Breeding Habitat:Grassland
Nest Type:N/A
Migration Status:Permanent resident
Nest Location:N/A
The Lesser Prairie-Chicken is an occupant of arid short-grass prairies interspersed with shinnery oak and sand sagebrush brushlands (Oberholser 1974, Sutton 1967). Its breeding range extends from western Kansas and southeastern Colorado south to the Texas panhandle and eastern New Mexico (AOU 1983).
These prairie grouse were formerly abundant within this range, but have dramatically declined during the twentieth century. Their changing status in Texas reflects their historic trends throughout their range. In 1900, the Texas population was estimated at 2,000,000 birds (Oberholser 1974). It was reduced to only 12,000 by 1937, and to 3,000 in 1963. Elsewhere in its range, the species has been reduced to small isolated populations, whose numbers may fluctuate somewhat annually in response to changes in precipitation levels (Sutton 1967). The only consistent positive trends have been reported from Colorado, where Lesser Prairie-Chickens have increased since 1977 (Andrews and Righter 1992). Loss of habitat is responsible for these declines, especially the conversion of native prairies to cultivated fields. Brush removal within remaining prairies is also a factor, since the oaks and sagebrush provide important food and cover throughout the year (Sutton 1967).
While this species is fairly conspicuous when the males are on their leks, breeding is normally finished before the dates when BBS routes are surveyed. Individuals become very inconspicuous at other times of the year. This factor, as well as the very local distribution of their remnant populations, causes Lesser Prairie-Chickens to be poorly represented along BBS routes. They have been recorded on fewer than 12 routes throughout their range, an inadequate sample size for the reliable estimation of population trends. They are also poorly represented on CBCs.
American Ornithologists Union. 1983. Check-list of North American
birds, 6th ed. Allen Press, Lawrence, KS. 877 pp.
Andrews, R., and R. Righter. 1992. Colorado birds. Denver Mus.
Natur. Hist., Denver, CO. 442 pp.
Oberholser, H.C. 1974. The bird life of Texas, Vol. 1. Univ. of
Texas Press, Austin, TX. 530 pp.
Sutton, G.M. 1967. Oklahoma birds. Univ. of Oklahoma Press,
Norman, OK. 674 pp.