By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
The lesser prairie chicken and its declining numbers has stolen all the media attention lately. But the greater prairie chicken will soon be the star of the show. The Kansas Wetlands Education Center is now filling up spots to watch the bird's mating ritual. Director Curtis Wolf calls it a bucket list item for nature lovers.
"Watching prairie chickens on their mating grounds, it's literally one of the coolest you can see," he said. "Every spring, the males come to an area that's called a lek; it's a communal breeding ground. The males set up territories they defend. They put on displays, they do dances, they fight. Basically, it's all about winning over the females."
Only the greater prairie chicken can be found in Barton County. Though the lesser and greater prairie chickens share many similarities, they are two different species of birds. The greater is larger and has bushy eyebrows that are almost orange in color. The lesser's eyebrows are more yellow in color. Each species also has a unique "booming" sound used to defend its territory. There's another easily identifiable difference on the head.
"The big thing would be the males have this large air sac they use to make the sounds they do," Wolf said. "The greater prairie chickens, the color of that air sac is a bright orange color. For the lesser prairie chicken, it's more of a red, almost purplish color."
Prairie Chicken Lek Tours are $40 per person, and space is limited. There are still several spots available from March 23 through April 21. Participants will watch the ritual from a blind approximately 30 yards from the birds. Call the KWEC at (877) 243-9268 to reserve a spot.