Host Ashley Ahearn meets with Mike Schroeder, who has been studying sage-grouse in Washington State, where the population has been declining since the 1980s. They go looking for birds in the snow in eastern Washington, and Mike takes Ashley on a journey back in time to learn some scientific and cultural lore surrounding this bird, from American Indians to Lewis and Clark to Roosevelt. Will they find any birds today? Why is the Greater Sage-Grouse in so much trouble? Should anyone care?
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This episode of BirdNote Presents was made possible with generous support from Jim and Birte Falconer.
Lead photo by Ashley Ahearn
Grouse artwork by Kima Lenaghan