Leucistic Greater Prairie-Chicken
Last week while attending Central Wisconsin Prairie Chicken Festival in Wisconsin Rapid, I got a chance to observe a leucistic greater prairie-chicken. Unlike albino, which is caused by a reduction in skin pigment, a leucistic is a condition characterized by reduced pigmentation on the bird’s feathers and an overall white appearance. This is probably a first-year bird considering his position on the lek – older and more experienced males usually occupy the center of the booming ground.
Read MoreCentral Wisconsin Prairie Chicken Festival
I had a wonderful time at the Central Wisconsin Prairie Chicken Festival. It is always joyful and exciting to meet people who share same passion and mission. I hope my keynote session left a good impression on the people who attended and helped them better understand these magnificent...
Read MoreHybrid Prairie-Chicken
Hybridization of greater and lesser prairie-chicken is uncommon but well established in the western part of Kansas where their ranges overlap. A hybrid bird was first documented in April 2001 by a wildlife biologist who first noticed the differences in booming sounds on a mixed lek. Hybrid prairie-chickens have intermediate characteristics of both species in appearance and booming display behaviors. The greater have darker coloration than the lesser, and the hybrids are in-between. Hybrids also have intermediate vocalizations of both greater and lesser prairie-chickens, combining booming...
Read MoreLast stand of Prairie Chickens in Missouri – Dunn Ranch
After reading an article about prairie chickens at Dunn Ranch from the Missouri Conservationist magazine, I decided to visit the place. It was 2004. (It was 2 years before I started working for the Missouri Conservationist.) Owned by the Nature Conservancy, Dunn Ranch consists of over 3,000-acres of prairie in northern Missouri. It is part of the approx. 70,000-acres that make up the Grand River Grasslands conservation area. At the time of my visit, Dunn Ranch had the most prairie chickens in Missouri, with over 40 male prairie chickens at peak, and offered a viewing platform for bird...
Read More
Send your email to preview sample pages.
