Blue grouse winter movements, habitat, and survival in northeastern Oregon

winter movements, habitat associations, and survivorship were compared among blue grouse age and sex groups in northeastern Oregon from 1991 to 1993. Distances moved between winter and breeding ranges were greater for adult females (1450 in) than adult males (774 m). Among birds located more than six times within the winter period, 13 immature grouse exhibited greater mean movement between sequential winter locations (594 m) and all possible pairs of winter locations (848 m) than adults (457 m and 661 m). All age and sex groups preferred parkland habitats to forested stands, and forested stands to grasslands. Immature grouse used Douglas-firs to a greater degree than adult males. Adult female survivorship (95%) was higher than immature survivorship (71%) in winter. Blue grouse management practices should consider differential life history characteristics among age and sex groups.