Grand Teton National Park — Largely due to habitat loss greater sage-grouse populations are sadly declining across the West. At Grand Teton National Park crews are proactively combating the problem and have spent eight years restoring native vegetation in an old pasture with one goal in mind, to create ideal habitat for sage-grouse and draw birds away from the Jackson Hole Airport to reduce the risk of plane strikes.
Biologists carefully selected plant species to support brood-rearing, with a mix of cover and forage. They also selected a mix of plants that maintain some visually open ground to serve as a greater sage-grouse breeding site, known as a lek. The habitat is all set for the birds to take up residence, now all they have to do is convince the birds to come check it out.
Cue the robots! The folks at Grand Teton National Park have partnered with the Teton Raptor Center, Jackson Hole High School RoboBroncs, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and Jackson Hole Airport, park staff are currently testing creative, experimental ways to draw sage-grouse to the new lek using robo-grouse. Each spring, male sage-grouse come to leks to “strut” in showy mating displays that attract females. Rival males join in and compete for the females attention.
To help spark this activity at the restored site, the partners built lifelike robot grouse, both stationary and solar powered moving ones, paired with recorded breeding calls to enhance the scene. Hopefully these model birds will draw in some real sage-grouse to join the dance party at the restored lek.
If you visit Grand Teton National Park during spring, look for the courtship display of the sage grouse in the sagebrush community. During display, the male sage grouse tail feathers spread over a 280-degree angle and they expand air sacs on the chest that produce a popping sound to attract a female.
