Nongame and Rare Species Program:
Federal Candidate and Petitioned Species Resources
Lesser Prairie-Chicken
Tympanuchus pallidicinctus
Lesser Prairie-Chickens were once found throughout short- and mid-grass prairies in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico, but since 1998 this bird has been considered a candidate species for listing under the Endangered Species Act. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expects to publish a proposed rule in this fall that may designate the bird as a federally threatened or endangered species by fall 2013. Texas Parks and Wildlife and other State Fish and Wildlife agencies included in the Lesser Prairie-Chicken Interstate Working Group are developing a range-wide management plan for the species to further conservation of the species and address the proposed listing. This page will be updated with the latest news and developing information on the lesser prairie-chicken, the listing process and timeline, and the multi-state conservation effort.
Updates
May 7, 2013
New Lesser Prairie-Chicken Conservation Plan Presentations
April 4, 2013
- Lesser Prairie-Chicken mitigation framework: Industry
View online or download Powerpoint (20MB)- Lesser Prairie-Chicken mitigation framework: Landowner
View online or download Powerpoint (17MB)
Range-wide conservation plan for the Lesser Prairie-Chicken (draft) | PDFDecember 11, 2012
October 12, 2012
The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) proposed listing the Lesser Prairie Chicken (LEPC) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. State fish and wildlife agencies, private landowners, oil and gas industry, conservation organizations, and federal agencies across the five states within the range of the LEPC are working together to create a range-wide conservation plan, Southern Great Plains Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool, and voluntary landowner and industry conservation opportunities. The success of these meaningful measures will be considered by USFWS in the coming year prior to the final listing determination and will continue to contribute to the conservation of the LEPC, regardless of the listing outcome. One of the four Public Hearings will be held in Lubbock, Texas, on February 11th (Monday) from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The USFWS is accepting public comment until March 11, 2013. More information on the listing proposal, public comment methods, and the public hearing in Texas can be found in the Federal Register.
Multi-State Group reports range-wide population estimate for Lesser Prairie Chicken | PDF
October 3, 2012
First ever statistically valid range-wide population estimate for Lesser Prairie-Chicken | PDF
August 14, 2012
Lesser Prairie-Chicken stakeholders meeting audio, August 10, 2012 (Click to listen)
July 27, 2012
USFWS technical white paper: Conservation needs of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken | PDF
June 25, 2012
First range-wide Lesser Prairie Chicken aerial survey concluded
Conservation and Management
- Lesser Prairie-Chicken Advisory Committee recommendations | PDF
- Lesser Prairie-Chicken Endangered Species Act listing process information
- Range-wide Lesser Prairie-Chicken management plan (TPWD) | PDF
- Southern Great Plains Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool
- TPWD and USFWS Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) for Lesser Prairie-Chickens | PDF
- TPWD Lesser Prairie-Chicken wildlife management plan | PDF