This ground-dwelling bird has barred brown-and-white plumage and lives in grasslands of the southern United States. In spring, males gather at display grounds to court females.
Both sexes have brown-and-white barring, a rounded body, and a short tail. A displaying male shows orange combs above the eyes and inflates reddish-orange air sacs in its neck.
Lesser Prairie-chickens nest on the ground, with females incubating the eggs. Females also leave and return during incubation. In Kansas, these breaks were most often recorded around dawn and dusk.
Researchers tracked 87 wild females at 109 first and subsequent nests in three Kansas study areas during 2013–2015. When locations indicated that females were away, they were often 400–600 metres from the nest.
Greater grass cover and vegetation screening around nests were associated with higher female attendance. Higher attendance was also associated with greater daily nest survival. Vegetation, weather and female condition were linked to incubation behaviour.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
The 2023 researchers recommend considering grass cover and height around nests to support incubation. They also call for work on resources used during breaks, connecting the nest itself with the surrounding grassland used by incubating females.