A sharp-tailed grouse population in Wyoming and Colorado may be its own distinct subspecies
A population of grouse in Wyoming and Colorado that is considered Columbian sharp-tailed grouse may actually be a distinct subspecies. The Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) is a subspecies that can be found in far western Wyoming, northern Utah and parts of the Pacific Northwest. Another population in south-central Wyoming and northwest Colorado is also designated as Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, and researchers wondered if that was accurate. Examining habitat characteristics, the birds’ appearance and genetic data, a research team determined the sharp-tailed grouse could potentially represent its own distinct subspecies. “Our results may potentially change the current understanding of sharp-tailed grouse subspecies in western North America, which can impact how to manage them,” wrote the researchers in a study published in Ecology and Evolution. These findings have several implications for grouse management. For example, the potentially new isolated subpopulation may need to be managed differently, and individuals from the isolated population should not be translocated to Columbian sharp-tailed grouse populations.
