Sage Grouse

Grazing on land occupied by greater sage grouse has been frequently cited as a reason for the bird's decline, along with disease, oil and gas drilling and other factors.

Sage grouse have declined throughout their range, but industry groups fear losing access to minerals.

A federal judge in Nevada could rule any time now on a lawsuit filed nearly a year ago in an effort to block protections of the greater sage grouse across much of the West.

The move marks the oil industry's first attempt to undo federal policies that already have drawn widespread opposition.

Leaders of the Idaho-based group say the fencing near key grouse habitat flies in the face of BLM's own research showing the low-flying, hen-sized birds often die when they strike fences.

The Interior Department said it will defer the sale of almost 60,000 acres of leases as it works on new policies for greater sage grouse.

Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead said Wednesday the problem is nationwide and he hopes to build bipartisan support for changes in the federal Endangered Species Act, the primary tool for protecting species on the brink of extinction.

The U.S. Interior Department says the greater sage grouse does not need federal protections across its 11-state Western range after some limits were put on energy development and other activities.

Interior Secretary Sally Jewell has revealed plans to preserve habitat in 10 Western states for an imperiled ground-dwelling bird, the federal government's biggest land-planning effort to date for conservation of a single species.

Scientists in grass height and sage-grouse nest success study say facts being misrepresented.