WYOMING — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) encourages Wyomingites to view sage grouse on their leks during April, when breeding activity usually peaks.
According to the WGFD, the greater sage grouse is the largest species of grouse in North America. Each spring male sage grouse perform an elaborate sunrise display on communal breeding grounds known as leks. While sage grouse require sagebrush landscapes to survive, leks are often located in open areas where the males can be better seen and heard by females.
“The dramatic display makes viewing sage grouse a popular recreational activity during the spring across much of Wyoming,” WGFD Sage Grouse Biologist Nyssa Whitford said in the announcement. “This year’s conditions are mostly dry across the state. We may still receive spring storms so be vigilant, watch the weather and pick a string of dry, clear mornings for your lek visit this year.”
Game and Fish launched the Sage Grouse Lek Viewing Guide to inform the public of accessible viewing locations across Wyoming. The guide provides directions to each lek location.
WGFD urges wildlife watchers to be respectful while witnessing the sage grouse’s early-morning rituals.
- Arrive at lek sites at least one hour before sunrise.
- Park away from the edge of the lek. Do not drive onto the lek.
- Turn off vehicle lights and engine.
- Use binoculars and spotting scopes to observe birds.
- Stay in the vehicle.
- Avoid making loud noises or sudden movements.
- Let the bird leave before departing.
- Leave pets at home.
- Respect private land and do not trespass.
- Postpone driving to a lek if roads are muddy.
“It’s important to give them distance and not be obtrusive,” WGFD wrote on its website. “Late-April is a good time to visit because most of the breeding is complete, but the males are still actively strutting.”
