ID GUIDE

Greater sage-grouse

Greater sage-grouse winter scat is entirely digested sagebrush leaves

The North American greater sage-grouse has four different types of casting: winter scat; cecal tar (separated oils); clockers (from incubating females); and spring, summer or fall foraging scat. “Biologists have learnt about what they eat through their scat,” says Alison Holloran, vice president of the National Audubon Society. “Winter scat reveals evidence of a digestive system that can process a diet of 100 per cent sagebrush leaves.”