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Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) monitoring in southeast Alberta : 1968-2012

Description

Greater sage-grouse populations in Canada have declined by at least 80 per cent from historical levels. Threats to the Alberta population of sage-grouse include agricultural activities,... More ≫

Description

Greater sage-grouse populations in Canada have declined by at least 80 per cent from historical levels. Threats to the Alberta population of sage-grouse include agricultural activities, development in the energy sector, road and power line development, increasing predator populations and disease. Consistent monitoring is important so that population trends can be compared between years and linked to landscape activities. The objective of this report is to compile population monitoring efforts and corresponding methodologies that have been conducted and developed in Alberta since 1968 in order to provide an indication of trend for population decline.

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Sage-grouse & West Nile virus in Alberta

Description

The greater sage-grouse is one of the most marvelous animals on the short-grass prairie. Each spring, males gather on open clay pans and do their dance of love. They joust for the preferred... More ≫

Description

The greater sage-grouse is one of the most marvelous animals on the short-grass prairie. Each spring, males gather on open clay pans and do their dance of love. They joust for the preferred territory at the centre of the dancing ground (or lek), and then make complete fools of themselves. The males stand on their tiptoes, flex their tail and wings, puff up their chest and inflate the bright yellow air sacs on their throat. They let the air out with a resounding GALUMP which echoes across the prairie and apparently is an irresistible love call to the secretive females. Most of the activity starts in the wee hours of the morning and ends an hour or so after sunrise.

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Beneficial grazing management practices for sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) and ecology of silver sagebrush (Artemisia cana Pursh subsp. cana) in southeastern Alberta : final report - January 2004

Description

This document is a collection of background material and basic groundwork to begin the process of considering appropriate grazing management for sage-grouse, an upland bird species that is in... More ≫

Description

This document is a collection of background material and basic groundwork to begin the process of considering appropriate grazing management for sage-grouse, an upland bird species that is in serious decline in Alberta and Saskatchewan. The purpose of the project was to gather existing knowledge about the grazing history and current grazing practices in the sage-grouse range area of southeastern Alberta. The report will provide a context for the sage-grouse recovery team when considering grazing processes and practices in relation to managing wildlife species on rangelands including species-at-risk.

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Developing a habitat-based population viability model for greater sage-grouse in southeastern Alberta : 2001 report

Description

The greater sage-grouse population has declined dramatically over 30 years prior to 2000. Previous research suggests that the decline is a result of poor recruitment. Low levels of recruitment... More ≫

Description

The greater sage-grouse population has declined dramatically over 30 years prior to 2000. Previous research suggests that the decline is a result of poor recruitment. Low levels of recruitment appear to be linked to poor chick survival as a result of limited mesic sites important for brood rearing habitat. Due to the inaccuracies of brood flushing counts and the limits of technology to produce transmitters small enough for chicks, it has been difficult to accurately assess and understand chick survival. A previous population model developed from data gathered in 1998 and 1999 suggested that the population would continue to decrease in 2001, and this was corroborated by findings. However, in 2001, nest success and chick survival were both lower than values used to build the model and suggested that the population would likely decrease even further in 2002. Habitat use and selection at nest sites, brood-rearing locations and summer loafing sites were all assessed in order to obtain a...

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Assessing chick survival of sage-grouse in Canada : final project report for 2000

Description

The Alberta greater sage-grouse population has declined significantly over the last thirty years prior to 2000. Previous research suggested that the population has declined as a result of poor... More ≫

Description

The Alberta greater sage-grouse population has declined significantly over the last thirty years prior to 2000. Previous research suggested that the population has declined as a result of poor recruitment. Low levels of recruitment appear to be linked to poor chick survival. Due to the inaccuracies of brood flushing counts, and the limits of technology to produce transmitters small enough for chicks, it has been difficult to accurately assess and understand chick survival. A count of grouse in 2000 indicates that, contrary to modelling, the population remained relatively stable. While sample sizes were small, measures of productivity in 2000 were quite low compared to previous years, suggesting a better understanding of the variability in the parameters in the model is needed. A 2-stage pilot experiment, focusing on attaching transmitters to sage-grouse chicks, was also conducted. The transmitters did not appear to harm the chicks at all, and this technique appears to be a viable...

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Status of the sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus urophasianus) in Alberta

Description

This wildlife status report looks at the sage grouse, the largest species of grouse in North America and listed as endangered in Alberta. As a result of the loss of the native sagebrush... More ≫

Description

This wildlife status report looks at the sage grouse, the largest species of grouse in North America and listed as endangered in Alberta. As a result of the loss of the native sagebrush grasslands, the range of the sage grouse in North America has decreased by over 50 per cent during the 20th century. The sage grouse is listed as a threatened species in Canada and as at risk in Alberta. This report is part of the Alberta Wildlife Status Report series, which provides comprehensive summaries of selected wildlife species intended to be useful to those managing populations of species and their habitats, and to help identify species that may be formally designated as endangered or threatened.

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