Greater Prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus cupido)

Family
Phasianidae (Pheasants, Partridges, Turkeys, Grouse)

Size
43 cm

First Described (Guide)
(Linnaeus, 1758)

Habitat
Native prairie, croplands, ungrazed meadows.

Range (Guide)

Canada (E) (B), USA (B).

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.

Voice
Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (41)...)

Greater Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) [XC52473]
by Andrew Spencer from Bledsoe Ranch, Wrey, Colorado, United States (call, song)

Greater Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) [XC469175]
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.

Files:

JPG files for Greater Prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) - 10 files

More Information

BirdLife International

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BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

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