Greater Sage-Grouse

grouse · western birds · sagebrush

Largest North American grouse. Greater sage-grouse are huge birds, bigger than any other grouse species found in North America. Males can weigh up to 7 pounds, which is about as heavy as a small chicken.

Sagebrush home. These birds live only in wide open spaces covered with sagebrush in the western United States and parts of Canada like Alberta and Saskatchewan. They need this special habitat to survive.

Amazing puffing display. Male sage-grouse do an incredible courtship dance where they puff out their chest and make loud popping sounds to impress females. It's one of nature's most dramatic bird performances.

Once just one species. Until the year 2000, all sage-grouse were called just 'sage grouse,' but scientists realized the Gunnison sage-grouse was actually a different species. There may be other separate populations too.