The November 2022 designation of the Lesser Prairie Chicken as a threatened species will have implications for western Kansas agriculture producers and landowners. K-State Research and Extension wildlife specialist Drew Ricketts visits with Agriculture Today producer Samantha Bennett to explain what is known in this video.
In Kansas, he notes, the Lesser Prairie Chicken – a prairie grouse – is primarily found in the western third of the state.
“So if you own land, or are conducting activities that could result in taking a lesser prairie chicken in the western third of Kansas, then I think it’s important to look at some of the maps and resources (to)… know whether or not you’re included in that area,” Ricketts said.
Ricketts said ‘take’ is a very specific term in the Endangered Species Act that refers to harming, harassing, pursuing, hunting, shooting, wounding, killing, trapping, capturing or collecting — or attempting to engage in any such conduct.
“If you know that there are Lesser Prairie Chickens on your land or a neighbor’s land, then you need to be careful,” Ricketts said.
The protections for the bird do not apply to land that is already being cultivated, Ricketts said. “So we can still apply the herbicides that we normally do for agricultural land. We can use whatever tillage practices we normally do and all those sorts of things. That land is considered non-habitat (for the Lesser Prairie Chicken) because it is actively being farmed.”
The effective date for the listing was moved from Jan. 24 to March 27, 2023. The Northern Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the lesser prairie-chicken was listed as threatened and includes lesser prairie-chicken populations in southeastern Colorado, southcentral to western Kansas, western Oklahoma and the northeast Texas Panhandle. A map of affected areas is available at the Southern Great Plains CHAT: sgpchat.org. The Service also finalized a section 4(d) rule designed to conserve the Northern DPS of lesser prairie-chicken while allowing greater flexibility for landowners and land managers. For this provision to apply, the grazing management plan must be site-specific and must be developed by a qualified party that has been approved by the Service for this specific purposed of the 4(d) rule. Producers may apply to develop grazing plans.
For more information contact K-State wildlife Extension specialist, Drew Ricketts, arickett@k-state.edu, 785-532-1949.
From U.S. Fish and Wildlife service Frequently Asked Questions: Listing of Lesser Prairie-Chicken Under the Endangered Species Act with 4(d) Rule.
