Ecology and Management of the Greater Prairie-Chicken
This circular contains information on the ecology and management of Greater Prairie-Chickens in Oklahoma and surrounding areas. Historically, prairie-chickens were common throughout Oklahoma, except in the extreme southeastern corner of the state. Their habitat was comprised of extensive prairie with few trees, and was subjected to periodic disturbance from fire and grazing. Since the land run and the ensuing settlement by Europeans, large quantities of high-quality prairie-chicken habitat have been steadily lost. Native plant communities were converted to cropland, introduced forages, and urban development, which supported fire suppression and tree planting. In the absence of fire, trees invaded (e.g., eastern redcedar, osage orange, elms, and many other woody species) and created poor Greater Prairie-Chicken (GPC) (Tympanuchus cupido) habitat.