Gunnison Sage-Grouse
Look first for shorter tail and thicker white head plumes than Greater Sage-Grouse, then confirm it in large intact sagebrush landscapes around the gunnison basin. Those two clues make Gunnison Sage-Grouse much easier to identify responsibly in Colorado.
Artwork inspired by Allen Tupper True
Gunnison sage-grouse were recognized as a species only in 2000. They are smaller than greater sage-grouse, with distinctive male filoplumes and a different strutting display, and their surviving range is restricted to southwestern Colorado and a small part of southeastern Utah.
Observe only from sanctioned routes or organized programs; approaching a lek can interrupt mating even when birds do not visibly flush. Use distant optics from legal public roads or an authorized blind; never walk toward displaying birds. Resident year-round; lek displays are concentrated from March into May.
- Status
- Federally threatened; most of the global population is in Colorado
- Best clue
- Shorter tail and thicker white head plumes than Greater Sage-Grouse
- Colorado habitat
- Large intact sagebrush landscapes around the Gunnison Basin
Quick guide
- Best chance
- Use a sanctioned distant lek viewpoint before sunrise
- Avoid
- Playback, roadside stopping, and entry into closed habitat
A low-impact field sequence for Gunnison Sage-Grouse
- Start at distance
- Use a sanctioned viewpoint and remain inside the vehicle where local rules require it.
- Compare species
- Gunnison birds have thicker white neck plumes and a shorter, more strongly banded tail than Greater Sage-Grouse.
- Watch the display
- Males inflate paired air sacs, sweep the ground with tail feathers, and face rivals across small territories.
- Protect the lek
- Leave immediately if birds flush, stop displaying, or fix their attention on observers.
Good to know
A lek may look like empty sagebrush after sunrise. That does not make it an appropriate place to approach, scout on foot, or revisit outside managed viewing.
Notice these
- Shorter tail and thicker white head plumes than Greater Sage-Grouse
- Large intact sagebrush landscapes around the Gunnison Basin
- Federally threatened; most of the global population is in Colorado