Bald Eagle and Sage Grouse Inventory Update 2001-2003
Wolff S. 2003. Bald Eagle and Sage Grouse Inventory Update 2001-2003. Grand Teton National Park and the Greater Yellowstone Network. Moose WY
Science and Resource Management (S&RM) at Grand Teton National Park (GRTE) received funding from the Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) program to conduct 2 sets of bald eagle and sage grouse surveys. The objective of these surveys was to identify new bald eagle nest sites and active sage grouse leking areas within the park. In the spring of 2001, high priority eagle nesting habitat was surveyed by helicopter. Eight historical eagle nests and one new nest were located. Also during that spring, suitable sage grouse breeding sites were searched from a fixed-winged airplane, however no new sites were found. Although using fixed winged aircraft is an economical and effective means for surveying sage grouse, they can not fly as low as helicopters and hovering over areas of suitable habitat is not possible. In the spring of 2003, funding for the second eagle flight was used to cover the cost of contracting a helicopter for grouse surveys. One new breeding site was located with 6 males actively strutting. Both new eagle nest and sage grouse breeding sites identified during this project will be monitored in the future as part of S&RM's monitoring program. (abstract by Wolff as submitted in report)
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Wolff, Susan
- Date of Issue
- 2003-10
- Publisher
- Grand Teton National Park and the Greater Yellowstone Network
- Units
- GRTE , GRYN
- Keywords
- aerial inventories, Centrocercus urophasianus (Sage Grouse), Distribution (Biodiversity), Haliaeetus leucocephalus (Bald Eagle), Observations, Presence (Biodiversity)