A chunky, medium-sized grouse of the North American prairies, famous for one of the most spectacular dances in the bird world. Up close, both sexes show short, pointed “pinnae” feathers on the sides of the neck and a barred tail; males add bright touches of colour in the breeding season with orange-yellow eye combs and inflatable orange throat sacs. On a quiet spring morning, a displaying male with pinnae raised, air sacs glowing, and tail fanned looks more like an exotic game bird from a tropical forest than a resident of windy Midwestern grasslands.

Historically, greater prairie-chickens were abundant across the tallgrass and mixed-grass prairies from Alberta and Ontario south through the Dakotas, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and even into Texas. Today, their strongholds are much reduced and mainly in Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota, with scattered, vulnerable populations elsewhere and complete loss from Canada. They’re birds of open country with a mix of grass heights: relatively short, sparse vegetation for their display sites and denser cover nearby for nesting and brood-rearing. In winter, they form flocks and feed on waste grain, buds and seeds; in summer, they take more leaves, seeds and insects, especially for growing chicks.

The species is best known for its booming grounds, or leks, where males perform elaborate courtship displays. At dawn in early spring, dozens of males may gather on a traditional patch of short grass and begin booming: lowering their heads, inflating the orange air sacs, stamping their feet rapidly, and producing a deep, resonant “oooo-looo” that can carry for kilometres. They also cackle, hiss, jump, and face off in short, chest-to-chest shoving matches, all while the yellow eye combs blaze and the pinnae stand straight up. Females visit these leks briefly to choose a mate—usually one of the most dominant males, who can secure the vast majority of copulations—then leave to nest alone in nearby cover.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Canada

2020

Non-Breeding

United States

2020