General

Lesser Prairie-Chicken: Medium-sized, stocky grouse, brown overall with fine white bars. Head has yellow-orange combs over eyes and plumes that can be raised or laid along the neck. Red-orange air sacs on sides of neck inflate during courtship. Tail is short, black, and rounded. Female is brown with fine white bars and lacks air sacs and combs.

Range and Habitat

Lesser Prairie-Chicken: This resident species can be found year-round in southeastern Colorado, southwestern Kansas, western Oklahoma, northern and western Texas, and eastern New Mexico. Their preferred habitats include sandy grassland areas that have an abundance of midgrass, sandsage, and yucca cactus.

Breeding and Nesting

Lesser Prairie-Chicken: Eleven to thirteen white to buff eggs finely spotted with pale brown or olive are laid in a shallow ground depression lined with grass. Incubation ranges from 22 to 24 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Lesser Prairie-Chicken: In summer, feeds on grasshoppers and other insects; Eats seeds, leaves, and grain from agricultural lands during winter.

Vocalization

Lesser Prairie-Chicken: Utters gobbling and bubbling sounds.

Similar Species

Lesser Prairie-Chicken: Greater Prairie-Chicken has yellow air sacs.