Nebraskaland

62 Nebraskaland • March 2021 were already in the area because Leuenberger spotted them occasionally. But would those birds actually use a man-made lek? It's rare for that to happen, experts say. "Creating a suitable lek location — a high spot with short grass — doesn't necessarily translate into prairie-chickens using it," said John Laux, Nebraska Game and Parks' upland game program manager. A Journey Toward a Lek Ferguson enlisted the help of Bruce Sprague, a Pheasants Forever Farm Bill biologist, and the two began drawing up plans, setting aside four acres on a hilltop for the lek. "When you're developing a lek, you want it to be one of the highest points on the property, with a good view so the prairie-chickens can see for a long distance and don't feel surrounded," Ferguson said. Sprague selected a seeding mix of shorter-growing alfalfa, blue grama and several types of clover for the lek, and situated other required habitat components — brood rearing cover, nesting cover and winter cover — with the lek in mind. They also asked Leuenberger to mow the lek to keep the vegetation short and inviting for the chickens. Ferguson suggested he remove a nearby grove of cottonwoods, which could attract predators. Leuenberger completed preparations for the lek in 2017, and the following spring, Ferguson received an exciting email from him: news that the birds had come, along with pictures of them on the lek. "I was shocked to get the email," Ferguson said. "I guess I was surprised that the birds came so quickly." Since then, Leuenberger sees about 20 greater prairie- chickens at the lek each spring. "It just makes a person feel good that you contributed to this project — that maybe you're doing something good for them," he said. The Influence of Habitat Prairie-chickens rely on native grasslands, which in Nebraska are mostly "working lands" used for cattle production. "Grazing creates variable habitat structure, from short to tall, which is important to prairie-chickens throughout the year," said Laux. Good habitat is also treeless and free of other obstructions, he explained. That makes invasive trees, such as eastern red cedar, Siberian elm and Osage orange, a particular threat. In Nebraska, greater prairie-chickens are considered an at-risk species, and they are losing their native grassland habitat to agricultural expansion and other development, tree encroachment and invasive plants, such as smooth brome. Populations have declined throughout much of their range, but the birds continue to thrive in portions of Nebraska. "Nebraska is still very much a stronghold within their range, and that's primarily due to the expansive Sandhills region, which is still a very intact grassland ecosystem," said Laux. Small remnant populations of prairie-chickens occur Leuenberger mowing the grounds of the lek to keep vegetation short, which is inviting to greater prairie-chickens. PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER

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