cover for a hen while she’s on her nest. Sage-grouse courtship displays inspired traditional dance of teh Yakamas that continues to be passed down through the generations. If possible, please upgrade, or install a different browser. What do you enjoy outside of work? Chapter 8, Saving the Last Dance: Conservation Efforts Don’t leave the lek site until the birds do. April 9, 2019. Actually, April is a great time to visit leks, since the males are still displaying but the majority of the hens are finished breeding–visitors are less likely to disrupt the mating process then. Fish and Wildlife Service, and a private landowner. Lekking generally happens from late February through May. âToday, sage-grouse range is half of what it once was, and populations have declined precipitously in recent years.â ... a flightless bird with an unusual mating dance. Well known for their spectacular mating dances performed on specific mating grounds called "leks," these large birds are icons ⦠For the third straight year, you can witness the greater sage-grouse dancing to find a mate on a live-streaming wildlife camera, courtesy of a partnership between The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Chapter 7, Children of the Sagebrush Steppe: The Sharp-tailed Grouse. When the sage grouse land at the lek, their group breeding grounds, they start dancing. Watch the mating dance at an Oregon lek last spring, courtesy of The Nature Conservancyâs âSage Grouse Lek Camâ The Sage Grouse Initiative is a partnership-based, science-driven effort that uses voluntary incentives to proactively conserve Americaâs western rangelands, wildlife, and rural way of life. Sage grouse once numbered in the millions but have seen their range that stretches across portions of 11 states diminished by oil and gas drilling, wildfires, grazing and other pressures. The birds once occupied more than 290 million acres of sagebrush in the West, but the bird has lost more than half of its range due to habitat loss and fragmentation from development, noxious weeds and fire. You are using an old version of Internet Explorer, which is not supported by this website. Arrive at the lek at least one hour before sunrise in the dark. Contractor Opportunity: Director of Agricultural Communications for Working Lands for Wildlife initiatives in the West. 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