Wyoming sage grouse numbers hold steady in 2020

CASPER, WYO. (AP) — Sage grouse numbers are holding steady in Wyoming. Hunters reported killing about the same number of sage grouse chicks as adults in 2020. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department says that’s similar to the ratio in 2019.

The Casper Star-Tribune reports the ratio suggests the bird’s overall numbers are neither growing nor shrinking right now but remaining steady at the bottom of a recent downturn. Sage grouse numbers fluctuate widely.

Scientists speculate changes in habitat, available food and weather play roles.

The chicken-sized, ground-dwelling birds live in about a dozen Western states. Wyoming is home to over one-third of the overall population.

Source: Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune