Mia Patel
The best places to view greater prairie chickens are their traditional breeding grounds, known as leks or booming grounds, where males perform elaborate mating rituals to impress females. The largest remaining populations of greater prairie chickens are in Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota. They can also be found in Iowa, Missouri, and the Great Plains. To view greater prairie chickens, it is recommended to join an organized trip or bird club/tour group outing to a booming ground between late March and early May, arriving before dawn.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | United States |
| States | Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Colorado, Missouri |
| Iowa Viewing Platforms | Kellerton Bird Conservation Area, Ringgold Wildlife Area, Dunn Ranch, Loess Hills |
| Minnesota Viewing Platforms | Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge, Tympanuchus WMA, MN Dept Natural Resources Area Wildlife Office |
| Colorado Viewing Platforms | Yuma County, Washington County, Phillips County |
| Best Time to View | Late March to early May |
| Habitat | Grasslands, brushy areas, prairies, oak woodland, cropland |
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What You'll Learn
The best viewing spots are their leks or booming grounds
The best viewing spots to observe greater prairie chickens are their leks or booming grounds. Leks are breeding grounds where males set up spots that they defend from other males. These grounds are considered sensitive, so it is recommended to join an organised trip to a booming ground between late March and early May. Bird clubs or tour groups often advertise such outings.
The Kellerton Bird Conservation Area in Southern Iowa, for example, offers a viewing platform that overlooks a lek site. This lek has been the primary booming ground for greater prairie chickens since the 1990s. Another lek viewing spot can be found in Northeastern Colorado, where greater prairie chickens are fairly common local residents in the sandhills of northern and central Yuma County, extreme eastern Washington County, and extreme southern Phillips County.
In Minnesota, the Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge offers blinds available for reservation to view greater prairie chickens. These blinds are located near Mentor, MN. Additionally, the MN Department of Natural Resources Area Wildlife Office in Fergus Falls has a prairie chicken blind open for reservation in 2025, located about five miles west of Rothsay, MN.
Observing greater prairie chickens at their leks can be a breathtaking experience, as they perform their spring courtship displays. To fully experience this, viewers must be prepared to wake up early and hide away in a viewing blind before dawn to witness the male chickens' unique behaviours.
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Go on an organised trip to a booming ground in spring
To view greater prairie chickens, it is recommended to go on an organised trip to a booming ground in spring. This is because greater prairie chickens are quite uncommon and localised, and their breeding grounds, known as leks, are sensitive locations.
Organised trips to view greater prairie chickens are widely advertised and can be found through bird clubs or tour groups. These outings usually require a very early departure, as viewers must be in place before dawn. Blinds, or viewing platforms, are set up in advance so that viewers can watch the prairie chickens without disturbing them. Due to COVID-19, some locations are requiring one household per blind.
Greater prairie chickens perform their breeding displays in areas called leks from late March to early May. Each male will set up his own spot on a lek, which he will vigorously defend from other males. As dawn breaks, the males will begin their booming calls, which are part of their spring courtship display.
In Minnesota, blinds are available for reservation through the Minnesota Prairie Chicken Society (MPCS) and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). In 2023, blinds were located near Mentor, in the Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge, and southeast of Crookston, on the Tympanuchus WMA. In 2025, blinds will be available near Rothsay, MN, and reservations can be made through the MN DNR Area Wildlife Office in Fergus Falls.
In Iowa, the best place to view greater prairie chickens is at the Kellerton Bird Conservation Area viewing platform, which overlooks a lek site. This population was established in the early 1990s and has been the primary booming ground since then. Greater prairie chickens can also be found in Colorado, where they are now flourishing in the grasslands of the northeast corner of the state, and Illinois, where there are only two breeding groups left.
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View from a blind, facing west for optimal photography
The best way to view greater prairie chickens is to visit one of their leks, or breeding grounds. These grounds have been used for centuries and are considered "ancestral". The best time to visit is between late March and early May, when the males are performing their spring courtship display. To get the full experience, you'll need to arrive at the lek before dawn, taking a spot in a viewing blind to the west of the lek.
From the blind, facing west, you will be able to observe the male prairie chickens without disturbing them. As the sun rises, the males will begin their ""booming" call, a hollow sound that is part of their display. You will be able to see the males' yellow neck sacs, which they reveal by lifting their neck feathers during mating displays. The males will also be performing an age-old ritual of staking out their territories, vigorously defending them from other males.
There are several locations where you can view greater prairie chickens from a blind. In Minnesota, the MN Department of Natural Resources Area Wildlife Office in Fergus Falls has one prairie chicken blind open for reservation in 2025, located about five miles west of Rothsay, MN. The Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge also has blinds available near Mentor, MN, and reservations can be made by contacting the refuge directly.
In Iowa, the best place to view greater prairie chickens is at the Kellerton Bird Conservation Area viewing platform, which overlooks a lek site. This lek was established in the early 1990s and has been the primary booming ground for the prairie chickens in this area since then.
Greater prairie chickens can also be found in Colorado, where they are now flourishing in the grasslands of the northeast corner of the state. They are commonly found in the sandhills of northern and central Yuma County, extreme eastern Washington County, and extreme southern Phillips County.
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See them in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota
Iowa:
The best place to see greater prairie chickens in Iowa is the Kellerton Lek, their primary booming ground. This area was established after the success of the Dunn Ranch restoration in the 1990s. Visitors can learn about the efforts to restore the population in Iowa and view the birds in their habitat.
Kansas:
Kansas Lek Treks offers several options for viewing greater prairie chickens in Kansas. Their tours include van transportation, meals, and lodging, and they cater to people with mobility challenges. Blinds are placed 100-200 feet from prairie chickens, and participants are advised to bring binoculars and cameras. The organisation also offers a bring-your-own-tent option for those who prefer private accommodations.
Nebraska:
The Audubon of Kansas' Hutton Niobrara Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary near Bassett, Nebraska, is a 5000-acre sanctuary that provides habitat for greater prairie chickens. It is a working ranch that is home to various other species, including mountain lions, bobcats, elk, and porcupines. Visitors can view greater prairie chickens from a distance in a van or from a blind.
South Dakota:
Although specific viewing locations in South Dakota were not found, greater prairie chickens can generally be found in extensive patches of tallgrass and mixed-grass prairies. As they can be elusive throughout the year, the best place to see them is on their leks during the breeding season, between late March and early May. Joining an organised trip or bird club outing is recommended, as these groups have access to ancestral leks and can ensure that viewing is done responsibly.
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Conservation efforts are needed to protect their habitats
Greater Prairie Chickens were once abundant in much of central North America, but today they are quite uncommon and localized. They are best known for their elaborate mating rituals, which take place on traditional breeding grounds known as "leks" or "booming grounds". The best places to view these displays are just before and after sunrise in spring, at locations such as the Kellerton Bird Conservation Area viewing platform in southern Iowa, and Prairie Ridge State Natural Area in Illinois.
Historically, the greatest threat to Greater Prairie Chicken populations has been excessive hunting. In Iowa, for example, hunters would bag 25-50 birds a day, with some taking as many as 200. By 1878, lawmakers were concerned about overharvesting and limited the daily bag to 25 birds per person. Despite this, the Greater Prairie Chicken disappeared from the state in the 1950s due to habitat loss and hunting.
Today, the primary threat to the Greater Prairie Chicken is the loss of their tallgrass prairie ecosystem, with over 99% of this habitat having been destroyed, primarily due to conversion to agriculture. This has led to a decline in their population range-wide. Climate change is also expected to affect the species. Conservation efforts are therefore needed to protect their habitats.
The Nature Conservancy is working to restore high-quality tallgrass prairie on the Great River Grasslands in Missouri, removing invasive woody vegetation and invasive species, and purchasing lands bordering their high-quality prairies. They are also working to reintroduce prairie chickens to certain areas, such as the Loess Hills and Ringgold Wildlife Area in southern Iowa, with varying levels of success. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has also approved a habitat conservation plan for oil and gas development in the Great Plains, which will contribute to the conservation of the lesser prairie-chicken.
In Illinois, the Prairie Ridge State Natural Area is dedicated to conserving the rarest members of the state's native tallgrass prairie and marsh communities, including the Greater Prairie Chicken. They have developed effective methods for monitoring populations, restoring and managing habitat, translocation, and controlling predators and nest parasites.
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Frequently asked questions
The best place to see the greater prairie chicken's mating ritual is on their leks or booming grounds, where males dance, call, and try to impress females. Some leks have been used for over a century and are considered "ancestral". The best time to see these displays is just before and after sunrise in the spring. You can join an organised trip to a booming ground between late March and early May.
Greater prairie chickens are now quite uncommon, but they can still be found in a few areas of native grassland in the Midwest, including Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Missouri. They require wide-open sweeps of permanent, diverse grassland.
Trips to see greater prairie chickens often involve sitting still in cold temperatures without access to a bathroom for 5 hours or more. Participants must be able to walk up to a mile in the dark over uneven terrain. Blinds are placed 100-200 feet from the prairie chickens, and the opening will face west to allow for optimal photography and to prevent the sun from shining in.
