PRAIRIE CHICKENS

Light green indicates the area inhabited by the birds prior to settlement. Dark green indicates the areas inhabited by the birds in 2000.

PRAIRIE CHICKENS. Greater prairie chickens prefer undisturbed prairie and were originally found in tall grass prairies. They can tolerate agricultural land mixed with prairie, but fewer prairie chickens are found in areas that are more agricultural. Their diet consists primarily of seeds and fruit. During the summer they also eat insects and green plants. These birds were once widespread all across the oak savanna and tall grass prairie ecosystem. (1)

The greater prairie chicken was almost extinct in the 1930s due to hunting pressure and habitat loss. They now only live on small parcels of managed prairie land. (2)

In August, 1890 Delos E. LYON was taking his guns and two dogs with him while conducting business in western Iowa. He was going to then hunt in Minnesota and then return to hunt in Iowa. Other prominent hunters were Titus Schmid and George W. WUNDERLICH. (3)

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Source:

1. "Greater Prairie Chicken," Wikipedia. Online: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_prairie_chicken

2. Ibid.

3. "A Prairie Chicken Raid," Dubuque Daily Herald, August 19, 1890, p. 4