Greater prairie-chickens Tympanuchus cupido were declared endangered in Colorado in 1973. Since then, recovery efforts have focussed on habitat restoration and establishment of other self-sustaining populations in northeastern Colorado. A total of 301 greater prairie-chickens was captured on leks during spring using cannon nets or walk-in traps and released at three sites in northeastern Colorado, including Tamarack State Wildlife Area (N = 76), Pinneo (N = 84), and Wells Ranch (N = 141). Transplant stock was obtained from Yuma County, Colorado (N = 201) and Cowley County, Kansas (N = 100). Leks were established, and reproduction and recruitment were documented on all areas. Surveys conducted in 1994 revealed 19 active leks (0 = 5.4 males/lek) at Tamarack, 8 active leks (0 = 5.0 males/lek) at Pinneo, and 4 active leks (0 = 7.7 males/lek) at Wells Ranch. Greater prairie-chickens have been downlisted to threatened status in Colorado and will be delisted to species of special concern if population trends remain stable or increase.
Key words: greater prairie-chicken, lek survey, movements, reproductive success, translocation, Tympanuchus cupido
Richard W. Hoffman, Colorado Division of Wildlife, 317 West Prospect Road, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80526, USA
Grant M. Beauprez, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado, 80639, USA