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Article: WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE SAGE GROUSE? WITH ENDANGERED LIST VETOED, ARE GROUSE-BENEFIT GROUPS WORKING?
- Article from:
- Wyoming Tribune-Eagle
- Article date:
- May 15, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2005 Wyoming Tribune-Eagle. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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CHEYENNE -- Pity the male sage grouse, the victim of female fancy.
Every spring morning, well before dawn, he must get to a breeding
ground (a lek), puff out his chest, splay and raise his tail feathers
and strut about with dozens of other males like bodybuilders on
steroids.
Periodically, he must heave his quivering, romance-novel-worthy
chest in the air, puff out his two air sacs with wings partially
folded forward and do his best impression of the Tupperware burp.
While he does this, females wander about contemplating the selection,
but mostly look bored.
He's paying so much attention to getting the job done, that he's
less aware of predators like eagles. And only a few mature males ...