Greater Sage-Grouse

Challenges in the “Sagebrush Sea”

The Greater Sage-Grouse made news in the spring of 2010 for being considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act by federal biologists, but listing was “precluded” by other listing priorities and a lack of available resources.  A few months later, the Gunnison Sage-Grouse met the same fate and was overlooked for listing in spite of a large population decline.

The “Sagebrush Sea” of the western U.S. faces several challenges, including the energy resources that can be found beneath the surface and exotic weeds that out-compete native vegetation, causing endless headaches for land managers. People interested in bird conservation will likely hear more news about these challenges in the coming years.

Sage-Grouse Surveys

Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory has been involved with grouse surveys in Colorado and Utah to help determine the extent of the range of Greater and Gunnison Sage-Grouse. Conserving populations of both the Sage-Grouse species is one of the biggest conservation challenges in the western U.S. Both species are declining at alarming rates, and limited resources exist to ensure the continued existence of these amazing birds. 

In 2009 RMBO conducted Sage-Grouse surveys on land just east of Grand Junction, Colo., owned by the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, private individuals and the state of Colorado. Funding for these surveys was available from EnCana Oil and Gas Inc. because of mitigation measures from a pipeline being constructed. These surveys occurred mainly due to reports of grouse sign by a biological consultant surveying the area for endangered plants. Records of Sage-Grouse in this area predate the Gunnison and Greater Sage-Grouse species split so it is unknown which species occupied this area historically. Greater Sage-Grouse occupy the Roan Creek-Parachute Creek Divide area about 11 miles north of the study area. Gunnison Sage-Grouse can be found about 40 miles south in the Crawford area. It is possible that either species could be found in the study area, but it is more likely that Greater Sage-Grouse would occupy the area. For this project, our field crew walked stands of sagebrush looking for grouse and their sign. We found no grouse in the area but we did locate sign in the form of droppings and cecal casts at two locations. These samples were taken to a DNA lab in Denver, but they were too old to determine which species they belonged to.

In 2010 RMBO conducted surveys for Greater Sage-Grouse for the National Parks Service at Dinosaur National Monument in northwest Colorado and northeast Utah.  The goal was to determine which areas in the monument were occupied by Greater Sage-Grouse and other sage obligate bird species to better inform management decisions to conserve birds that depend on sagebrush. We located grouse, and even found hens with their broods, as we were surveying in the monument.  Detections of Greater Sage-Grouse were few and far between, however. Field workers also found and mapped sign in a good number of locations as they walked through the sagebrush stands, which will give biologists a better understanding of which areas in the monument are being utilized by Greater Sage-Grouse. Field workers also recorded locations of bird species that depend on stands of sagebrush for their existence, such as Brewer’s and Sage Sparrow and Sage Thrasher.