Species & Ecosystem Science

Project Leads

Michael A. Schroeder, Ph.D.
Upland Bird Research Scientist

Dr. Schroeder is a Certified Wildlife Biologist who has pursued research and management of grouse since 1981. He joined the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) in 1992 and has continued to focus most of his activities on the biology and management of grouse. His research has included studies of: (1) population dynamics and behavioral ecology of greater sage-grouse and sharp-tailed grouse; (2) greater sage-grouse and sharp-tailed grouse translocations; (3) effects of wind power on greater sage-grouse and other species of shrubsteppe wildlife; (4) conservation genetics of grouse; and (5) effects of farm programs on greater sage-grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, and other species of shrubsteppe wildlife. Mike is also developing a monitoring and evaluation program for WDFW wildlife areas. He has worked with graduate students from Washington State University, University of Idaho, and Eastern Washington University to address specific management issues related to grouse.

Current Research

• Grouse ecology
• Shrubsteppe ecology
• Re-introduction of Sage-grouse to Lincoln County, Washington
• Re-establishment of viable populations of Sharp-tailed Grouse
• Use of lands enrolled in conservation programs by grouse and other species of shrubsteppe wildlife
• Phenotypic and genetic variation in grouse
• Grouse and landscape connectivity
• Harvest management of sooty, dusky, spruce, and ruffed grouse
• Greater sage-grouse and energy development
• Monitoring resources on state wildlife lands

Selected Publications

• Connelly, J. W., C. A. Hagen, and M. A. Schroeder. 2011. Characteristics and dynamics of greater sage-grouse populations. Chapter 5 in S. T. Knick, J. W. Connelly, C. E. Braun, eds. Ecology and conservation of greater sage-grouse: a landscape species and its habitats. Studies in Avian Biology. Volume 38.
• Garton, E. O., J. W. Connelly, J. S. Horne, C. A. Hagen, A. Moser, and M. A. Schroeder. 2011. Greater sage-grouse population dynamics and probability of persistence. Chapter 16 in S. T. Knick, J. W. Connelly, C. E. Braun, eds. Ecology and conservation of greater sage-grouse: a landscape species and its habitats. Studies in Avian Biology. Volume 38.
• Wisdom, M. J., C. W. Meinke, S. T. Knick, and M. A. Schroeder. 2011. Factors associated with extirpation of sage grouse. Chapter 19 in S. T. Knick, J. W. Connelly, C. E. Braun, eds. Ecology and conservation of greater sage-grouse: a landscape species and its habitats. Studies in Avian Biology. Volume 38.
• Schroeder, M. A., and M. Vander Haegen. 2011. Response of greater sage-grouse to the Conservation Reserve Program in Washington State. Chapter 23 in S. T. Knick, J. W. Connelly, C. E. Braun, eds. Ecology and conservation of greater sage-grouse: a landscape species and its habitats. Studies in Avian Biology. Volume 38.
• Connelly, J. W., C. E. Braun, S. T. Knick, W. L. Baker, E. A. Beever, T. J. Christiansen, K. E. Doherty, E. O. Garton, S. E. Hanser, D. H. Johnson, M. Leu, R. F. Miller, D. E. Naugle, S. J. Oyler-McCance, D. A. Pyke, K. P. Reese, M. A. Schroeder, S. J. Stiver, B. L. Walker, and M. J. Wisdom. 2011. Future trends for greater sage-grouse and sagebrush habitats. Chapter 25 in S. T. Knick, J. W. Connelly, C. E. Braun, eds. Ecology and conservation of greater sage-grouse: a landscape species and its habitats. Studies in Avian Biology. Volume 38.
• Aldridge, C. L., S. E. Nielsen, H. L. Beyer, M. S. Boyce, J. W. Connelly, S. T. Knick, and M. A. Schroeder. 2008. Range-wide patterns of greater sage-grouse persistence. Diversity and Distributions. 19:983-994.
• Connelly, J. W., and M. A. Schroeder. 2007. Historical and current approaches to monitoring to monitoring greater sage-grouse. Pages 3-9 in K. P. Reese and R. T. Bowyer, editors. Monitoring populations of sage-grouse. College of Natural Resources Experiment Station, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA.
• Johnson, D. H., C. E. Braun, and M. A. Schroeder. 2007. The bounded-count method for analysis of lek counts. Pages 25-30 in K. P. Reese and R. T. Bowyer, editors. Monitoring populations of sage-grouse. College of Natural Resources Experiment Station, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA.
• Hagen, C. A., J. W. Connelly, and M. A. Schroeder. 2007. A meta-analysis of greater sage-grouse Centrocercus urophasianus nesting and brood-rearing habitats. Wildlife Biology 13:42-50.
• Spaulding, A. W., K. E. Mock, M. A. Schroeder, and K. I. Warheit. 2006. Recency, range expansion, and unsorted lineages: implications for interpreting neutral genetic variation in the sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus). Molecular Ecology 15:2317-2332.
• Schroeder, M. A., and L. A. Robb. 2005. Criteria for gender and age. Pages 303-338 in C. E. Braun, editor. Techniques for wildlife investigations and management. Sixth edition. The Wildlife Society. Bethesda, Maryland.
• Braun, C. E., J. W. Connelly, and M. A. Schroeder. 2005. Seasonal habitat requirements for sage-grouse: spring, summer, fall, and winter. Pages 38-42 in N. L. Shaw, S. B. Monsen, M. Pellant, editors. Sage-grouse habitat restoration symposium proceedings: 2001 June 4-7; Boise, ID. RMRS-P-38. Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fort Collins, Colorado.
• Schroeder, M. A., C. L. Aldridge, A. D. Apa, J. R. Bohne, C. E. Braun, S. D. Bunnell, J. W. Connelly, P. A. Deibert, S. C. Gardner, M. A. Hilliard, G. D. Kobriger, S. M. McAdam, C. W. McCarthy, J. J. McCarthy, D. L. Mitchell, E. V. Rickerson, and S. J. Stiver. 2004. Distribution of sage-grouse in North America. The Condor 106:363-376.
• Connelly, J. W., S. T. Knick, M. A. Schroeder, and S. J. Stiver. 2004. Conservation assessment of greater sage-grouse and sagebrush habitats. Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Report. Cheyenne, Wyoming.
• Crawford, J. A., R. A. Olson, N. E. West, J. C. Mosley, M. A. Schroeder, T. D. Whitson, R. F. Miller, M. A. Gregg, and C. S. Boyd. 2004. Ecology and management of sage-grouse and sage-grouse habitats. Journal of Range Management 57:2-19.
• Stinson, D. W., D. W. Hays, M. A. Schroeder. 2004. Washington state recovery plan for the greater sage-grouse. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Olympia, Washington.
• Connelly, J. W., K. P. Reese, and M. A. Schroeder. 2003. Monitoring of greater sage-grouse habitats and populations. Station Bulletin 80. College of Natural Resources Experiment Station, Moscow, Idaho.
• Knick, S. T., D. S. Dobkin, J. T. Rotenberry, M. A. Schroeder, W. M. Vander Haegen, and C. Van Riper III. 2003. Teetering on the edge or too late? Conservation and research issues for avifauna of sagebrush habitats. The Condor 105:611-634.
• Zwickel, F. C., and M. A. Schroeder. 2003. Grouse of the Lewis and Clark expedition, 1803-1806. Northwestern Naturalist 84:1-19.
• Bunting, S. C., J. L. Kingery, M. A. Hemstrom, M. A. Schroeder, R. A. Gravenmier, and W. J. Hann. 2002. Altered rangeland ecosystems in the interior Columbia Basin. General Technical Report PNW-GTR-553. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, OR.
• Schroeder, M. A., and R. K. Baydack. 2001. Predation and the management of prairie grouse. Wildlife Society Bulletin 29:24-32.
• Schroeder, M. A., D. W. Hays, M. A. Murphy, and D. J. Pierce. 2000. Changes in the distribution and abundance of Columbian sharp-tailed grouse in Washington. Northwest Naturalist 81:95-103.
• Schroeder, M. A., D. W. Hays, M. F. Livingston, L. E. Stream, J. E. Jacobson, and D. J. Pierce. 2000. Changes in the distribution and abundance of sage grouse in Washington. Northwest Naturalist 81:104-112.
• Connelly, J. W., M. A. Schroeder, A. R. Sands, and C. E. Braun. 2000. Guidelines for management of sage grouse populations and habitat. Wildlife Society Bulletin 28:967-985.
• Schroeder, M. A., J. R. Young, and C. E. Braun. 1999. Sage grouse. In The birds of North America, No. 425 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Schroeder, M. A. 1997. Unusually high reproductive effort by sage grouse in a fragmented habitat in north-central Washington. The Condor 99:933-941.
• Boag, D. A., and M. A. Schroeder. 1992. Spruce grouse. In The birds of North America, No. 5 (A. Poole, P. Stettenheim, and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, DC: The American Ornithologists' Union.