Sage-grouse Habitat in Idaho - College of Natural Resources ...

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Breeding & Nesting 20 (Purshia tridentata), yellow rabbitbrush ( C h r y s o t h a m n u s viscidiflorus), or rubber rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa) with possibly less success. A relatively small clutch size averaging six to seven eggs, coupled with a low re-nesting probability results in one of the lowest reproductive rates of any North American game bird. Eggs can Gene M. Gray be olive to pale green in color, with small dots of brown. Following the hatch, the hen and chicks will stay in the vicinity of the nest for up to three weeks. Nesting & Early Brood-Rearing Habitat Characteristics Nesting success is critically important to population viability. Greater sage-grouse require a large continuous area of sagebrush habitat as well as a substantial understory of grasses and forbs (flowering broad-leaved plants) for their nesting and early brood-rearing habitat. Both of these components are important because the chicks need protection from predators and access to food without exposing themselves. To help monitor habitat value, biologists have developed a general set of habitat criteria (Table 1), which can be useful to help identify Sage-Grouse Habitat in Idaho Sage-grouse nest and eggs (West Central Planning Area)
Habitat Feature Sagebrush canopy cover Sagebrush height Sagebrush growth form Perennial grass and forb height Perennial grass and forb canopy cover Forb abundance & variety Habitat Use Nesting Cover Nesting Cover Nesting Cover Nesting Cover Nesting cover & Food Food Productive Habitat Wetter Sites 15% - 25% 15-30 inches Spreading form, few if any dead branches ≥ 7 inches ≥ 25% High Table 1: Productive nesting and early brood-rearing habitat characteristics (Source: Connelly et al. 2000 & Sather-Blaire et al. 2000) potential nesting habitat out in the field. Productive Habitat Drier Sites 15% - 25% 12-30 inches Spreading form, few if any dead branches ≥ 7 inches ≥ 15% High Sagebrush Canopy Cover Many scientific studies have demonstrated that the most productive nesting and early brood-rearing habitat includes 15 to 25 percent sagebrush canopy cover. Canopy cover is the overhead projection or footprint of live sagebrush crowns across the surface of the ground within an area of interest. Photos on the following pages illustrate different canopy cover amounts as they might appear in the field. Sage-Grouse Habitat in Idaho Breeding & Nesting 21
Page 1 and 2: Sage-grouse Habitat in Idaho A Prac
Page 3 and 4: Sage-Grouse Habitat in Idaho A Prac
Page 5 and 6: Contents Identification ...........
Page 7 and 8: grouse habitat, but does not recomm
Page 9 and 10: Gene M. Gray Above: Sagegrouse hen
Page 11 and 12: IDFG U.S. Forest Service Lukasz Luk
Page 13 and 14: compared with previous years to est
Page 15 and 16: Impacts to Habitat The greater sage
Page 17 and 18: devastation of range fires is well
Page 19 and 20: BLM Cattle grazing in the sagebrush
Page 21 and 22: Oct General Habitat Use Periods Use
Page 23: Gene M. Gray by fires or roads, are
Page 27 and 28: Insufficient sagebrush cover 5% Jef
Page 29 and 30: Productive sagebrush cover 15% Jeff
Page 31 and 32: Excessive sagebrush cover 45% Jeffr
Page 33 and 34: Jeffrey Gillan Jeffrey Gillan Shrub
Page 35 and 36: Jeffrey Gillan Above: Productive gr
Page 37 and 38: Late Brood-Rearing (July-Sept.) As
Page 39 and 40: Fall & Winter (September-March) Fal
Page 41 and 42: Sagebrush Steppe Plants The plants
Page 43 and 44: Mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia t
Page 45 and 46: Paul Makela © Gary A. Monroe the o
Page 47 and 48: This map shows sagebrush distributi
Page 49 and 50: Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis) N
Page 51 and 52: Forbs Below is a list of the forbs
Page 53 and 54: with a healthy understory of grasse
Page 55 and 56: Conservation Planning In July 2006,
Page 57 and 58: Final Thoughts A particularly chall
Page 59 and 60: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1387
Page 61 and 62: Polygynous mating (page 18) A matin
Page 63 and 64: Birds in Idaho. Available at: http:
Page 66: Sage-grouse Habitat in Idaho: A Pra

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