The sage grouse mate at the lek, a big flat circular area. The male sage grouse struts at the lek from March to early June. The female sage grouse arrives later from April to the middle of May. The female sage grouse scoops out a shallow nest in the ground and lines it with grass and sage leaves. The female sage grouse lays up to 15 greenish-brown speckled eggs. The mother sage grouse protects the nest and the eggs. She protects them by flapping her wings at any predators and running after them until they are gone from the nest. She incubates the eggs for about three weeks. If something happens to her first clutch of eggs, she will lay another smaller clutch of eggs.

This photo is a picture of some eggs.

This is a drawing of the mother sage grouse sitting on her eggs.