Long-term prairie grouse lek durability and population size trends in relation to grazing management and climate 

Grassland bird communities are one of the fastest declining taxa in North America, primarily due to habitat conversion. Prairie grouse (e.g., sharp-tail and prairie chickens) require large tracts of prairies and can be an overall indicator of grassland habitat intactness, heterogeneity, and quality. The Institute is initiating a long-term lek monitoring project at our McGinley Ranch to better understand the response of prairie grouse to bison grazing management and climate patterns. Outcomes from this work could help improve grazing practices in relation to climate variables to promote and sustain prairie grouse as well as other grassland bird species.