Greater Sage Grouse

Greater sage grouse
Scientific classification
Kingdom Information
Domain	Eukaryota
Kingdom	Animalia
Branch	Deuterostomia
Phylum Information
Phylum	Chordata
Sub-phylum	Vertebrata
Infraphylum	Gnathostomata
Class Information
Superclass	Tetrapoda
Class	Aves
Order Information
Superorder	Galloanserimorphae
Order	Galliformes
Sub-order	Phasiani
Family Information
Superfamily	Phasianoidea
Family	Phasianidae
Genus Information
Genus	Centrocercus
Species Information
Species	C. urophasianus
Population statistics
Population	150,000 (2004; decreasing)
Conservation status	Near-threatened[1]

The Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a large, chicken-like bird of the western plains of North America, dependent on the sagebrush for existence.

Description[edit]

The Greater sage-grouse is a rounded-winged, ground-dwelling bird, approximately 30 inches long, standing 2 feet tall, and weighing from two to seven pounds. Both sexes are a mottled brown, black, and white. Males are slightly larger, and during mating displays they have a large white ruff around their neck and bright yellow, inflatable air sacks on their breasts. Tail feathers in males are longer with pointed shafts, and are fanned out during displays.

Range and habitat[edit]

Greater sage-grouse are found at elevations of between 4,000 and over 9,000 feet in the western Great Plains, the Great Basin of Nevada, and westward into the plains areas of Washington, Oregon, eastern California, and north into Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The birds are dependent on the sagebrush (Artemisia spp.), for food, cover, and nesting sites; it has been determined that they cannot exist without these plants.

References[edit]