Greater Sage-Grouse in Montana
If you’re interested in Greater Sage- Grouse habitat in the area of: Billings; Pompeys Pillar National Monument; HiLine; Dillon; Lewistown; Miles City.
With nearly 1,000 leks and an estimated 18 percent of the total greater sage-grouse population, Montana is the northern-most stronghold for greater sage-grouse and is key to the species’ survival. Montana overlaps with three Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) greater sage-grouse management zones, and the state’s populations play an important role in connectivity with greatly reduced populations to the north (Canada) and east (the Dakotas), as well as with more robust populations to the south (Wyoming and Idaho).
Unlike some western states, about two-thirds of Montana’s sage-grouse habitat is on non-federal land, and often occurs across a mixed, or “patchwork” distribution of private, state, and federal lands. Consequently, management and cooperation that accommodate this mixed ownership distribution is of particular importance in Montana.
In Montana, disturbance related to energy development and infrastructure is a primary threat to greater sage-grouse.