Prairie chicken responses to changing booming-ground cover type and height

Published source details Anderson R.K. (1969) Prairie chicken responses to changing booming-ground cover type and height. Journal of Wildlife Management, 33, 636-643.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Manually control or remove midstorey and ground-level vegetation (including mowing, chaining, cutting etc) in shrubland Action Link
	Use prescribed burning on shrublands Action Link
	Plant trees to act as windbreaks Action Link

Manually control or remove midstorey and ground-level vegetation (including mowing, chaining, cutting etc) in shrubland

A replicated before-and-after study in 1962-1963 in shrubland in Wisconsin, USA (Anderson 1969), found that male prairie chickens Tympanuchus cupido showed a preference for mown areas over controls when the original height of vegetation was over 15 cm (between four and 31 birds using each of five areas before mowing vs. 8-85 after), but not if it was shorter (7-45 birds using five areas before mowing vs. 12-69 birds after).
Use prescribed burning on shrublands

A before-and-after study in shrubland in 1962-1963 in Wisconsin, USA (Anderson 1969), found that the number of male prairie chickens Tympanuchus cupido displaying at a site increased from seven to 13 following prescribed burning. However, the authors note that the number at other sites without burning also increased over the period, (by a single male each time).
Plant trees to act as windbreaks

A before-and-after study in shrubland in 1962-1964 in Wisconsin, USA (Anderson 1969), found that the erection of a windbreak of 4 m high pines Pinus spp. appeared to disrupt lekking behaviour in male greater prairie chickens Tympanuchus cupido, with several males vacating their territories after trees were erected nearby.