Male and Female Prairie Chickens Scott Simpson is talking to third and fourth grade classes about prairie chickens and the Illinois prairie. By Marissa H. Prairie chickens are an endangered species in Illinois. They are an endangered species because of the loss of habitat. In 1850 to 1860, there used to be 10 to 14 million prairie chickens in Illinois. Around 1990, only about 40 prairie chickens were left in Illinois.
Prairie chickens can fly like ducks.
They can fly up to 50 miles per hour. Some prairie chickens get killed by flying really, really fast into power lines. They flap and glide to fly. Fifty percent of the prairie chickens die each year. The reproduction of prairie chickens is very important.