Abstract

The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a species of conservation concern that has undergone serious declines in the last century. The Strawberry Valley sage grouse population in Utah underwent such a decline from an estimated 3,500 sage grouse in the 1930s to 150 sage grouse in the early 2000s. This decline initiated a long-term conservation and monitoring project in Strawberry Valley with the goal of preserving the sage grouse population. As part of this ongoing conservation project, we investigated factors that impact the success of capturing sage grouse using the night-lighting method (Chapter 1). We found that capture success is influenced by precipitation, frost, vegetation, flock size, capture crew size, mode of transportation, and sex of the sage grouse. We provide information on these influential factors as well as recommendations on equipment and technique. We also compiled a dataset beginning in the 1930s of sage grouse clutch sizes from the Strawberry Valley population to determine the average number of eggs per clutch (Chapter 2). We investigated average clutch size over time, factors that influence average clutch size, and the accuracy and reliability of our clutch size counts. We found yearly variation in average clutch size that shows a weak, positive correlation with population size. Clutch sizes were smaller if laid as a re-nest or by sage grouse recently translocated from a different population. We found evidence that some of our clutch size counts are approximately two eggs fewer than the actual number laid by the sage grouse.

Degree

MS

College and Department

Life Sciences; Plant and Wildlife Sciences

Rights

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2024-04-25

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd13189

Keywords

Centrocercus urophasianus, sage grouse, night-lighting, spotlighting, trapping, moonlight, weather conditions, capture success, eggs, museum specimens, historical translocations, population size, nesting, reproduction

Language

english

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