Square Lake

Early Spring
At dawn and sometimes at dusk, males congregate for several hours on
mating grounds called leks. Leks are generally found on open areas in or near
sagebrush. To attract a hen, cocks strut, fan their tail feathers, and swell their

Preserve
breasts to reveal bright yellow air sacs. Their wing movements and inflating
and deflating air sacs make a “swish-swish-coo-oopoink”sound. After the
breeding season, the females and males go their separate ways.

It is important not to disturb the birds, or they may abandon the area. Please
remain in your vehicle when viewing this mating ritual. By keeping a safe
distance from the lek we all can observe this seasonal ritual.

Wood River Land Trust was able to protect the

320-acre Square Lake Preserve in 2004 thanks
to a generous donation by the previous owner.
Surrounded on all sides by public land, the preserve
protects a large expanse of sagebrush habitat.
Square Lake is home to an array of wildlife as well as
a sage-grouse mating area located in the meadow.
Square Lake Preserve is an example of a sagebrush biome, a
complex community of plants and animals. Shaped by climate,
fire, floods, and volcanic eruptions, the sagebrush biome covers
much of the west.
Sagebrush provides habitat for a variety of sagebrush dependent
species such as: sage-grouse, Brewer’s sparrow, sage sparrow, sage
thrasher, pygmy rabbit, sagebrush vole, pronghorn, sagebrush
lizard and more.
Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) have inhabited
the western United States and southern Canada for more than
10,000 years. The species has declined throughout its native
range due to habitat loss caused by over grazing, development,
fire, and other human and natural disturbances. The US Geological
Winter
Sage-grouse eat only sagebrush during the winter, so good winter
range must provide grouse access to sagebrush in all snow conditions.
Spring
PRE-LAYING
Sage-grouse hens occupy sagebrush communities in
the weeks prior to laying and incubating their eggs.
Their diet is comprised of 50-80% sagebrush and
also newly emerging forbs (herbaceous plants).
Essential to hens at this stage, forbs are nutritious
and may contribute to reproductive success.
NESTING
Nests can be located up to 10 miles from the lek
site where thick cover of sagebrush and tall grasses
shields nests from predators.
Incubation time: 25-27 days Clutch size: 6-9

Ea
st
Magic Rd
Survey estimates that over half the historical
� sagebrush in the West has been lost since the Late Summer & Fall
1880s. Meadows form an important part of brood-rearing habitat in
Sage-grouse are an indicator species—the mid-to-late summer. When forbs begin to dry out and lose
BLM health of this bird population mirrors the their nutritional value, sage-grouse broods move to cooler and h
t
Land moderately moist environments where forbs are still available. Griffi
YOU overall health of the sagebrush community. di t: Bo
b
cre
ARE photo
State HERE Height: > 2ft tall
Land Weight: Males ~ 7lb; Females ~ 3-4lbs
HWY
75
Lifespan: 6-8 years
Early to mid Summer
BROOD REARING
Chicks can walk as soon as they are hatched after which

Other animals that Pronghorn

hens generally lead the newly hatched chicks to areas with
abundant insects and forbs. The chicks forage on energy
and protein-rich insects such as beetles and ants. Later in
inhabit Square Lake Antilocapra the season they consume more forbs. Sage
Preserve include: americana Chicks are able to fly short distances in two weeks and in Thrasher
five weeks are capable of sustained flight. Hens and cocks
eat mostly forbs and sagebrush leaves during this time. Oreoscoptes
montanus
Pygmy Rabbit *protected
non-game
Brachylagus idahoensis species
*state ranked vulnerable Sagebrush Vole
Horned Lemmiscus curtatus
Lark Sagebrush Lizard
Eremophila Sceloporus graciosus
alpestris