Prairie Grouse

Abstract Prairie grouse, which include greater prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus cupido), lesser prairie-chicken (T. pallidicinctus), and sharp-tailed grouse (T. phasianellus), are species of high conservation concern and have been identified as potential indicator species for various rangeland ecosystems. Greater prairie-chickens are found in scattered populations in isolated tallgrass prairie throughout the Midwest, but primarily occur in the more expansive tallgrass and mixed-grass prairies in the Great Plains. Lesser prairie-chickens occur in mixed-grass, shortgrass, and arid shrublands of the southern Great Plains. Sharp-tailed grouse occur in mixed-grass, shortgrass, shrub steppe, and prairie parkland vegetation types and are broadly distributed across the northern Great Plains, portions of the Great Basin, and boreal parkland areas of Alaska and Canada. Due to reliance on a variety of rangeland types, consideration of management and anthropogenic activities on rangelands are critical for prairie grouse conservation. Grazing is one of the more prominent activities that has the potential to affect prairie grouse by altering plant structure and composition, and recent research has attempted to identify the mechanisms of grazing effects on prairie grouse. Fire is another important disturbance affecting grouse habitat, especially considering how the current distribution and intensity of fire differs from what occurred historically. Additionally, human infrastructure in the form of roads and energy development, as well as land conversion and degradation such as tillage and tree encroachment can fragment and reduce habitat for prairie grouse. Finally, weather including drought, extended rain, and temperature extremes are common across the distribution of prairie grouse. Although not directly under management control, the effects of weather are an overarching factor that need to be considered in conservation planning. This chapter will summarize the life-histories and habitat requirements of prairie grouse, discuss how rangeland management and other human activities affect them, highlight major threats to prairie grouse and provide recommendations for future management and research.