Greater Prairie Chickens

Greater prairie chickens and sharp-tailed grouse both occur in the grasslands of central Nebraska. Greater prairie chickens are more common and have increased significantly in recent years.

Each spring, these native prairie birds gather on courtship grounds called “leks.” Males arrive before dawn and put on an amazing display of foot-stomping and resonant booming calls created by inflating yellow-orange air sacs on the side of their necks. Fights often break out between males in competition for females that show up on the lek.

Courtship starts in early March and can last well into May. Activity starts before first light and often continues for two to three hours after sunrise. A less vigorous peak of activity often occurs around sunset.

Finding an active lek is difficult—and since most of Nebraska is private property, it is not recommended that visitors search for these birds without assistance. For information, contact the Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary.