MOOSE, Wyo. — On the last two weekends in April, Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) will offer ranger tours to observe the strutting sage grouse perform their unique annual mating dance near Mormon Row.
According to GTNP, during the spring breeding season the greater sage grouse will congregate and the males will perform animated mating displays. Their ritualistic strut includes using their tail feathers and expandable air sacs under their throats to compete with other males for an optimum position on the lek, or open area for courtship display, and gain the attention of females.
Greater sage grouse are currently listed as a species of concern under the Environmental Species Act. While Wyoming sage grouse populations were steadily declining from 2016 to 2021, 2022 was the first year that Wyoming saw a slight increase in lek attendance numbers. According to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD), lek attendance was up slightly by 6 percent, and the average of 17.9 male sage grouse per active lek was up from 16.9 the previous year.
2022 was also a year that sage grouse hunting was closed in and around Jackson Hole due to low population numbers.
WGFD emphasizes that habitat is key to the sustainability of sage grouse. They are a sagebrush obligate species that could not survive without the shrub. GTNP’s ranger-led grouse strut tours will provide information about conservation efforts that are underway for sage grouse populations.
The grouse strut programs will meet at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose at 5:30 a.m. on April 22, 23, 29 and 30. Participants should bring cameras, binoculars, water, warm layers and comfortable walking shoes.
While the tour will be offered free of charge, participants must reserve a spot by calling 307-739-3399.
