Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Gunnison grouse

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Kingdom
  
Animalia

Order
  
Galliformes

Subfamily
  
Tetraoninae

Scientific name
  
Centrocercus minimus

Rank
  
Species

Phylum
  
Chordata

Family
  
Phasianidae

Genus
  
Centrocercus

Higher classification
  
Centrocercus

Gunnison grouse Gunnison Sagegrouse Western State Colorado University

Similar
  
Grouse, Bird, Centrocercus, Greater sage‑grouse, Dusky grouse

The Gunnison sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus) is a species of grouse endemic to the United States. It is similar to the closely related greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in appearance, but about a third smaller in size, with much thicker plumes behind the head; it also has a less elaborate courtship dance. It is restricted in range to southwestern Colorado and extreme southeastern Utah, with the largest population residing in the Gunnison Basin region in Colorado. Despite being native to a country where the avifauna is relatively well known, it was overlooked until the 1990s due the similarities with the sage grouse, and only described as a new species in 2000—making it the first new avian species to be described from the USA since the 19th century. The description of C. minimus as a separate species is supported by a molecular study of genetic variation, showing that gene flow between the large-bodied and the small-bodied birds is absent.

Contents

Gunnison grouse Protect the Gunnison SageGrouse ForceChange

Gunnison sage-grouse are notable for their elaborate courtship rituals. Each spring, males congregate on leks and perform a "strutting display". Groups of females observe these displays and select the most attractive males with which to mate. Only a few males do most of the breeding. Males perform on leks for several hours in the early morning and evening during the spring. Leks are generally open areas adjacent to dense sagebrush stands, and the same lek may be used by grouse for decades.

Gunnison grouse In Gunnison A Belief The Sage Grouse Can Be Preserved Without

The numbers of this species are declining due to loss of habitat; their range has shrunk in historical times. Following petitions, the species has been proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act, by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Gunnison grouse Gunnison sagegrouse photo Centrocercus minimus G82775 ARKive

Distribution

Gunnison sage-grouse occur in seven counties in southwestern Colorado and one county in southeastern Utah.

Timing of major life events

Gunnison grouse Gunnison SageGrouse

Males gather on the lek or strutting grounds, which are small, open areas where breeding occurs, in late February to April, as soon as the lek is relatively free of snow. Only a few dominant males, usually two, breed. After mating, the hen leaves the lek for the nesting grounds. Clutch size ranges from six to eight eggs; incubation time is 25 to 27 days. Sage-grouse apparently have high rates of nest desertion and nest predation.

Preferred habitat

Gunnison grouse httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Gunnison sage-grouse are totally dependent on sagebrush-dominated habitats. Sagebrush is a crucial component of their diet year-round, and they select sagebrush almost exclusively for cover.

Gunnison grouse Gunnison SageGrouse Audubon Field Guide

References

Gunnison grouse Wikipedia