Gunnison sage-grouse live near Poncha Pass and need their space in spring

The sagebrush flats at the north end of the San Luis Valley are home to one of Colorado’s rarest birds, the Gunnison sage-grouse. Colorado Parks and Wildlife counts several small, separate populations of this bird, and one of them lives in the Poncha Pass area, where Saguache County meets the mountains to the north.

This is a sensitive bird. It is listed as federally threatened and state endangered, and the main reason its numbers have dropped is loss of the sagebrush habitat it depends on. Almost all of the world’s Gunnison sage-grouse live in Colorado, which makes each population important.

In spring, males gather at traditional open spots called leks to display for females. These breeding grounds are easily disturbed. If people, vehicles, or dogs get too close, the birds may abandon the site, which hurts an already fragile population. Wildlife managers ask viewers to keep well back, stay in vehicles, avoid the early-morning display hours unless you are at a guided or sanctioned viewing site, and never walk out onto a lek.

If you live on or buy sagebrush land in this area, your land may be part of the bird’s habitat, and that can shape conservation programs and land-use choices. For current viewing guidance, habitat information, and rules, check the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Gunnison sage-grouse page and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.