Abstract
The purpose of my study was to investigate the response of greater sage-grouse to wind energy development. Mine is the first study to document the short-term effects of wind energy infrastructure on greater sage-grouse habitat selection, nest, brood, and female survival, and male lek attendance. I hypothesized that greater sage-grouse would select for habitats farther from wind energy infrastructure, particularly wind turbines, during the nesting, brood-rearing, and summer periods. In addition, I hypothesized that greater sage-grouse nest, brood, and female survival would decline in habitats with close proximity to wind turbines. Lastly, I hypothesized that greater sage-grouse male lek attendance would experience greater declines from pre wind energy development to 4 years post development at leks with close proximity to wind turbines compared to leks farther from turbines. My study area was located in south-central Wyoming.