Features

The federal sage-grouse recovery strategy describes sage-grouse thus:

"The Sage-Grouse is a large, round-winged, ground-dwelling grouse that has finely marked brown, black, buff, and dull white upper parts. Both sexes have a black abdominal patch, which is larger on males. The long tail feathers are variegated and gradually taper to an acute point. Males have an arched yellow comb above the eye, a black throat, a large white patch on the breast and long feathers behind the head at the back of the neck (Connelly et al. 2004). Concealed within the white breast feathers of males are two large air sacs that are inflated and deflated during courtship displays. Male Sage-Grouse average 2.6 kg and measure an average of 65 – 75 cm in length. Females average 1.3 kg and measure 48-58 cm in length."

Standing tall with tail fanned and white neck feathers raised in a ruff, a male greater sage-grouse will display on his breeding ground. He will inflate and compress air sacs in his throat to create loud popping sounds. Males are known to display for several weeks while the female will visit only for a short time to mate. Dancing grounds or lek sites are a critical part of the habitat greater sage-grouse depend on.

Historically, sage-grouse occupied around 100,000 km² of prairie Canada across three provinces (Alberta, B.C> and Saskatchewan). Current range, at 6,000 km², is just 6% of that historic range.