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Sage-grouse numbers difficult to determine
Number of males at 10-year high
By Steve Rzasa
Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of articles about sage-grouse, the bird on whose survival hinges not just the future of coal-bed methane development in Johnson County, but also the management of the many ranches in the area. Beginning next week the Bulletin will look at the many factors affecting sage-grouse’s life cycle and habitat.
The number of male sage-grouse observed at breeding sites in the Powder River Basin increased in 2006 to the greatest level in the past 10 years, but overall sage-grouse populations are a far cry from what they were years ago,
Dan Thiele, the Wyoming Game & Fish Department wildlife biologist covering the Buffalo area, completed a 2006 Annual Sage-grouse Job Completion Report for the Northeast Wyoming Working Group, which includes local ranchers, energy company representatives and wildlife managers.
His report states that following the 2006 lek monitoring period, the Northeast area – which includes 11 counties in and around the Powder River Basin – held 502 leks. Almost two-thirds of these are located in Johnson and Campbell counties.
A lek is the traditional courtship display area where male sage-grouse strut their stuff for the ladies, hoping to win a mate.
By counting 86 of those 502 leks, researchers found an average of 19.5 males per lek, which Thiele notes is “notably higher than the 12.8 males/lek observed in 2005 and the highest number of males/lek over the last 10 years.”
To find out more about how sage-grouse populations are estimated, read the June 12 print issue of the Buffalo Bulletin.
The number of male sage-grouse observed at breeding sites in the Powder River Basin increased in 2006 to the greatest level in the past 10 years, but overall sage-grouse populations are a far cry from what they were years ago,
Dan Thiele, the Wyoming Game & Fish Department wildlife biologist covering the Buffalo area, completed a 2006 Annual Sage-grouse Job Completion Report for the Northeast Wyoming Working Group, which includes local ranchers, energy company representatives and wildlife managers.
His report states that following the 2006 lek monitoring period, the Northeast area – which includes 11 counties in and around the Powder River Basin – held 502 leks. Almost two-thirds of these are located in Johnson and Campbell counties.
A lek is the traditional courtship display area where male sage-grouse strut their stuff for the ladies, hoping to win a mate.
By counting 86 of those 502 leks, researchers found an average of 19.5 males per lek, which Thiele notes is “notably higher than the 12.8 males/lek observed in 2005 and the highest number of males/lek over the last 10 years.”
To find out more about how sage-grouse populations are estimated, read the June 12 print issue of the Buffalo Bulletin.
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