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Jeff Dillon or Phil Carroll (503) 231-6179
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today found that a petition to list the western subspecies of sage grouse (also known as western sage grouse) as endangered or threatened does not provide sufficient information showing that the species is distinct from other sage grouse populations.
Based on that finding the Service concluded in a 90-day finding that the grouse is not eligible for federal protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
The Institute for Wildlife Protection petitioned the agency to list western sage grouse wherever they are found in northern California, Oregon and Washington, as well as any that still occur in parts of Idaho. The 90-day finding appears in today’s Federal Register as part of a settlement agreement that the Service complete the finding by January 30, 2003.
The Service published a 12-month finding in May 2001 for the Columbia Basin distinct population segment (DPS) of sage grouse acknowledging that listing that population was warranted. Nevertheless, listing was precluded due to higher priority listing actions.
Petitioners in today’s finding requested ESA protection for the western sage grouse, claiming that there are genetic and ecological differences between sage grouse located in the Columbia Basin and the rest of the population in central and southern Oregon and Washington. Because the Service’s 2001 finding presented an in-depth review of the western sage grouse, we focused only on the remaining portion of the petitioned sage grouse populations in today’s review.
"Neither the petition nor any of the available scientific or commercial information demonstrated that this is a species we can list," said Anne Badgley, Regional Director of the Service’s Pacific Region. "We will continue to work with federal and state agencies as well as private entities in conserving of sage grouse and encourage the continuation of activities already in place."
Under the Endangered Species Act, a species, a subspecies, or a distinct population segment may be listed as threatened or endangered. In order to qualify a distinct population segment for listing, Service policy requires looking at factors such as isolation and significance to the rest of the species.
Currently, sage grouse can be found in 11 states and two Canadian provinces. Western sage grouse were first described in 1946, but the validity of separating eastern and western subspecies has since been questioned. A genetics study conducted recently on the two subspecies indicates that there is no difference between them. Results of that study will be published soon.
The largest of the native grouse, sage grouse are chicken-like, ground-nesting birds. Adult males can stand 30 inches tall and weigh up to seven pounds. They also have commonly been called sage fowl, spine-tailed grouse, fool hen, cock-of-the-plains, and sage chicken. Sage grouse depend on sagebrush most of the year for roosting cover and food, relying on it almost entirely for food in the winter. During the spring breeding season, the males defend territory and perform elaborate displays with specialized plumage and vocalizations to attract females.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 540 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
For more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Oregon, visit our home page at http://OregonFWO.fws.gov, the Pacific Region’s home page at http://pacific.fws.gov/, or our National Headquarters home page at http://www.fws.gov/.
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