Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Kansas
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Lesser prairie-chickens are a species of conservation concern due to declining populations and occupied range. Managers are developing strategies, including translocation, to restore populations. Translocation to restore populations is a possible conservation strategy for this species. Assessing lek locations, establishment, and persistence is necessary to determine the success of the strategy. This research is a collaborative effort among the Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Kansas Parks, Wildlife, and Tourism, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and U.S. Forest Service. Translocated birds do join and establish leks. However, leks are associated with quality nesting habitat and relatively high female densities, which are not found at the release sites.