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Conservation

Success Story:
Sandhill Cranes
Hunting and habitat loss caused
North American sandhill cranes
to become nearly extinct in the
eastern United States by the
Opposite page: Greater prairie late 1800s. With the Migratory
chicken female Bird Treaty Act of 1918, the
Above: Greater prairie chicken male U.S. joined other countries
during courtship dance; recently hatched
chicks at Brookfield Zoo Chicago to protect migratory bird species.
Prohibitions on hunting, and
habitat protections, were
The greater prairie chicken’s natural Another threat is the introduction instituted that reversed the
range was once immense, stretching from of an invasive species from Asia—ring- decline of sandhill cranes.
Texas, north through the U.S. and into necked pheasants—which compete with Today, the species is classified
Canada. Today, the largest populations prairie chickens for food. The pheasants as “Least Concern” by the
of the birds are in Kansas, Nebraska and also parasitize prairie chicken nests by International Union for
South Dakota. Historically, the population laying and leaving their eggs in them to Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
of greater prairie chickens in Illinois was be incubated and raised by unsuspecting In 2020, the species had an esti-
estimated at more than a million birds. prairie chicken hens. mated global population of a
But today, fewer than 200 of the birds Brookfield Zoo Chicago looks forward half-billion mature birds.
remain in the state. The state of Illinois to participating in ongoing conservation However, the Cuban and
lists them as an endangered species. efforts to protect this iconic grassland bird Mississippi subspecies are critically
Hunting prairie chickens is prohibited and other species at Prairie Ridge. We will endangered and only 4,000 to
in Illinois, although it is still allowed in be sharing this story with our guests, 5,000 of the Florida subspecies
other states. The largest threats to greater as well as working to support conservation are thought to remain in the
prairie chickens today are habitat loss and programs to help re-establish this amazing wild. In 1974, the state of
fragmentation. Prairie Ridge State Natural bird into its natural habitat. Florida listed the subspecies
Area is a protected area managed by the as a threatened species.
Illinois Department of Natural Resources The species continues to be
and the only remaining habitat for greater vulnerable to disease and the
prairie chickens in the state.
loss of habitat at their nesting,
wintering, and staging areas.
RANGE OF THE GREATER PRAIRIE CHICKEN GREATER PRAIRIE CHICKEN
IN 1900 IN THE UNITED STATES ILLINOIS CURRENT RANGE

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