Chicken of the (Prairie) Sea

Sampling of shots of one of the rarest grouse, indeed of all birds, in North America, the Greater prairie chicken, or boomer as they're also known due to the vocalizations males make during the peak of their display. Charasmatic, photogenic icons of native prairie habitats. If you want to experience these interesting products of evolution, you need to plan ahead, not unlike a hunting trip, plan to be in a blind at least an hour prior to dawn, and sit tight for up to 5 hours before the birds leave for cover mid- to late-morning. Males visit and attend a lek, Scandinavian word for playground, which they prefer on somewhat open ground. When females show up, they ramp up their display rates, and exhibit additional behavior and vocalizations, including the "Flutter Jump" and "Whoop" call.

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$High Anxiety Boomer<br /> Captured this greater prairie chicken on Bluestem Prairie SNA in Clay County, Mn last May. When females show up on the booming ground, and especially when they avoid certain territories, the males such as this poor little fellow can't contain themselves, and engage in flutter jumps to try what they can to attract the attention of the ladies. If this is unsuccessful, they will even resort to flying on top of and displaying on the observation blinds (which also doesn't work). Jump flights occur in a fraction of a second, and are quite difficult to capture in focus.$

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High Anxiety Boomer
Captured this greater prairie chicken on Bluestem Prairie SNA in Clay County, Mn last May. When females show up on the booming ground, and especially when they avoid certain territories, the males such as this poor little fellow can't contain themselves, and engage in flutter jumps to try what they can to attract the attention of the ladies. If this is unsuccessful, they will even resort to flying on top of and displaying on the observation blinds (which also doesn't work). Jump flights occur in a fraction of a second, and are quite difficult to capture in focus.

Birds Bluestem Prairie SNA Glyndon Minnesota Prairie chicken Wildlife flutter jump

$High Anxiety Boomer<br /> Captured this greater prairie chicken on Bluestem Prairie SNA in Clay County, Mn last May. When females show up on the booming ground, and especially when they avoid certain territories, the males such as this poor little fellow can't contain themselves, and engage in flutter jumps to try what they can to attract the attention of the ladies. If this is unsuccessful, they will even resort to flying on top of and displaying on the observation blinds (which also doesn't work). Jump flights occur in a fraction of a second, and are quite difficult to capture in focus.$