Difference between revisions of "Greater sage grouse"
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DavidB4-bot (talk | contribs) (→Range and habitat: Spelling/Grammar Check, typos fixed: between 4,000 to → between 4,000 and) |
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==Range and habitat== | ==Range and habitat== | ||
| − | Greater sage-grouse are found at elevations of between 4,000 | + | Greater sage-grouse are found at elevations of between 4,000 and over 9,000 feet in the western Great Plains, the Great Basin of Nevada, and westward into the plains areas of Washington, Oregon, eastern California, and north into Alberta and Saskatchewan. |
The birds are dependent on the sagebrush (''Artemisia spp.''), for food, cover, and nesting sites; it has been determined that they cannot exist without these plants. | The birds are dependent on the sagebrush (''Artemisia spp.''), for food, cover, and nesting sites; it has been determined that they cannot exist without these plants. | ||
Latest revision as of 04:50, June 25, 2016
| Greater sage grouse | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom Information | |
| Domain | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Branch | Deuterostomia |
| Phylum Information | |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Sub-phylum | Vertebrata |
| Infraphylum | Gnathostomata |
| Class Information | |
| Superclass | Tetrapoda |
| Class | Aves |
| Order Information | |
| Superorder | Galloanserimorphae |
| Order | Galliformes |
| Sub-order | Phasiani |
| Family Information | |
| Superfamily | Phasianoidea |
| Family | Phasianidae |
| Genus Information | |
| Genus | Centrocercus |
| Species Information | |
| Species | C. urophasianus |
| Population statistics | |
| Population | 150,000 (2004; decreasing) |
| Conservation status | Near-threatened[1] |
The Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a large, chicken-like bird of the western plains of North America, dependent on the sagebrush for existence.
Description
The Greater sage-grouse is a rounded-winged, ground-dwelling bird, approximately 30 inches long, standing 2 feet tall, and weighing from two to seven pounds. Both sexes are a mottled brown, black, and white. Males are slightly larger, and during mating displays they have a large white ruff around their neck and bright yellow, inflatable air sacks on their breasts. Tail feathers in males are longer with pointed shafts, and are fanned out during displays.
Range and habitat
Greater sage-grouse are found at elevations of between 4,000 and over 9,000 feet in the western Great Plains, the Great Basin of Nevada, and westward into the plains areas of Washington, Oregon, eastern California, and north into Alberta and Saskatchewan.
The birds are dependent on the sagebrush (Artemisia spp.), for food, cover, and nesting sites; it has been determined that they cannot exist without these plants.