Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is 460,000 (2010) and decreasing.
Status VU
Loss of prairie habitat through conversion to cropland, grazing pressure from sheep, are the main threats.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Greater Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) [XC711113]
by id from Prairie Ridge State Natural Area, Jasper County, Illinois, United States (call, song)
Greater Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) [XC469168]
by Ross Gallardy from Bledsoe Ranch (PRIVATE), Wray, Yuma County, Colorado, United States (display)
Subspecies
Often considered conspecific with Lesser Prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus). Hybridizes extensively with Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) in areas of overlap. Nominate cupido of eastern USA, from Massachusetts south to Maryland, extinct since 1932.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
pinnatus (Brewster, 1885) - Mainly from Dakotas south to Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri; formerly from central Alberta and south-eastern Ontario south to Arkansas.
attwateri Bendire, 1893 - Coastal areas of Texas and (formerly) south-western Louisiana.
cupido! (Linnaeus, 1758) - Eastern USA, from Massachusetts south to Maryland. Extinct since 1932.
Similar Species
Lesser Prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) which has a diagnostic reddish-purple neck sac but ranges do not overlap.
References
See References.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet