A little bird with a lot of influence
Seed for Sage Grouse Habitat
The Sage Grouse is strange and fascinating little bird that depends on the sagebrush communities of the west for survival. Their populations have diminished with their habitat. Great Basin Seed works closely with wildlife conservation groups to provide seed for Sage Grouse Habitat improvement and restoration.
Seed for Sage Grouse
The Greater Sage Grouse efforts are partnered with Great Basin Seed to bring you the highest quality in seed and research to the Sage Grouse.
Specialized Seed Mixes
We offer hundreds of species important to the Sage Grouse. Call us today to see how we can help you develop a mix for your project.
What is the Sage Grouse?
The Sage Grouse or “greater sage-grouse” (Centrocercus urophasianus) is the largest grouse in North America. It lives in the sagebrush country of the western United States and southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada. They are considered a “permanent resident, meaning they only move short distances and do not migrate. They forage on the ground and eat mainly sagebrush, but also insects and other plants. They nest on the ground under sagebrush or grass patches.
Sage Grouse are notable for their elaborate courtship rituals. Each spring males congregate in leks and perform a “strutting display”. Groups of females observe these displays and select the most attractive males to mate with. The dominant male located in the center of the lek typically copulates with around 80% of the females on the lek. Males perform in leks for several hours in the early morning and evening during the spring months.
Sage Grouse at Risk
In the United States the Sage Grouse is a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act. The leading factor in the decline of Sage Grouse populations is loss of habitat – particularly sagebrush habitat. At certain times of the year, sagebrush makes up 100% of their diet. The loss, degradation and fragmentation of sagebrush habitats are the leading threat to the sage grouse. Urban expansion, wildfires, invasive weeds and exotic grasses, and removal of the sagebrush-steppe have shrunk the habitat of the Sage Grouse and have contributed to the population decline.
Sage Grouse Initiative
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) launched the Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI) in 2010 in an effort to restore Sage Grouse habitat and revive the declining population. The effort is largely being carried out on private lands where Sage Grouse habitats are intact and bird numbers are highest. Efforts currently under way to improve sagebrush habitat include:
- Conifer Removal
- Conservation Easements
- Grazing Systems
- Marking Fences
- Invasive Weed Control
- Exotic Species Control
- Seeding Projects
How Great Basin Seed Can Help: Seed for Sage Grouse Habitat
The NRCS, universities, state agencies and Sage Grouse Initiative partners have established seed species recommended for habitat improvement. Their lists are comprised of every day seed staples here at Great Basin Seed. We specialize in the seeds recommended for sage grouse habitat. If you are a landowner in the SGI or want to be, we recommend you visit the SGI website, get involved, then contact us for help with your seed needs. See the table below and use the links at the bottom of the page to find information provided by the agencies and partners in the SGI.
| Valuable Sage Grouse Species | Scientific Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Wyoming Big Sagebrush | Artemesia tridentata wyomingensis | Key shrub species in Sage Grouse habitat |
| Basin Big Sagebrush | Artemesia tridentata tridentata | Key shrub species in Sage Grouse habitat |
| Winterfat | Krascheninnikovia lanata | Native shrub /sub-shrub |
| Rubber Rabbitbrush | Ericameria nauseosa | Native Shrub |
| Needle and Thread Grass | Hesperostipa comata | Native Grass |
| Western Wheatgrass | Pascopyrum smithii | Native Grass |
| Thickspike Wheatgrass | Elymus lanceolatus | Native Grass |
| Bluebunch Wheatgrass | Pseudoroegneria spicata | Native Grass |
| Snake River Wheatgrass | Elymus wawawaiensis | Native Grass |
| Indian Ricegrass | Achnatherum hymenoides | Native Grass |
| Bottlebrush Squirreltail | Elymus elymoides | Native Grass |
| Slender Wheatgrass | Elymus trachycaulus | Native Grass |
| Sideoats Grama | Bouteloua curtipendula | Native Grass |
| Green Needlegrass | Nassella viridula | Native Grass |
| Blue Grama | Bouteloua gracilis | Native Grass |
| Idaho Fescue | Festuca idahoensis | Native Grass |
| Galleta Grass | Hilaria jamesii | Native Grass |
| Basin Wildrye | Leymus cinereus | Native Grass |
| Mountain Brome | Bromus marginatus | Native Grass |
| Prairie Junegrass | Koeleria macrantha | Native Grass |
| Western Yarrow | Achillea millefolium | Native Forb |
| Perennial Gaillardia (Blanketflower) | Gaillardia aristada | Native Forb |
Intermountain West Joint Venture
Seed for Sage Grouse Habitat