Once teeming with tens of thousands of greater prairie-chickens, Iowa’s vast grasslands are now witnessing a rapid decline in their population. Currently, the state is left with a mere 60 of these magnificent birds.
The survival of the unique chickens is crucial because it can indicate the health of grassland ecosystems. Habitat loss has led to an uncertain and unpredictable journey for these chickens.
According to Stephanie Shepherd, a biologist from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, if these entities are unable to recover, they may face an uncertain future in the state where they once flourished.
The DNR has announced its annual “Prairie Chicken Festival” at the Kellerton Grasslands Bird Conservation Area on April 6th, located just over an hour south of Des Moines. This event aims to bring attention to these magnificent birds and their conservation efforts.
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- Starting at dawn, curious spectators are invited to watch the birds’ courtship ” dance ,” where males stamp, puff out their chests and call out to females.
Zoom in: Greater prairie-chickens are about the same size as modern-day chickens, but what sets them apart is the males’ vibrant orange air sacs and their renowned courtship dances known for their acrobatic moves.
In the 1800s, prairie-chickens were abundant throughout Iowa. However, their population declined and eventually became extinct in the 1950s. This decline was primarily caused by the loss of grasslands and unregulated hunting.
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- They were reintroduced in the ’80s near the Loess Hills, but struggled to thrive because of too many trees and a lack of genetic diversity.
- The species was reintroduced again around Kellerton from 2012-2017 with some initial success as 25 to 50 birds became 100 to 150, Shepherd says.
In recent years, the population of these birds has significantly decreased to only 65 to 70 individuals. However, in order to maintain a self-sustaining flock, there should ideally be around 800 birds.
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- “We don’t have the right and enough habitat for them,” Shepherd says.
Prairie-chickens require vast expanses of grass to survive, but they also thrive in diverse grassland ecosystems, according to the expert.
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- They want short grass for breeding, thicker grass for nesting and open areas once they’re brooding.
Zoom in: Although Kellerton provides Iowa’s finest public grassland, it falls short of sustaining a complete prairie-chicken population.
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- The area provides about 6,000-7,000 acres of grassland, but some researchers believe the chickens need 50,000 acres for a viable population.
Other Midwestern states, such as Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota, have successfully maintained stable populations.
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- But even those have been decreasing, Shepherd says.
The next steps: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be closely monitoring the prairie-chickens for the next decade in order to evaluate if Iowa can sustain a population.
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- If the state simply can’t anymore, the agency won’t continue trying to make it happen, Shepherd says.
