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GUNNISON, COLORADO, APRIL 11, 2007- During the March to May mating season, Gunnison Sage Grouse males display their filoplumes (topknot), bulging air sacs, white breasts and spiky tail feathers. Their exotic attire and spectacular display draws the attention of sage grouse hens. The males are unique in that they pop their yellow air sacs 9 times in each display <cq>. Territorial males break out in vigourous wing fights to defend their areas on the lek. The Lek, where this ritual takes place, is a perfect place for sage grouse to strut their stuff. The lek is an open area with plenty of cover nearby for fast escapes. The opening, or Lek, fills with displaying males in early morning. Interested females follow the sounds of wing brushing and booming air sacs to select mates. Watch closely, mating usually last only 2 seconds. After breeding, the hens retire to the safety of sagebrush uplands where they lay about 8 eggs in a loose nest at the base of a sagebrush. Females are harder to see, in part because they are half the size of males and not as flashy. The Gunnison Sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus) faces an uncertain future. Sensitive to artificial light, activity, and noise, the birds have a hard time finding the privacy they need to breed and raise their young. As sagebrush gives way to roads, reservoirs and towns, the Gunnison Sage-grouse find fewer place suitable for their lifestyle. The protection of habitat, especially in their winter range, is critical to the survival of the species. Food sources, nesting areas and breeding sites are managed by government agencies, private landowners, and other organizations to ensure that the Gunnison Sage-grouse continues to grace the Colorado landscape. Two species of sage grouse are found in Colorado. One of the species, the Gunnison Sage-grouse, used to occupy the sagebrush habitats of Southwestern Colorado, Southeast Utah, (Photo By Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via Getty Images)