Photo: Pacific Southwest Region U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from Sacramento, US / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)

Vulnerable

Game Birds

Sage Grouse

Centrocercus urophasianus

Sage Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) — Gamebirds of North America.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Canada Birds of the United States Birds of Alberta Birds of Saskatchewan Birds of California Birds of Colorado Birds of Idaho Birds of Montana Birds of North Dakota Birds of Nebraska

By family

Pheasants, Grouse & Allies of Canada Pheasants, Grouse & Allies of the United States Pheasants, Grouse & Allies of Alberta Pheasants, Grouse & Allies of Saskatchewan Pheasants, Grouse & Allies of California Pheasants, Grouse & Allies of Colorado Pheasants, Grouse & Allies of Idaho Pheasants, Grouse & Allies of Montana Pheasants, Grouse & Allies of North Dakota Pheasants, Grouse & Allies of Nebraska

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The Sage Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a member of the Phasianidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 1.9 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

VU Vulnerable

Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Galliformes
Family Phasianidae Pheasants & Allies
Genus Centrocercus
Species urophasianus

Where it lives

South-central Canada to west-central USA

North America

Quick facts

Weight: 1.9 kg
Diet: Plant-eaters
Family: Phasianidae
Order: Galliformes
Habitat: Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Endangered

Gunnison Grouse

Centrocercus minimus

Least Concern

Black-billed Capercaillie

Tetrao urogalloides

Least Concern

Western Capercaillie

Tetrao urogallus

Least Concern

Caspian Snowcock

Tetraogallus caspius

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Sage Grouse feeds mainly on plant material such as leaves, buds and shoots.

Behaviour

A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Sage Grouse is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Sage Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a member of the Phasianidae family, within the order Galliformes. It is found across North America. Its distribution covers NA sc Canada to wc USA.

It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.9 kg, with a wing length of about 30.6 cm and a tail of around 24.2 cm.

It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.3 million km².

Songs & calls

Sage Grouse — Call, display sounds

Recorded by Nick Komar Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Sage Grouse?

The Sage Grouse is a very large bird that weighs around 1.9 kg.

Where does the Sage Grouse live?

The Sage Grouse is found across North America with a range covering NA sc Canada to wc USA, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.

What family does the Sage Grouse belong to?

The Sage Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) belongs to the Phasianidae family, in the order Galliformes.

What does the Sage Grouse eat?

The Sage Grouse feeds mainly on plant material such as leaves, buds and shoots.

Does the Sage Grouse migrate?

The Sage Grouse is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Sage Grouse endangered?

It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.

What sound does the Sage Grouse make?

1 real field recording of the Sage Grouse — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Sage Grouse's range?

The Sage Grouse has a mapped global range of about 1.3 million km².