Each spring, at dawn, the sagebrush country of western North America fills with a strange burbling sound and an even stranger sight. Dozens of male Greater Sage-Grouse puff their chests and fan their starburst tails like avant-garde turkeys. They inflate bulbous yellow air sacs and thrust with their heads to produce weird pops and whistles. The rest of the year these birds melt away into the great sagebrush plains that are their only home. Habitat fragmentation and development have caused severe declines for this spectacular bird.

Greater sage grouse are quite social animals, gathering in flock, consisted of hundreds of birds. The sage grouse are diurnal birds. They are efficient in flying short distances and are not fast runners, though preferring to move around primarily by walking. When facing danger, the sage grouse will usually escape, hiding or flying. The breeding season starts in spring, when the birds congregate in leks, looking for mates. They gather on the breeding ground to perform courtship rituals. During the display, they unfold the strut surrounding their tail, filling and emptying their esophageal sacs with a loud booming sound, heard at a distance of a mile. In Washington, the sage grouse populations live in the sagebrush country, generally remaining within the same area throughout the year, except for winter months, when they move to lowlands.

The best way to see Greater Sage-Grouse is to visit a lek before dawn during the late winter and early spring in March to May. Leks can be very sensitive to disturbance, and some leks are closed to the public. Others are well prepared for public viewing and may feature viewing blinds or guided tours.
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