Tympanuchus pallidicinctus
The Lesser Prairie Chicken (*Tympanuchus pallidicinctus*) is a medium-sized grouse, an iconic resident of the diminishing shortgrass and mixed-grass prairies of the central United States. Adults typically measure 15-16.5 inches (38-42 cm) in length, with a wingspan of 27-29 inches (68-74 cm) and weighing 1.5-2.5 lbs (680-1130 g). Their plumage is distinctively barred with alternating dark brown and buffy white, providing excellent camouflage in their grassland habitat. Males are particularly ...
The Lesser Prairie Chicken exclusively inhabits relatively undisturbed shortgrass and mixed-grass prairie ecosystems, often preferring areas with shinnery oak or sand sagebrush. These grassland specialists are typically found on flat to gently rolling plains at elevations generally below 5,000 fe...
The diet of the Lesser Prairie Chicken consists mainly of a variety of insects, especially grasshoppers and beetles, supplemented by seeds of forbs and grasses, leaves, buds, and berries, all gleaned from the ground.
Lesser Prairie Chickens are primarily diurnal, spending their days foraging and typically roosting communally on the ground in dense vegetation overnight. Foraging involves meticulously gleaning seeds, leaves, and insects directly from the ground or low-lying plants. During the breeding season, m...
Historically, the Lesser Prairie Chicken was found across approximately 100 million acres of shortgrass and mixed-grass prairies spanning six states: southeastern Colorado, southwestern Kansas, western Oklahoma, the Texas Panhandle, eastern New Mexico, and a small portion of Nebraska. Today, its ...
Endangered
- The male Lesser Prairie Chicken's booming call is produced by rapidly inflating and deflating air sacs on its neck, creating a sound that can travel over a mile on a still morning. - During their elaborate lek displays, males stomp their feet so rapidly it's often described as a "dance," intend...