Lesser Prairie Chicken Capital of the World



The mating ritual of lesser prairie chicken males starts with bowing.

The air sacs are pumped, and the long feathers (pinate) on their heads are raised.

Keith and I just returned from a trip to Milnesand, New Mexico (pronounced "mill in sand" by the residents).  A few months ago, I'd never heard of Milnesand.  In fact, most New Mexicans we met on our way to the tiny town had never heard of it either, which isn't surprising since the Census Bureau reported its year 2000 population as 69.  The town is at a rural cross-roads in southeastern New Mexico and consists of a post office/general store, a fire station, and a community center.   Ranches and farms spread in each direction, following the horizon and then some.  This is a quiet, low-key, modest town, but for one weekend in April it is the world's capital of lesser prairie chickens.  Even more, it is a heartwarming reminder of the generosity, kindness, and hospitality of southwesterners who make their home on the high plains of the Llano Estacado.



The chickens square off.

I wanted to add lesser prairie chickens to my bird "life list," so I did some online research and stumbled on the 11th Annual High Plains Lesser Prairie Chicken Festival.  This event is limited to 100 registrants, due to the sensitivity of the prairie chickens nesting areas as well as the very limited facilities available within Milnesand.  For 11 years, the good people of Milnesand have hosted bird and nature lovers traveling as far away as British Columbia and Maryland just to get up at 4:00 a.m., head out in darkness, and wait quietly in the cold spring air for male lesser prairie chickens to appear.


There's some trash talk...

Seeing these beautiful members of the grouse family bow, stomp their feet, and fly at one another to "chest" like two linebackers celebrating a sack is indeed a rare and special experience.  We heard the birds before we saw them.  Their weird cackling reminds me of maniacal laughter, and the sounds made by inflating the large, orange air sacs on their necks are otherworldly.  The male chickens are performing an annual mating ritual to attract and impress a hen.   It is a courtship dance that is both fascinating and unforgettable. 


In addition to escorted visits to the chicken's gobbling grounds or leks, the High Plains Lesser Prairie Chicken Festival offers an opportunity to learn about North America's largest mesa or tableland, a place known as the Llano Estacado.  Field trip leaders discuss the southern Great Plains ecosystem, the plants and animals native to the area, and the ways researchers, scientists and ranchers are working together to conserve wildlife. 


...and the males challenge and often fly at one another.

The event was extremely well organized.  There is a registration fee per person; the monies collected help support the Milnesand Fire Department.  The fee includes all field trips, lectures, and prairie chicken lek treks, along with two dinners, two breakfasts, and one lunch.  Members of the community contribute the home cooked meals.  Our last dinner was accompanied by an array of desserts that rivaled what I've seen in gourmet pastry shops.  There's also entertainment with Saturday night's dinner which adds to the welcoming atmosphere.


They take a bit of a break...

Milnesand is in an area of New Mexico that has received measurable rain only four of the last 12 years.  The land is extremely dry.  Aquifers are low and forage for ranch cattle is dying.  Some multi-generational ranch families have had to sell their stock and/or their homes.  Despite these problems though, the people of Milnesand extended wonderful hospitality to us throughout the Festival.  They were generous and eager to help us enjoy our visit.

To the community of Milnesand:  thank you all for your hard work, dedication, and kindness.  You made our visit memorable, and it was as much a treat to meet you (even more so) as it was to see the prairie chickens.  We will think RAIN!



...and begin the dance again.