Attwater’s Prairie Chicken Scientific Name: Tympanuchus cupido Federal Status: Endangered, 3/11/67 • State Status: Endangered

Description different heights is optimum. For The hens start coming to the The Attwater’s Prairie Chicken is a example, the birds use short grass booming grounds in late February brownish, strongly black-barred, cover (less than 10 inches in height) and early March. They appear quietly, medium-sized grouse with a short, for courtship, feeding, and to avoid often staying on the edge of the rounded, blackish tail. Males have moisture during heavy dew or after booming ground. When a hen is on long tufts on the sides of the neck, rains. Midgrass areas (10-16 inches the booming ground, the males called pinnae, which point forward in height) are used for roosting and become much more vocal and active. during courtship. Males also have a feeding. Tall grasses (16-24 inches in This increased activity often causes yellow-orange comb above the eyes, height) are needed for nesting, loaf- males not on the ground to fly in and and, on each side of the neck, an ing, feeding, and escape cover. Very start booming. Most mating occurs in area of yellow-orange skin that dense stands of grass are generally early March, with one or two domi- inflates during courtship display. avoided, but are occasionally used for nant males doing the majority of the shade during summer, and as protec- breeding. Booming activity gradually tion against inclement weather and ceases during the last week of April predators. Studies have shown that and the first two weeks of May. By prime habitat consists of tall grass mid May, the males have abandoned prairie dominated by bunchgrasses the booming grounds. such as little bluestem, Indiangrass, Nesting is usually initiated in switchgrass and big bluestem; along early March. Most nests are located with flowering such as Ruellia, within one mile of the booming yellow falsegarlic, and ragweed. The ground. The nest is a well-concealed, birds prefer open prairies without shallow depression about eight inches any woody cover, and avoid areas in diameter lined with dry grass and with more than 25% cover of shrubs. feathers from the hen. Hens prefer to Preferred habitat is also characterized nest in mid to tall grass cover with the by knolls and ridges, with the minor grass canopy concealing the nest. Also variations in topography and soils on preferred are areas with openings that these sites resulting in a variety of facilitate walking, including cow trails vegetation types. used for access to their nests. Clutch size ranges from 4 to Life History 15 eggs, with the average being 12 eggs. During the 26 day incuba- Male Attwater’s Prairie Chicken Prairie chicken breeding activity © Jeanne Miller occurs on or near leks. A lek or tion period, the hen leaves the nest booming ground is a specific area only for short periods (45-90 min- typically used year after year. They utes) during the morning and again are usually located on bare ground or in the afternoon to feed nearby (usu- short grass areas which allow the ally within 1/4 mile). The peak of males to be seen by the females. the hatch is in late April to early May. Booming grounds vary in size from If a nest is destroyed, a hen will one-eighth acre to several acres. renest; although renesting attempts They may be naturally occurring are limited because males leave the short grass flats or artificially main- booming grounds by mid-May. Nest- tained areas such as roads, runways, ing losses are often the result of oil well pads, and drainage ditches. predators such as snakes, raccoons, Areas around windmills, ponds, and opossums, skunks, and coyotes, and other cattle concentration areas are flooding of nests. Because of the flat often heavily grazed, and therefore nature of coastal prairie rangeland, provide the short grass cover used for nests and small young are unable to booming sites. Active booming survive heavy rains and flooding. grounds are usually in close proxim- The most detrimental rainfall pattern ity to mid and tall grass cover. for nests is heavy rains in late April Males begin to set up territories and early May. The April rains on the booming grounds in late destroy initial nests, and May rains ruin renesting attempts. Hailstorms Female Attwater’s Prairie Chicken January-February. Fighting ensues © USFWS Gary Montoya when one male enters the territory of and human activities such as shred- another. This fighting early in the ding during the nesting season can Habitat booming season determines the social also destroy nests. Attwater’s Prairie Chickens are found structure of the males on the lek. When the eggs hatch, the hen only in the coastal prairie of . Usually one or two males will be leaves the nest site. She takes her They use different areas of coastal dominant. Booming is usually heard brood into more open areas, since it prairie grassland for various activi- from about daylight to 9 a.m. and in ties; so a mixture of native grasses at the late evening. Attwater’s Prairie Chicken 1 is difficult for young chicks to travel Coastal Prairie. The climax tall grass in dense vegetation, although some community with its associated heavy cover is important for escape native wildlife, which existed before areas. The chicks are quite mobile at the influence of European man, was hatching, and can fly short distances ideal habitat for the prairie chicken. by two weeks of age. Heavy or fre- Unfortunately, tall grasses such as big quent rainfall during May is espe- bluestem, little bluestem, and Indian- cially detrimental to young chicks. grass required by prairie chickens for Prairie chickens feed on a wide nesting are also preferred cattle for- variety of plant parts and insects. age. Without proper grazing manage- Potential food sources, both vegeta- ment, continuous intensive grazing by tion and insects, vary by season, loca- livestock will reduce desirable grasses tion, and availability. Studies have and forbs and replace them with a shown that green foliage and seeds plant community unable to support make up most of the diet, whereas the nesting and food requirements of © TPWD insects are important seasonally. The prairie chickens. foliage and seeds of native forbs Also, much coastal prairie range- (flowering plants) are particularly land has been converted to intro- important in the diet. Most com- duced grasses such as coastal monly consumed plants include Ruel- bermudagrass. Over a million acres lia, yellow falsegarlic, upright have been planted to introduced prairie-coneflower, leavenworth vetch, grass pastures in an effort to boost stargrass, bedstraw, doveweed, and livestock production. The conversion ragweed. Predators that feed on was especially rapid from 1940 to prairie chickens include Great-horned 1970, when fertilizer on which intro- Owls, hawks, bobcats and coyotes. duced grass production depends was Insects make up the majority of relatively inexpensive. This was the diet of chicks. The chicks gener- another setback for the prairie ally hatch when insect populations chicken, since introduced grass pas- are high. Hens take their broods to tures do not provide habitat. Coastal tallgrass prairie habitat © David Diamond weedy areas where insect density is The invasion of woody species greatest. such as Chinese tallow and Macartney rose (introduced exotics), wax myrtle, Threats and Reasons Baccharis, running liveoak, huisache, for Decline and mesquite have also contributed Habitat loss and alteration are the to loss of over a million acres of primary reasons for the population coastal prairie habitat. The invasion decline of Attwater’s Prairie Chicken. of brush is the result of overgrazing Loss of habitat due to land use combined with lack of fire. Histori- changes since 1930 are particularly cally, the coastal prairie burned peri- significant. It is estimated that 6 mil- odically. These natural and lion acres of coastal Texas were once man-made fires helped to maintain covered with suitable tall grass healthy and diverse grassland. prairie habitat. Only a few patches of Finally, urbanization and indus- trial expansion have taken their toll Attwater’s Prairie Chicken chick this immense expanse of prairie © Gary Montoya chicken habitat now remain. Cur- on prairie chicken habitat. Losses rently, it is estimated that less than have been most evident along the 200,000 acres of suitable habitat upper Texas coast. The considerable remain. This represents a 97% loss urban sprawl of , Galveston, of habitat within the historic range, and other coastal cities has led to and a 57% loss since 1937. irreplaceable habitat losses. The loss This loss of habitat has been the of diverse tallgrass prairie has not result of several factors. The biggest only affected the prairie chicken, but single change was brought about by also plants such as Texas windmill- the start of rice production along the grass (), Texas prairie Gulf Coast. From about 1892 to pre- dawn ( texana), and sent, about two million acres of grass- Houston camphor daisy (Rayjackso- land were converted to rice nia aurea), which have become rare production. components of the ecosystem. Other factors, such as overgraz- In 2003, fewer than 60 birds ing by cattle in some locations and remained in two fragments of habitat conversion of rangeland to intro- located in Galveston and Colorado duced grass pastures have also counties. We must find a way to reduced habitat. High stocking rates reverse the factors contributing to the and continuous grazing over a period loss of tallgrass coastal prairie and the of many years have caused declines life it supports. The Attwater’s prairie chicken now literally stands on the in range condition on parts of the Attwater’s Prairie Chicken nest brink of . Time is running © Mike Morrow out for this spectacular inhabitant of 2 Attwater’s Prairie Chicken our coastal grasslands. Recovery Efforts Nongame and Endangered Species Research is continuing regarding the Conservation Fund and the interaction of limiting factors on Adopt-A-Prairie Chicken Program prairie chicken populations. Efforts to (www.tpwd.state.tx.us/apc). Special provide information and incentives for nongame stamps and decals are private landowners to manage range- available at Texas Parks and Wildlife land for the benefit of prairie chickens Department (TPWD) field offices, as well as livestock are an essential most state parks, and the License part of the recovery process, and Branch of TPWD headquarters in Coastal rice production Austin. The Nature Conservancy of © Gary Montoya many landowners have implemented habitat improvements under the pro- Texas also accepts gifts specifically tection of a Safe Harbor Habitat Con- for Attwater’s prairie-chicken servation Plan developed in 1995. recovery efforts. For more informa- Cooperative habitat management pro- tion, contact the Attwater Prairie jects involving private landowners, Chicken National Wildlife Refuge at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, (979) 234-3021. and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have made a start at reversing the For More Information devastating habitat losses. Contact An active captive breeding pro- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department gram began in 1993, with the first Wildlife Diversity Branch supplementation of wild populations 4200 Smith School Road accomplished in 1995. The captive Austin, Texas 78744 breeding program continues to (512) 912-7011 or (800) 792-1112 expand, with seven zoos or research or facilities producing 131 Attwater’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Prairie Chicken for release in 2002. Ecological Services Field Office Release efforts will continue to sup- 10711 Burnet Road, Suite 200 Industrialization on the Gulf Coast plement wild populations, while con- Austin, Texas 78758 © R. W. Jurries current efforts seek to increase the (512) 490-0057 amount of habitat available to the or species. Reintroduction may also be U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service attempted on restored habitat owned Corpus Christi Ecological Services by willing landowners. Office c/o TAMU-CC, Campus Box 338 Where To Learn More 6300 Ocean Drive, Room 118 About the Attwater’s Corpus Christi, Texas 78412 (361) 994-9005 Prairie Chicken or The best place to visit to learn more The Nature Conservancy’s Texas about prairie chickens is the Attwater City Prairie Preserve website at: Prairie Chicken National Wildlife http://nature.org/wherewework/ Refuge. The refuge is located off F.M. northamerica/states/texas/ 3013 about 6 miles northeast of preserves/texascity.html Eagle Lake, Texas. Management guidelines are available How You Can Help from Texas Parks and Wildlife Depart- Introduced grass pasture You can be involved with the conser- ment for landowners and managers © R. W. Jurries vation of Texas’ nongame wildlife wishing to improve habitat for Attwa- resources by supporting the Special ter’s Prairie Chicken.

References Jurries, R. 1979. Attwater’s prairie chicken. Texas Parks and Wildlife Depart- ment. Series F.S., No. 18, Project W-100-R. 36 pp. Lehmann, V.M. 1941. Attwater’s prairie chicken, its life history and management. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, North American Fauna No. 57. 65 pp. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1993. Attwater’s prairie chicken recovery plan. Endangered Species Office, Albuquerque, N.M.

Funds for the production of this leaflet were provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, under Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act.

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