Helping People Help the Land

United States Department of Agriculture

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Conservation Beyond Boundaries

The Natural Resources 

Conservation Service’s (NRCS) 

Lesser Prairie-Chicken Initiative 

(LPCI) works with landowners 

to improve the effectiveness of 

voluntary conservation practices to expand Lesser prairiechicken habitat and benefit the 

long-term sustainability of producers’ agricultural operations. 

The initiative area includes 

high priority habitat areas in the 

current range with a contiguous 

10 mile buffer in the states of 

Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, 

Oklahoma and Texas. 

Once widely distributed, the 

Lesser prairie-chicken has 

experienced more than a 90 

percent reduction in population 

since European settlement. 

The bird is ground-nesting and 

native to the rangelands of the 

Background/Purpose

Lesser Prairie-Chicken 

Initiative Fact Sheet

February 2012

south central plains. It is best 

known for its unique courtship 

displays and “gobbling” sounds. 

Together the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (FWS) and 

NRCS finalized conservation practices to be used in 

LPCI released in a June 2011 

Conference Report. These 

practices will benefit the Lesser 

prairie-chicken population and 

cause no harm to other listed 

and candidate species that 

share habitat with the Lesser 

prairie-chicken. Additionally, the 

Conference Report provides 

certainty that the conservation 

practices and measures used 

by landowners of the LPCI 

will be in compliance with the 

Endangered Species Act while 

the Lesser prairie-chicken is a 

candidate species.

Good grazing management not only 

benefits the ranch but the Lesser 

Prairie-chicken as well.
Goals/Objectives 

Achieved

LPCI is designed to increase the abundance and distribution of the Lesser 

prairie-chicken and its habitat while 

promoting the overall health of grazing 

lands and the long-term sustainability 

of ranching operations. Measureable 

outcomes for LPCI include management and enhancement of the current 

habitat, decreased threats to the 

species from agricultural activities, and 

educating the public about species’ 

needs. NRCS will monitor responses 

of habitat to implementation of conservation practices, while states are 

monitoring and tracking lek* sites and 

conducting Lesser prairie-chicken 

population counts. 

*

A lek is an area where Lesser prairie-chicken males 

display during the breeding season to attract females; 

may also be referred to as a booming ground or 

strutting ground.

Conservation Funding/

Practices Applied

LPCI provides financial and technical 

assistance to landowners and operators for reducing threats to the species, 

and enhancing and maintaining existing 

habitats in high priority areas. LPCI 

objectives will be funded by NRCS 

through the Conservation Technical 

Assistance Program, Environmental 

Quality Incentives Program and Wildlife 

Habitat Incentive Program. 

The primary focus for LPCI is upland wildlife habitat management. 

Participants can receive technical and 

financial assistance to implement supporting conservation practices including brush management, prescribed 

grazing, range planting, prescribed 

burning and restoration of rare and 

declining habitats. 

Benefits to Partners

In addition to receiving financial and 

technical assistance for implementing 

conservation practices that benefit the 

Lesser prairie-chicken, participants in 

LPCI will improve overall range conditions and sustainability of ranching 

operations. With regard to voluntary 

conservation and the implementation 

of LPCI priority conservation systems, 

what is good for the rancher is good 

for the Lesser prairie-chicken.

Participation/Partnerships

LPCI partners include:

• Colorado Division of Wildlife

• Kansas Department of Wildlife, 

Parks and Tourism

• Kansas Forest Service

• New Mexico Department of Game 

and Fish

• Oklahoma Department of Wildlife 

Conservation

• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

• LPC Interstate Working Group

• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

• National Wildlife Foundation 

Pheasants Forever

• Playa Lakes Joint Venture

• Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory

• The Woods Foundation

• Texas Wildlife Association

• The Nature Conservancy

Benefits to Resources/

Public

The Lesser prairie-chicken has been 

a treasured plains icon for centuries. 

Their beauty and distinctive mating 

rituals provide remarkable wildlife 

viewing, prompting communities, 

farmers, ranchers and bed and 

breakfasts to offer tours and photo 

opportunities. By improving their 

habitat, ranchers are working to 

ensure that future generations of 

Americans will be able to witness 

these remarkable birds. Plus, 

maintaining farming and ranching 

operations through improved 

resource conservation associated 

with the LPCI, increases the sustainability of rural ranching communities 

throughout the region.

Current and historic range for the Lesser prairie-chicken.

United States Department of Agriculture

Natural Resources Conservation Service

www.nrcs.usda.gov

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