Species Profile
Environmental Conservation Online System

Greater Sage Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)

Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Aves
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae

Listing Status:    and  

General Information

Greater sage-grouse are the largest grouse in North America. Males often weigh in excess of 4-5 pounds and hens weigh in at 2-3 pounds. On the ground and in flight they appear almost black, and their long pointed tail is approximately half the length of their body. Both sexes have narrow, pointed tail feathers, feathering to the base of the toes, and a variegated pattern of grayish brown, buff and black on the upper parts, with paler flanks and a diffuse black pattern on the abdomen. Adult males have blackish-brown throat feathers which are separated by a narrow band of white from a dark V-shaped pattern on the neck. White breast feathers conceal 2 large, skin sacs (used in courtship displays) which are yellow-green in color. Males also have yellow eyecombs (obvious in the spring during courtship displays). Female sage grouse lack the specialized structures used for courtship displays but generally resemble males in coloration. However, in comparison to males, their throats are buffy with blackish markings and the lower throat and breast are barred which presents a blackish-brown appearance. Immature birds (less than 1 yr. of age) can be distinguished from adults by their light yellowish green toes (adults have dark green toes).

Population detail

The FWS is currently monitoring the following populations of the Greater Sage Grouse 

  • Population location: Columbia basin DPS, WA
    Listing status:  Candidate
  • Population location: entire
    Listing status:  Under Review
    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur:  California , Colorado , Idaho , Montana , Nevada , North Dakota , Oregon , South Dakota , Utah , Washington , Wyoming
  • Population location: Mono basin
    Listing status:  Under Review
    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur:  California
Current Listing Status Summary
Status Date Listed Lead Region Where Listed
Pacific Region (Region 1) Columbia basin DPS
Mountain-Prairie Region (Region 6) entire
California/Nevada Region (Region 8) Mono basin

» Candidate Information

Current Candidate Status

Listing Priority: 6
Magnitude: High
Immediacy: Non-imminent
Taxonomy: Subspecies/population
Species Assessment Form for the Greater Sage Grouse (Columbia basin DPS, WA) -- 239Kb.
Candidate Notice of Review Documents (Showing 5 of 13 : view all)
Date Citation Page Title
11/09/2009 74 FR 57803 57878 Review of Native Species That Are Candidates for Listing as Endangered or Threatened; Annual Notice of Findings on Resubmitted Petitions; Annual Description of Progress on Listing Actions
12/10/2008 73 FR 75175 75244 Review of Native Species That Are Candidates for Listing as Endangered or Threatened; Annual Notice of Findings on Resubmitted Petitions; Annual Description of Progress on Listing Actions; Proposed Rule
12/06/2007 72 FR 69033 69106 Review of Native Species That Are Candidates for Listing as Endangered or Threatened; Annual Notice of Findings on Resubmitted Petitions; Annual Description of Progress on Listing Actions; Proposed Rule
09/12/2006 71 FR 53755 53835 Review of Native Species That Are Candidates or Proposed for Listing as Endangered or Threatened; Annual Notice of Findings on Resubmitted Petitions; Annual Description of Progress on Listing Actions
05/11/2005 70 FR 24869 24934 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Review of Native Species That Are Candidates or Proposed for Listing as Endangered or Threatened; Annual Notice of Findings on Resubmitted Petitions; Annual Description of Progress on Listing Actions; Proposed Rule

» Federal Register Documents

Most Recent Federal Register Documents (Showing 5 of 25 : view all)
Date Citation Page Title
11/09/2009 74 FR 57803 57878 Review of Native Species That Are Candidates for Listing as Endangered or Threatened; Annual Notice of Findings on Resubmitted Petitions; Annual Description of Progress on Listing Actions
07/23/2009 74 FR 36502 36503 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Permit Application; Greater Sage-Grouse; Washington, Adams, Gem, and Payette Counties, Idaho
12/10/2008 73 FR 75175 75244 Review of Native Species That Are Candidates for Listing as Endangered or Threatened; Annual Notice of Findings on Resubmitted Petitions; Annual Description of Progress on Listing Actions; Proposed Rule
04/29/2008 73 FR 23170 23172 90-Day Finding on a Petition to List the Western Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus phaios) as Threatened or Endangered
04/29/2008 73 FR 23173 23175 90-Day Finding on Petitions To List the Mono Basin Area Population of the Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) as Threatened or Endangered

» Conservation Plans

Candidate Conservation Agreements (CCA): (learn more) (Showing 2 of 2 )
CCA Plan Summaries
Utah Sage Grouse Conservation Plan
Western sage grouse CCA (WA)

» Petitions

Most Recent Petition Findings (Showing 5 of 8 : view all)
Date Citation Page Title Finding
04/29/2008 73 FR 23170 23172 90-Day Finding on a Petition to List the Western Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus phaios) as Threatened or Endangered
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Substantial
    • 04/29/2008 73 FR 23173 23175 90-Day Finding on Petitions To List the Mono Basin Area Population of the Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) as Threatened or Endangered
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Substantial
    • 12/19/2006 71 FR 76057 76079 90-Day Finding on Petitions to List the Mono Basin Area Population of the Greater Sage-Grouse as Threatened or Endangered
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Not substantial
    • 01/07/2004 69 FR 933 936 90-day Finding for a Petition To List the Eastern Subspecies of the Greater Sage-Grouse as Endangered: Notice of 90-day petition finding, not substantial
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Not substantial
    • 02/07/2003 68 FR 6500 6504 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-day Finding on a Petition To List the Western Sage Grouse: petition does not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing this subspecies may be warranted
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Not substantial

    • » Life History

    No Life History information has been entered into this system for this species.

    » Other Resources

    NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

    ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

    Last updated: November 21, 2009