Greater Sage-Grouse: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Show-offs · day 4 of 7

Five facts

1. Each spring, male sage-grouse gather in leks for a strutting display. Females watch and pick the most attractive.
2. The dominant male in the middle of the lek typically mates with around 80% of the females there.
3. During courtship, males inflate two yellowish sacs on the neck.
4. Some hens fly as far as 32 km to find a good nesting site.
5. Sage-grouse have no muscular gizzard to grind hard seeds, so they eat soft plant food, mostly sagebrush leaves.

The quiz

1. What do males do at a lek?

• A silent flight
• A strutting display (correct)
• A long migration
• A nest-building contest

Each spring, male sage-grouse gather in leks for a strutting display. Females watch and pick the most attractive.

2. What share of the females does the dominant male typically mate with?

• Around 80% (correct)
• Around 8%
• Around 20%
• Around 40%

The dominant male in the middle of the lek typically mates with around 80% of the females there.

3. What do males inflate during courtship?

• Their wings
• Their tail feathers
• A red crest
• Two yellowish neck sacs (correct)

During courtship, males inflate two yellowish sacs on the neck.

4. How far have some hens flown to reach a nesting site?

• 3 km
• 12 km
• 32 km (correct)
• 92 km

Some hens fly as far as 32 km to find a good nesting site.

5. Why do sage-grouse need soft food like sagebrush leaves?

• They can't grind hard seeds (correct)
• They have no beak
• They can't drink water
• They feed it to their eggs

With no muscular gizzard, sage-grouse can't grind hard seeds, so they eat soft plants, mostly sagebrush.

More about the Greater Sage-Grouse

Same week

All lessons

Nature documentaries