Eastern Washington grouse populations boosted with relocated birds‏

[jackelope]

WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/

April 28, 2011                               

Contact: Mike Atamian, (509) 892-1001, ext.327

Eastern Washington grouse populations
boosted with relocated birds

Low populations of two bird species native to eastern Washington’s shrub-steppe habitat got a boost this spring with relocation efforts by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

Greater sage grouse and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, both listed by the state for protection as threatened species, were relocated to WDFW’s Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area in Lincoln County. Each relocated grouse is equipped with radio-telemetry that enables biologists to monitor their survival and movements.

Thirty-seven sage grouse captured from healthy populations near Vale, Ore., were released on the wildlife area in late March. It was the fifth such release since 2008 on the state wildlife area and adjacent U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) shrub-steppe habitat south of Creston.

Twenty sharp-tailed grouse captured from healthy populations near Burley, Idaho, were released on another part of the wildlife area in late April. It was the seventh such release since 2005.

WDFW Wildlife Biologist Mike Atamian of Spokane reported that some of the released male sage grouse almost immediately joined other resident males on a lek, a group mating dance ground where males vie to breed with females.

"We capture and relocate both these shrub-steppe species at this time of year to take advantage of their focus on mating," Atamian said. "It increases the chance of them adapting to their new home."

Sage grouse are the largest native grouse, at nearly two-feet long and about four pounds in weight. Sharp-tailed grouse are roughly half that size. Both species historically numbered in the tens of thousands and ranged throughout eastern Washington shrub-steppe and Palouse grasslands.

Grouse range and numbers have been greatly reduced by removal of native vegetation and other disturbances, leaving only remnant populations of sharp-tailed grouse in Douglas, Lincoln and Okanogan counties and sage grouse primarily in Yakima and Douglas counties. Both species were listed by the state as threatened in 1998 and have been federal species of concern since 2001.

The state population of sage grouse is estimated to be just under 1,200 birds; sharp-tailed grouse are estimated at just over 800 birds.  WDFW recovery plans call for restoring habitat and continuing relocation efforts until populations of about 3,200 birds of each species can be sustained.

Cooperators in Washington grouse recovery include the BLM, the Oregon Department Fish and Wildlife, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Washington State University, Colville Confederated Tribes, and multiple volunteers.  Relocation and monitoring efforts are funded by federal grants through BLM and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 



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[Machias]

This is absolutely worthless if they don't incorporate aggresive predator control.  WAY too many yotes, coons and skunks!  Worthless!!

[MtnMuley]

Nice to see them still spending money on birds that seem to find having a hard time making it, while their other grouse species in many of those areas are in a big decline (the ones that they actually make money on--"open season").  Mis-management at its finest.

[Machias]

Can anybody say woodland caribou?

[MtnMuley]

Yep.  Vanished.

[MtnMuley]

Can anybody say "Wolferine"?

[bobcat]

Nice to see them still spending money on birds that seem to find having a hard time making it, while their other grouse species in many of those areas are in a big decline (the ones that they actually make money on--"open season").  Mis-management at its finest.

What would you suggest they do to improve blue grouse and/or ruffed grouse?   

They don't control the habitat (or the weather). Those are the two main factors that influence population numbers and they can't do anything to change either one.

[oldleclercrd]

How about they pay Machias to get rid of some of the predetors FIRST and then relocate? Seems like the money can be better spend elsewhere if their not gonna do it right.

[bearpaw]

I agree they need predator control. A big problem is that birds of prey are likely a large part of the predation, there's not many ways to control birds of prey except if their food sources (including grouse) run out.

I wonder if the area they introduced the grouse has some cover for escapement?

I do think it's a good thing they are trying to recover those grouse populations. If they continue to decline and are listed as endangered, then federal intervention will likely occur (reference wolves and grizzlies in Montana and Idaho). For this reason it's probably much cheaper if they try to recover these grouse now. You don't want to know how many millions have been spent on wolves.

I would imagine they have researched before the release to determnine that it will likely succeed. 

Voters in the 90's speeded the decline in caribou when they stopped cougar management. Now wolves spilling over from neighboring areas will likely seal the deal on extinction. What is amazing is that the WDFW fails to properly address this in the wolf plan.

So there's an example why I hope they succeed with the grouse plants.

[MtnMuley]

What would you suggest they do to improve blue grouse and/or ruffed grouse?   

Simple solution: Close the season for a year in those areas that are struggling.  Just as they do in the fishing aspect, not enough of a run -- no season.

[Cougeyes]

I agree they need predator control. A big problem is that birds of prey are likely a large part of the predation, there's not many ways to control birds of prey except if their food sources (including grouse) run out.

I wonder if the area they introduced the grouse has some cover for escapement?

I do think it's a good thing they are trying to recover those grouse populations. If they continue to decline and are listed as endangered, then federal intervention will likely occur (reference wolves and grizzlies in Montana and Idaho). For this reason it's probably much cheaper if they try to recover these grouse now. You don't want to know how many millions have been spent on wolves.

Voters in the 90's speeded the decline in caribou when they stopped cougar management. Now wolves spilling over from neighboring areas will likely seal the deal on extinction. What is amazing is that the WDFW fails to properly address this in the wolf plan.

So there's an example why I hope they succeed with the grouse plants.

 Bearpaw you're right, coyotes actually dont play as big a role in predation on grouse as many think.  Great horned owls, golden eagles and other larger raptors have quite the impact. Removal through relocation of great horned owls away from the sage grouse habitat up there was one method they were working with.  Ravens are very intelligent birds and have been documented often locating sage grouse nests and predating the nest.  Once sage grouse reach adult stage their survival goes way up, its just that 1st year that is crucial.  I imagine all of this pertains to sharp tailed grouse as well.

I have seen the habitat they released them in and there is adequate cover for them.

[bearpaw]

Cougeyes
We spend a great deal of time in the woods turkey hunting. During the nesting season we have watched countless times as Ravens spot a nesting hen and begin diving at her trying to get her to move. If she moves, they attack the nest and consume all the eggs. They wark at doing this in small groups so they are more effective. They are very smart birds. In NE WA it is my opinion that Ravens are possibly the greatest predator of turkey nests from what we all have visually observed.

So I imagine they are just as effective with sage grouse. I am not sure what can be done other than assure there is some nesting cover. 

[Kain]

There is no money in fixing the actual problems causing these animals to struggle.  Look at the Columbia whitetail down here.  That animal is NEVER gonna recover.  I think they like it that way.

[Cougeyes]

Yeah not sure what all can be done other than removing perches within grouse nesting areas.  Killing ravens through depredation permits is pointless because other ravens will just move in.  I found a study that showed how researchers trained ravens to not predate eggs (think it was sage grouse) by creating artificial nests with eggs that had a foul taste.  Ravens soon related that taste to the eggs and the % of predated nests within raven occupied areas soon dropped significantly.  A single pair or ravens can predate a lot of nests. 

[1Shot2Kills]

This is absolutely worthless if they don't incorporate aggresive predator control.  WAY too many yotes, coons and skunks!  Worthless!!

The state at work once again, did you really expect anything more from the state?