JACKSON HOLE, WYO – The time to see grouse strutting their stuff is right now. Each spring, male sage grouse perform an elaborate display of gyrating, foot stomping, and wing popping. It’s fairly adorable to watch, and for the lady grouse, it’s like watching Ryan Gosling load the dishwasher with his shirt off.
It’s strutting time at the leks and many ask Game & Fish where they can go to see this mating ritual, which is in dramatic form for much of March and April.
“The Wyoming Game and Fish Department recently updated its lek viewing guide to help birders find accessible leks around the state and minimize viewing disturbance to the grouse,” said sage grouse program coordinator Tom Christiansen. “I hope you enjoy this fascinating experience. Please do so respecting the grouse and their habitat.”
The Wyoming Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Plan recommends that only a small number of lek viewing sites be publicized along with information on how to minimize viewing disturbance to the grouse. Therefore, while there may be more known leks in your neck of the woods, they are purposely not publicized.
Cooperation from the public is vital to ensure protection and perpetuation of Wyoming’s sage-grouse populations. Please observe the general ethics* (at the end of the story) if you are heading out to view sage grouse do their thing.
Grouse gifted to North Dakota
Wyoming is home to more sage grouse than any other state or province in the world. In North Dakota, however, sage grouse have been nearly extirpated. The Game and Fish departments of Wyoming and North Dakota are getting together this week to transfer 60 total sage grouse to North Dakota to help get their numbers up.
“As a state we have led in sage grouse management and there is a strong commitment to help others succeed in conserving this species. It was a pleasure to help another state with this effort,” Christiansen said.
The capture site was north of Rawlins where grouse densities are healthy and past studies provide a baseline of information from which the impacts of the translocation on the source population can be measured.
“The limited history of sage grouse translocations is not filled with successes, but there are not many options for North Dakota and this is worth trying,” said Christiansen.
All told Wyoming sent 40 females and 20 males to North Dakota. Some were flown up and others made the trip by truck. The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is footing the bill for this project and has also committed to providing wild rooster pheasants to Wyoming for use as breeding stock at the Department’s bird farms.
There is another translocation planned for next year as well.
Sharp-tailed grouse dancing on the lek at the Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Great Falls, Montana on April 1, 2016.
*Lek viewing ethics:
- Arrive at lek sites at least one hour before sunrise
- Don’t drive onto the lek. Park away from the edge of the lek.
- Turn off the vehicle lights and engine.
- Use binoculars and spotting scopes to observe birds.
- Stay in your vehicle.
- Do not make loud noises or sudden movements.
- Do not leave until the birds do.
- Keep pets in your vehicle. Better yet, leave them home.
- Do not trespass on private land.
- Postpone your visit if roads are muddy.
- Be especially cautious with viewing activities during late March and early April when breeding activity usually peaks.
- Late April is a better time to visit because most of the breeding is complete but the males are still actively strutting. The weather is usually better too.
