Gunnison sage grouse reconsidered for listing

DENVER — The Gunnison sage grouse, found primarily in southwest Colorado, will get another chance at federal protection following the settlement of a lawsuit by environmental groups.

The settlement filed Monday gives the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service until June 30, 2010, to decide whether the chicken-like bird should be added to the endangered species list. The Gunnison sage grouse is among the species getting a second look in the wake of a federal report that found improper political meddling in endangered species rulings.

The report last year concluded that former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior Julie MacDonald and other Bush administration officials interfered with federal biologists' decision-making for multiple species.

Attorney Amy Atwood of the Center for Biological Diversity says the Gunnison sage grouse is among the top 10 most endangered birds in the U.S.

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