The Lesser Prairie Chicken in the Texas Panhandle

Abstract

Trends in populations of lesser prairie chickens (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) in the Texas Panhandle were investigated by censusing drumming grounds annually on two study areas during a 10-year period, 1952-62, for comparison with data from a census of the same areas in 1942. Severe drops in populations came in 1952. The decline was triggered by onset of a major drouth lasting through 1956, but populations did not increase during a series of good rainfall years starting with 1957. Changing land-use practices are responsible for keeping lesser prairie chickens at low population levels in the Texas Panhandle. The more important of these are overgrazing of cattle range, particularly in dry weather, resulting in displacement of the tall grasses; accelerated programs of aerial spraying with herbicides for brush control; and combine harvesting of grain sorghum in place of storage by stacking and shocking in the field.

Effects of management practices on grassland birds: Lesser Prairie-Chicken

“…Maximum numbers of Lesser Prairie-Chickens were found in areas in which 5-37% of the landscape was planted to grain sorghum using minimum-tillage techniques (Crawford 1974). In another Texas study, numbers of Lesser Prairie-Chickens declined over a 10-yr period, then stabilized at about one-third the level of initial counts (Jackson and DeArment 1963). Declines were attributed to the use of combines instead of in-field shocking to harvest grain sorghum, treatment of extensive areas with shrub-specific herbicide, drought, and harsh winter conditions.…”

“…Prevent heavy grazing because it results in reduced nesting cover or conversion of the plant community to shortgrass habitat (Hoffman 1963, Jackson and DeArment 1963, Jones 1963a, Crawford 1974, Merchant 1982, Wilson 1982, Haukos and Smith 1989, Litton et al 1994, Giesen 2000. Encourage light or moderate grazing (Copelin 1963, Hoffman 1963, Donaldson 1969.…”

“…However, few data are available on the direct effects of grazing on Lesser Prairie-Chickens. Heavy grazing pressure may result in conversion of the original plant community to a shortgrass-dominated habitat or a shortage of the tall, residual cover that is required for successful nesting (Hoffman 1963, Jackson and DeArment 1963, Litton et al 1994). For example, in New Mexico, greater percent utilization of sand bluestem, little bluestem, and dropseed by livestock resulted in lower mean plant height (Davis et al 1979).…”

“…Treat shrubs in contour strips on a 6-8 yr rotation to provide suitable interspersion of nesting and brood-rearing habitats while reducing wind erosion of sandy soils. Avoid annual chemical brush treatment of large areas because this may reduce Lesser Prairie-Chicken populations (Jackson andDeArment 1963, Litton et al 1994). …”

“…Grain sorghum, corn, and other grain fields adjacent to native pasture commonly are used as foraging areas from late autumn through early spring (Bent 1963, Davison 1940, Lee 1950, Schwilling 1955, Copelin 1963, Hoffman 1963, Jackson and DeArment 1963, Jones 1963a, Donaldson 1969, Crawford 1974, Ahlborn 1980, Merchant 1982, Litton et al 1994, Applegate and Riley 1998, Giesen 1998, Jamison 2000. In Oklahoma, use of food plots and cultivated grain fields may have been influenced by the abundance in grasslands of natural foods (i.e., shinnery oak mast, grass seed, and forb seed) and by the amount of snow cover that affected food availability (Copelin 1963).…”