Gunnison Sage Grouse

Centrocercus minimus

Population, Conservation Status, Threats:

The Gunnison sage grouse is considered endangered by the IUCN, and the population appears to be declining. They are dependent on sagebrush habitats for food and nesting, and are vulnerable to habitat loss and fragmentation, and are outcompeted by domestic browsers like sheep and cattle. They are also vulnerable to lek disturbances.

Physical Description:

Male sage grouse are brown, with a white ruff and yellow markings above their eyes. During breeding displays, they fan out their striped, starburst-shaped tails and inflate large yellow air sacs on their breast. Females are a mottled brown with a darker belly, and lack the distinctive breeding plumage and air sacs of males.

Colorado Gunnison sage grouse range from birdlife.org. Gunnison sage grouse are found almost exclusively in the Gunnison Basin of Colorado.

Habitat:

Gunnison sage grouse are found in Southwestern Colorado, with a small population in nearby Utah. They are entirely dependent on sagebrush habitats, primarily sagebrush plains and valleys.

Behavior:

Gunnison sage grouse spend most of their time foraging on the ground. During the breeding season, they come together in large groups called leks, where the males make elaborate mating displays, and the females choose which to mate with.

Diet:

Primarily sagebrush, though grouse will also eat insects and tender broadleaf plants. Young especially require insects for the extra protein content they provide, as well as non-sage browse, as they cannot digest sagebrush for the first few weeks of their life.

Reproduction:

After lekking, the males have no involvement in the raising of the young. Female grouse will make nests under sagebrush or shrubs, and lay between five and ten speckled olive eggs per clutch. Incubation lasts just over two weeks. The young are able to fly well after roughly five weeks.

Associated Species:

Gunnison sage grouse are entirely dependent on sagebrush as food and shelter. Up until the year 2000, they were not recognized as a separate species from the greater sage grouse, though it has been proven to be a distinct species. Grouse are threatened by competition with domestic cattle who can easily overgraze their habitat and outcompete them for access to browse.

Illustration by Willow Sedam

Sources: 1 https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/gunnison-sage-grouse, https://siskadee.org/ , https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Gunnison_Sage-Grouse/overview

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