Call it remarkable or mediocre, people love the sage grouse

A sitting member of congress once called the greater sage grouse a mediocre bird. Such a label defies common sense because this bird is fascinating and bizarre. During mating season, males change shape by puffing out their chests, fanning their tails and strutting. Google it for yourself to watch a video or see the pictures.

Yet at some level, I understand the animosity toward this remarkable bird. You see, it shares its habitat with oil and gas deposits, and protecting the sage grouse means limiting oil and gas drilling, as well as other development.

Because the bird has lost and continues to lose habitat, it has seen an 80% drop in its population since 1965. In some areas, it’s been wiped out entirely, which is called extirpation.

It can’t always be a win-win 

Environmental advocacy (and life) would easier if it were always a win-win. Save the sage grouse and [insert good thing, e.g. gas prices will drop]. In reality, it isn’t that easy, and saving the sage grouse is truly ruffling some feathers. It’s a “federal government land grab of tens of millions of acres,” some say. It will “shut down energy production.” It’s all for a “mediocre bird.”

Making the right choice won’t make everyone happy. In this case, the right choice is to take the actions needed to keep this strange species strutting around on our planet.

BLM is updating its plan

The Bureau of Land Management is amending its greater sage-grouse goals, objectives and management plans for ten western states (California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming). As part of the process, BLM is seeking public comments.

We’re calling on the Bureau to adopt a plan with the strongest protections for the sage grouse. Because BLM’s preferred option falls short of what’s needed, we urged our supporters to weigh in.

People like the sage grouse

We were pleased to see that more than 7,500 people quickly responded to our request, urging the Bureau to adopt a strong plan that protects the grouse. It’s encouraging to know that even when tension, conflict and dueling priorities exist, people still got out their computers and called on their government to save this strange bird.