Their western limit is northern California and their eastern limit is North and South Dakota. Sage grouse are found as far south as Nevada. Sage grouse are the largest of North American grouse and are sexually dimorphic.
Males have a grey crown, markings on the back of the neck and yellow lores.
The upper chest is brown and buff and the middle is composed of a large white ruff concealing esophageal sacs that inflate during courtship. There is also a large black patch on the abdomen. The tail feathers of males are long and tapered with barring. Females have more cryptic plumage enabling them to blend into the environment during nesting. They show less white coloring than the males and are mottled with gray and brown to a higher degree.