Study finds sage grouse need habitat and solitude

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey analyzing sage grouse breeding areas say the ground-dwelling birds need sagebrush-dominated landscapes with a minimum level of human activity to thrive.

The study released earlier this month found that 99 percent of active breeding sites, called leks, are in areas with no more than 3 percent of the land disturbed by roads, power lines, pipelines and communication towers, The Idaho Statesman reported (http://bit.ly/14W2zsf ).