Lesser or Greater Prairie Chicken

skeetermc · Post by **skeetermc** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 10:09 pm

I shot my first chicken in KS this weekend but I don't know the difference between a lesser and greater prairie chicken. How can you tell?

SetterNut · Post by **SetterNut** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 10:12 pm

What part of the state were you in?

The lessers are more in the southwest part of the state. Greaters in the north and east parts.

KsHusker · Post by **KsHusker** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 7:50 am

I dont claim to be an expert so I could be wrong but that looks like a greater. The "barring" on the feathers is larger on a greater.

A lesser to me more resembles the "Barring" on a scaled quail and its also a bit smaller.

skeetermc · Post by **skeetermc** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 10:50 am

Setternut, I was in the Meade area. Near the lake.

KsHusker · Post by **KsHusker** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 5:05 pm

Did you take any other photos? Being in Meade that could change things.

Do you have any of the breast or underbelly area too? The lighting in the photo makes it hard and the whole bird doesnt show up.

Im still thinking its a greater. It was hard for me to tell them apart a few years ago but Ive seen enough photos and enough out in the wild now that I think Im a lot better at it. At first it can be really hard to see the subtle differences in the feather pattern.

Heres a link to a good post, though the only one Im 100% convinced is a lesser is the in the bottom photo on the left side. The one on the bottom right has the barring similar to a greater and Im 99% sure thats what it is.

The bottom left has barring very similar to a scaled quail which is how I compare a lesser in my mind. When you see them fly up close too you can sometimes see more white and an almost scaled appearance on their feathers.

http://www.uplandjournal.com/cgi-bin/ik ... =2;t=76935

Other examples ----
2 Lessers

Maybe my comparison isnt the greatest but I think maybe you can see what I mean about the barring and pattern on a scaled quail vs the lesser then comparing it to the greater -- the greater has a more distinct barring and its "thicker"

Greater

SetterNut · Post by **SetterNut** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 6:37 pm

Lesser Range
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt ... CDQQ9QEwAQ

Greater Range

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt ... CC0Q9QEwAQ

Looks like it should be a Lesser

skeetermc · Post by **skeetermc** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 10:27 am

Sorry those Prairie Storms at 30 yards didn't leave hardly any feathers on his butt or breast. I hate tail gate shots but I took this one as a reference for size. He was about 13" long in my hand.

ACooper · Post by **ACooper** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 1:20 pm

The greaters I've shot in SD and NE were much bigger than the bird you're holding. Not very scientific but based on that I'm saying lesser.

KsHusker · Post by **KsHusker** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 11:09 pm

I cant see enough of it, but from what I can see I believe its a greater. The "bar's" on the feathers look too big to be a lesser.

The range maps posted above are not very accurate at all. The scaled quail map KS posts is probably the biggest joke. They are not just in the corner.

skeetermc · Post by **skeetermc** » Mon Nov 25, 2013 1:33 pm

Thanks for y'all's input

SCT · Post by **SCT** » Mon Nov 25, 2013 6:24 pm

I know the male greater that I weighed once was 32 ounces. A real nice, stout bird.

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