Greater Sage-Grouse the Sagehen
Two male sage grouse fighting for dominance over the lek. © Tony Bynum
The Greater Sage-Grouse is the largest grouse species in North America. The Sage-Grouse occupies the arid, sagebrush prairies from southeast Alberta and southern Saskatchewan, Canada, south through Montana, Wyoming, northern Nevada, northern Utah, southern Idaho, and western Colorado. The video below is a short clip of the real live action you can expect to see on a sage grouse lek during the spring.
Sage Grouse are shy and do not like to be disturbed while on the Lek. for the following video and photographs, Tony Bynum was carefully camouflaged inside a “hide” or “blind.” Movements from humans or even other animals like coyotes or antelope can scare the birds off their lek. Tony enters the blind the night before the morning of the shoot and does not move the blind until the birds have completely left the lek. The blind is placed so as to not disrupt the lek area and the natural breeding of the birds.
A typical greater sage grouse lek with several males and a couple of females. The males will strut on the lek to gain the attention of the female. After mating the females fly away to build a nest. © Tony Bynum
A fully plumed male Greater Sage Grouse displays his pin feathers, and gular sacs duging the spring mating season. This bird was photographed from a blind, in central Montana. The large white “bag” that looks like a neck collar is called a gular sac. © Tony Bynum
From the back side of the Greater Sage Grouse the pin feathers are beautiful and unique. The males will slowly lose some of the feathers during the mating season due to the aggressive nature of the fights. Other males work to pluck the tail feathers while protecting their own. © Tony Bynum
Male Greater Sage Grouse with its gular sacs inflated. The male sage grouse “struts” on the lek to attract the females. There is a single female right of male in this photograph. © Tony Bynum
Male Greater Sage Grouse with its gular sacs inflated. © Tony Bynum
A male Sage Grouse stutting on a Lek in Central Montana. © Tony Bynum
A male greater sage grouse struts on a lek trying to attract females, in Central Montana. © Tony Bynum
The warm sun lights of the unique and stunning tail feathers, called “pin” feathers, and gular sac of the male greater sage grouse. © Tony Bynum
A tired warrior male greater sage grouse gets a rest after a fight. © Tony Bynum
Male greater sage grouse often spend a great deal of time paying attention to each other while strutting on the Lek. © Tony Bynum
Male Greater Sage Grouse with its gular sacs inflated try’s to get the attention of the female, left. © Tony Bynum
Two male greater sage grouse work to get the attention of a female. The one that the female likes the most will mate. © Tony Bynum
A pair of male greater sage grouse prepare to fight. © Tony Bynum
Two male greater sage grouse size each other up. Males are very aggressive and territorial while on the lek. Whichever male can get the attention, and hold it, of the females will get to mate. Research shows that a single dominate male will breed about 80% of the females on a single lek. © Tony Bynum
Two male greater sage grouse fighting on the lek in Central Montana. © Tony Bynum
Two male sage grouse fight on a lek in central Montana. © Tony Bynum
A single female greater sage grouse on the lek. © Tony Bynum
A male greater sage grouse is selected by the female after which mating can commence. © Tony Bynum
A male sage grouse fly’s from the lek soon after the sun rises. He will return in the evening or later the next morning. Sage grouse begin showing up on the lek in late February and early April in Montana. © Tony Bynum