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Greater Prairie-Chicken

Tympanuchus cupidoOrder: GALLIFORMESFamily: Turkeys and Grouse (Phasianidae)
Greater Prairie-Chicken Male Portrait
  Splitbar
Range Map for Greater Prairie-Chicken

Overview

Greater Prairie-Chicke: Medium grouse, barred with brown and buff (or white). Yellow-orange eye combs. Orange air sacs on both sides of the neck inflate during courtship display; long feathers on back of neck also raised during displays. Short, dark brown tail, legs are feathered to the toes.

Range and Habitat

Greater Prairie-Chicken: Once found in suitable prairie/forest habitat from southern Ontario to Alberta, and from Ohio to the northern Great Plains, this species was almost gone by the end of 1930s. It now survives in scattered areas of southern Canada and in the midwestern U.S.; land is being acquired for managed habitats to save the bird from extinction. Prefers open sweeps of permanent tallgrass and a minimum of brush and trees. Needs grass of 10 to 18 inches in height for roosting and nesting.

Splitbar

Listen:

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Voice Text

"whoo-doo-dooooohh, zoooo....wooooo.....youoo"

Splitbar
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Related Birds:

Dusky Grouse
Greater Sage-Grouse
Sharp-tailed Grouse
Lesser Prairie-Chicken
Spruce Grouse
.

Copyright © 2005 WBFI Research Foundation Bird database and its related content and media is Copyright (C) 2002 - 2005 Mitch Waite Group All rights reserved.

Family Grouse (Phasianidae)_blue
Species Tympanuchus cupido
Length17 - 18 Inches
Wingspan28 Inches

Greater Prairie-Chicken

Greater Prairie-Chicke: Medium grouse, barred with brown and buff (or white). Yellow-orange eye combs. Orange air sacs on both sides of the neck inflate during courtship display; long feathers on back of neck also raised during displays. Short, dark brown tail, legs are feathered to the toes.

● Song: "whoo-doo-dooooohh, zoooo....wooooo.....youoo"

● Foraging & Feeding: Greater Prairie-Chicken: Feeds on leaves, seeds, buds, cultivated grains, fruits, and insects.

● Breeding & nesting: Greater Prairie-Chicken: Seven to seventeen olive eggs spotted with dark brown are laid in a bowl-shaped ground depression lined with grass, dead leaves, and feathers. Incubation ranges from 23 to 24 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Greater Prairie-Chicken: Lesser Prairie-Chicken has pink neck patch, generally paler plumage, and more finely barred flanks.

Flight Pattern

Swift flight on series of rapidly beating wings.
Greater Prairie-Chicken Male Body
● Range & Habitat: Greater Prairie-Chicken: Once found in suitable prairie/forest habitat from southern Ontario to Alberta, and from Ohio to the northern Great Plains, this species was almost gone by the end of 1930s. It now survives in scattered areas of southern Canada and in the midwestern U.S.; land is being acquired for managed habitats to save the bird from extinction. Prefers open sweeps of permanent tallgrass and a minimum of brush and trees. Needs grass of 10 to 18 inches in height for roosting and nesting.
BreedingPromiscuous
PopulationEndangered in limited range in U.S., Uncommon to rare, Declining
MigrationMost do not migrate
Weight35.2 Ounces