[Gunnison Sage-Grouse, Centrocercus minimus] [View of an open landscape of sagebrush as the sun rises.] [Gunnison sage-grouse display calls] [Two male sage-grouse display for a female. A closer view of one male displaying. He holds his wings bent in front of his body, then moves his head forward while puffing out his body and pulling his wings back, which shakes the air sac on his chest. He walks and repeats this series of movements. His tail is held upright, fanned into a starburst. As he moves the air sac, it produces a low, gurgling sound. Another male performs the display, while a male runs by in the background. A close-up view of sage-grouse as he looks around, walks, and begins displaying. The display continues. Sometimes females or other males displaying are also visible.] [Filmed by David O. Brown in Colorado]
End of transcriptOn a Lek with Gunnison Sage-Grouse
The Gunnison Sage-Grouse is a spectacular but declining bird of the western United States sagebrush. It is restricted to seven isolated locations in Colorado and one tiny population in Utah. In early 2013, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service placed it under consideration for listing under the Endangered Species Act. The males have an extravagant spring display in which they puff out their bodies, fan their tails into a starburst, and make low, gurgling sounds with bizarre froglike air sacs in their chests.