A bleak future
Sadly, numbers of Lesser Prairie Chickens in Colorado are now down to about 40 individuals, and looking ahead the future seems to be bleak for them. Yet again this is a species that is categorised as Vulnerable as it is also faced with problems of a limited gene pool, while numbers have been reduced by habitat loss from local overgrazing and the invasion of steppe by woody vegetation. Pesticide and herbicide use has also caused problems with mortality. There have been attempts to reintroduce birds to former haunts, but these have failed. I spent a day travelling west towards the city of Pueblo, and then onwards to the town of Gunnison the following day. Apart from enjoying good birding along the way I had another early morning appointment – this time with the Gunnison Sage Grouse. Ranging from 44-51 cm, this bird is larger than the prairie-chickens, but is a lot smaller than its close relative the Sage Grouse – from which it evolved as a separate species. The plumage is greyish-brown, with black central underparts. The tail on the male is long, with stiff pointed feathers with prominent yellowish-white bars. This species is classified as Endangered – just one stage below the Critical level that is applied to the very rarest of birds. It has a very small and severely fragmented range, with a total population estimated at about 1,700 individuals, and definitely declining. The biggest challenge that it suffers from is habitat degradation and fragmentation. Added to this problem is the fact that gas White-tailed Ptarmigan is about as white as any grouse can be
For many people, the best of the North American grouse is the White-tailed Ptarmigan, with its pure white plumage