# Oiling raven eggs lifts sage-grouse nesting success, study finds 2026-08-06T10:56:10+00:00 | Health & Science | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Coating raven eggs with non-toxic mineral oil more than doubled sage-grouse nest survival in treated areas, a study published in The Journal of Wildlife Management found. Sage-grouse, ground-nesting birds of western North America, face heavy predation from ravens, whose numbers have risen with access to food and nesting sites created by human activity. Researchers also recorded a 44% increase in the relative abundance of sage-grouse compared with untreated areas. Egg oiling stops embryos developing while adults continue incubation, reducing the number of young ravens. The researchers said the method works locally but does not replace habitat protection or action on rubbish, roads, settlements and other causes of raven growth. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: egg oiling, habitat protection, ravens, sage-grouse, wildlife conservation Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/egg-oiling-helps-protect-sage-grouse-from-rising-raven-numbers/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/egg-oiling-helps-protect-sage-grouse-from-rising-raven-numbers/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.