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- Bird ?1 E rI Lesser Prairie Chicken Tympanuchus pallidicinctus (Threatened Colorado) Photo by Charles G. Summers, Jr. The lesser prairie chicken looks almost identical to the greater prairie chicken, except that the air sacs on the neck of the lesser prairie chicken are more reddish than orange. These birds prefer to nest in relatively sandy grassland areas that have an abundance of tall grasses. They historically resided on the grasslands of Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kansas, and southeastern Colorado. Populations have declined dramatically throughout their range during the past several decades, and biologists estimate that only about 50,000 breeding birds remain nationwide. As with the other prairie grouse species, the reason for the decline is a loss of native prairie as a result of agriculture and overgrazing by livestock. Colorado's population currently numbers just 600-800 breeding birds, but fortu- nately, they are located for the most part on the Comanche National Grassland near Campo in southeastern Colorado, which is administered by the U.S. Forest Service. In addition, several smaller pockets of these birds are found on private ranches south of Holly and south of the Cimarron River in the extreme south- eastern corner of the state. The Division of Wildlife is currently involved in long-term study of the lesser prairie chickens in Colorado, and biologists have pinpointed the specific habitat requirements of these birds. By trapping, radio-collaring, and releasing some of the lesser prairie chickens that reside on the national grasslands, researchers have been better able to document the movements of these birds through the mating, nesting, and brood-rearing seasons. Above: Lesser prairie chicken cocks face off at territorial boundry on spring dancing ground in Kansas.