Tall grasses are 16 to 24 inches in height, and are needed for nesting, loafing, feeding, and escape. Densely vegetated areas of over 24 inches in height are generally avoided, but are occasionally used for protection from inclement weather and predators, and as fall feeding grounds. The various plant life found in the Attwater's Prairie Chicken's habitat includes Little Bluestem, Indiangrass, Switchgrass, Big Bluestem, Ruellia, Yellow Falsegarlic, and Ragweed. The animal life found in the prairie chicken's habitat includes snakes, opossums, skunks, coyotes, insects, hawks, and other birds. Attwater's Prairie Chickens feed on a wide variety of plant parts and insects.
Food sources vary by season, location and availability.
Green foliage, seed pods, and seeds make up most of the prairie chicken's diet, whereas insects are only important seasonally. Most commonly consumed plants include Ruellian Yellow Falsegarlic, Upright Prairie-coneflower, Leavenworth Vetch, Stargrass, Bedstraw, Doveweed, and Ragweed. The Attwater's Prairie Chicken's diet consists of about 88 percent plant material and 12 percent insects. Predators that feed on Attwater's Prairie Chickens include hawks, snakes, raccoons, opossums, skunks, and coyotes. To protect themselves from these predators, Attwater's Prairie Chickens hide in the tall grasses and in the densely vegetated areas.