California pursues sage grouse listing

Data and comments are due before April 12 on a proposal by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to list the bi-state sage grouse under the California Endangered Species Act.

The comment period is part of a year-long evaluation of a petition to list the sage grouse as an endangered or threatened species that started June 30, 2023, when the California Fish and Game Commission published findings of its decision to make the species a candidate for listing, according to the state.

The department has until June 30 to complete its status review that will inform the commission’s final decision on whether to list the greater sage-grouse under Act. As part of the status review process, the department is soliciting information regarding the species’ ecology, genetics, life history, distribution, abundance, habitat, the degree and immediacy of threats to its reproduction or survival, the adequacy of existing management, and recommendations for management of the species.

Data and comments may be submitted to the department by email at wildlifemgt@wildlife.ca.gov and include “greater sage-grouse” in the subject line.

Data or comments may also be submitted by mail to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Wildlife Diversity Program, Attn: CESA Unit, P.O. Box 944209, Sacramento, CA 94244-2090.

The report will be publicly available on the department’s website for at least 30 days before the commission considers acting on the petition.

The commission is charged with making the final determination on whether to list a species as threatened or endangered under the act.

The listing petition, the petition evaluation report and updates on the listing process are available at https://fgc.ca.gov/CESA#GSG.

The greater sage-grouse is found in sagebrush habitat throughout two distinct areas of California. The bi-state sage grouse population consists of birds from Alpine, Mono and Inyo counties, while the northeastern California population occurs in Modoc, Lassen, Plumas and Sierra counties.

 Greater sage-grouse are lekking birds, which means males perform elaborate displays to attract mates at communal breeding sites.

The birds’ primary food source is sagebrush, but they also eat a variety of other plants, including chicory, dandelion, clover, buckwheat, yarrow and milk-vetch. Insects like grasshoppers, beetles and ants are an important food source for chicks and hens. Threats include the loss, modification and fragmentation of habitat, as well as predation, climate change, loss of genetic diversity and disease.