- Centrocercus minimus
Identification
Male 44–51 cm (17¼-20 in), Female 32–38 cm (12½-15 in)
- Varying shades of grey and brown plumage
- Black belly
Distribution
United States: found only in the Gunnison Basin and south-western Colorado and adjacent south-eastern Utah
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Formerly considered conspecific with the Greater Sage Grouse, this species was split due to geographical isolation.
Habitat
They are generally to be found in sage-brush steppes.
Behaviour
Diet
Their diet is not well recorded, but appears to consist of insects in the summer and sagebrush leaves in the winter time.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved May 2016)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Gunnison Sage Grouse. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 30 January 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Gunnison_Sage_Grouse
