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by 
Tne Davison Ranch is chiefly sandhill country with an abundant growth 
of scrub or shin oak, With mistaken enthusiasm the land was homesteaded in 
the period 1907-20. After the homestoaders starved out, their "farms" were 
recombined into a lerge cattle ranch and game refuge. Where cultivation was 
attempted the shin oak has not yet reestablished itself, and many of the old 
fields have become blowouts, Intermixed with the low oaks is a good. growth of 
grass and herbs, and the tract affords ample grazing for cattle as well as 
cover and food for uplend game. The svecies with which the investigation was 
particularly concerned are the lesser prairie chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicine- 
tus) and the bobwhite quail (Colinus virginiamus), 
LIFE HISTORY FINDINGS 
Lesser vrairie chicken.--The best of the summer range of the prairie 
chicken is in the higher and "sandiest" parts of the sandhills. In fall and 
winter the birds move to some of the o1d fields, bordering clay lands, and 
occasionally to creek valleys: late in February they return to the breeding 
area, The cocks then gather on "gobbling" grounds, apparently selected as 
effording a good view over surrounding territory. On the 16 sections studied 
and during a period of 4 years, the number of "gobbling" grounds varied from 
28 to 40, and they accommodated from 1 to 38 birds each. The cocks maintain 
individual positions end do a good deal of fighting without serious consequences, 
The females come to the "gobbling" grounds and mating occurs there. 
The-earliest nesting is about April 15; the average number of eges 
to anest is 15; and the incubation veriod 22 or 26 Gays, ‘The hateh aiciaasa 
Gly to 2 clutch) and the bulk of the annual crop of young is hatched from May 20 
to June 15, Later attempts at nesting are made by pairs whose nests have been 
destroyed, but the species is Single brooded. The average young per covey was 
7.9 in 1932, 6.46 in 1933, 5.46 in 1934, and 5.1 in 1935, There is a es0jeem= 
cent loss from hatchins to the end of the erowta period. The birds ere full=— 
grown at ebout 14 weeks. The male takes no part in care of the young. 
The sex ratid of young birds trapped for banding at 5 to 14 weeks of 
age was 140 males to 100 females, Capt of banded birds usually revealed 
moderate but continued movement fr mMthe original locality within a radius 
ordinarily of 1 to 1-1/2 miles. One bird was shot at a point 80 miles from 
the ranch, A female and her brood mey move a mile in three weeks but they are 
likely to remain on an area of about 160 acres most of the summer. When fully 
adult (October-November) the birds begin to assemble in flocks of 25 to oO, and 
in midwinter as meny as 200 or 300 may De seen in @ single field. The composite 
flocks form from coveys of 10 to 25, however, end if undisturbed, separate and 
go their own way in the Original groups. 
ok 
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id) 
The food of the prairie chickens in summer consists chiefly of mnseersre 
of which possibly 90 percent are grasshoppers. A full-grown bird will consume 
morning end evening about 30 adult srasshoppers, each about 1-1/2 to 2 inches 1 
long. From August on, tne nev erop of acorns is available, and as the seasons 
advance is more and more heavily utilized. In sprins oak flowers are an 
important food, Greens are eaten at all seasons, when aveileble; the most 
important sources seem to be wild sweet pea(Cracea), nairy puccoon (Lithospermum), 
ragwort (Senecio), prairie marigold (Thelesperma), beardtonsue (Pentstemon) , 
ep se 
