Low-flying Helicopters to Survey Lesser Prairie Chicken Populations in S.E. Colorado

Lesser Prairie Chicken

LAMAR, Colo. – Beginning in mid-April, helicopter crews will move across southeastern Colorado to conduct aerial surveys for lesser prairie-chicken.

The surveys are conducted annually by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) to document population trends and how the bird is responding to management strategies.

Low-flying helicopters allow crews to find and survey leks, or mating grounds, where male chickens fight, dance and conduct mating rituals to attract females.

It’ll be some early mornings for surveyors, as the flights are only conducted during the first couple hours after sunrise.  Crews will be flying in Baca, Prowers, Kiowa and Cheyenne counties.

The data from those flights will be used to estimate prairie-chicken populations in Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma.

Results from this year’s surveys will be available on July 1.