Question 1

True or false: Female Greater Sage-Grouse often mate with multiple males during a single breeding season to maximize genetic diversity.

Accepted Answer

False. Female Greater Sage-Grouse are highly selective and typically mate with a single dominant male per season after visiting leks. Multiple paternity is rare in this species.

Question 2

True or false: Greater Sage-Grouse chicks are born with fully developed feathers and can fly within hours of hatching.

Accepted Answer

False. Chicks are precocial but covered in down; they can walk and feed themselves shortly after hatching, but cannot fly for about two weeks.

Question 3

True or false: Male Greater Sage-Grouse inflate two large air sacs on their chests to produce popping sounds during mating displays.

Accepted Answer

True. Males have two yellow air sacs that inflate and deflate rapidly, creating a unique popping noise to attract females during their elaborate lekking rituals.

Question 4

True or false: Greater Sage-Grouse perform elaborate mating displays on communal breeding grounds called leks.

Accepted Answer

True. Males gather on leks each spring to strut, puff their chest air sacs, and produce distinctive popping sounds to attract females.

Question 5

True or false: Greater Sage-Grouse migrate thousands of miles each year between summer and winter habitats.

Accepted Answer

False. They are non-migratory; they make short seasonal movements of only a few miles between breeding, summer, and winter areas within sagebrush landscapes.

Question 6

True or false: The Greater Sage-Grouse is the only bird species that depends entirely on sagebrush for both food and shelter throughout the year.

Accepted Answer

False. Several other species like the Sage Thrasher, Sage Sparrow, and Brewer's Sparrow also rely heavily on sagebrush, though the grouse is the most iconic.

Question 7

True or false: Greater Sage-Grouse can survive entirely without drinking water, getting all moisture from sagebrush leaves.

Accepted Answer

True. Sagebrush is their primary food source and provides enough water content, allowing them to thrive in arid environments without free-standing water.

Question 8

True or false: The Greater Sage-Grouse can fly at speeds over 60 miles per hour, making it one of the fastest game birds in North America.

Accepted Answer

False. Greater Sage-Grouse top flight speed is around 50 mph (80 km/h), not over 60 mph. They are strong flyers but not among the fastest game birds.

Greater Sage-Grouse Trivia Questions