In May of 2024, I traveled to Hays, Kansas. Why you ask? Well, I was told that we could spend a couple of days watching the prairie chicken mating ritual there. Well, I've never been to Kansas so, I'm in. As it turns out the Kansas Audubon sponsors an annual event called the "LEK Treck". A Lek is the place where prairie chickens go each spring to perform their mating ritual. Prairie chickens were once critically endangered due to their value in the late 1900s as a food source and later due to habitat destruction.
We all traveled to Kansas in early May to see what the fuss was all about. We got there about mid-day and spent some time exploring the great metropolis they call Hays with a population of about 21,000. It is a nice place to visit even though it is located four hours from the Kansas City Airport. Friendly people and good food are easy to find there. It's in the middle of the Kansas prairies. That is where one finds prairie chickens.
Once in Hays, we had a short night's sleep, got up at 3:00 am, loaded on a van, and headed another two hours west, I think. We needed to arrive before dawn so we didn't disturb the anxious prairie chickens. We set up small tents that accommodated 4 people at most, with a window on one side so everyone could almost see. The following is a one-minute video I shot that captures the essence of the experience. It's G-rated of course.
The Dance of Love
As I settled in to watch the prairie chickens, I couldn't help but be captivated by their performance. The males, with their vibrant plumage on full display, began to stomp, jump, and make peculiar sounds - all in an attempt to woo their potential mates. It was like a whimsical ballet orchestrated by nature itself.
We experienced a mesmerizing display of dozens of male prairie chickens, putting their hearts and souls into the dance, fluffing their feathers, stomping their feet, and strutting around as if they had finally acquired ownership of the entire prairie. There were two types of prairie chickens present. The greater prairie chicken is slightly larger and has darker front markings. The lesser prairie chicken is slightly smaller and due to his stature stayed pretty much in the gallery. These two types of prairie chickens normally have separate mating grounds but occasionally may wander into the rival grounds.
Reflecting on the Experience
As the dust settled and the animals went their separate ways, I couldn't help but marvel at the unpredictability of nature. What started as a serene observation of prairie chickens turned into an unexpected comedy show where nobody got hurt and everyone seemed to leave happy.
Below are a few more of my photos of the event. The upper left is a female prairie chicken making her selections. Next to her is a prairie dog wonder if these guys have lost their minds. The upper right is a horned lark who was just about to enjoy breakfast and wondering what he had stumbled into. The bottom shows two resting participants. The lower right is lesser prairie chicken waiting for any spoils.
Cheers
Dave
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