Breeding Ecology of Greater Prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus cupido) in Relation to Prairie Landscape Configuration

Abstract

Abstract To better understand the role of prairie landscape configuration on the population dynamics and conservation of greater prairie-chickens, we compared population trends and breeding ecology of prairie-chickens in prairie mosaic and contiguous prairie landscapes in southwestern Missouri. Over 27 yr, the contiguous prairie landscape supported a stable population, whereas the prairie-chicken population in the prairie mosaic landscape declined. In 1986 and 1987, less than one-third of greater prairie-chicken nests occurred in native prairie habitats in the prairie mosaic landscape, but 90% of nests in the contiguous prairie area were in native prairie. Greater prairie-chicken nests established in agricultural habitats had substantially lower nest success than nests in native prairie or mixed native-exotic grass pastures. Nest success was higher in the contiguous prairie landscape than in the prairie mosaic area in 1 of 2 yr. Habitat use by broods differed between the areas: in the contiguous prairie l...