\lo \ . 7 , No. 2 
Page . 3 
Some attributes of prairie-chicken nest sites were revealed through a study 
of 15 nests found on or near the Bogota Study Area during 1 96 3 (Table 1). A 
mat of dead vegetation on the soil surface was characteristic of all nest sites 
examined. Also, all nests observed were in dense stands of vegetation having 
coverage indexes of .70 - -90. This means that 70 - 95 percent of the ground 
was shaded at noon. 
Most nests observed were in grassy cover 3-12 inches tall. However, two 
were in redtop stubble 3 inches tall and one was in a weed patch 48 inches tall. 
As noted by Yeatter (1943:390» it was observed that prairie chickens tended 
to locate their nests near field borders. The distance from nest to nearest 
field edge averaged 31.4 yards for 14 nests and ranged from 0 to 117 yards 
(Table l). 
Nest sites tended to be almost level. The average slope at the sites of 15 
nests was 1.1 percent, and no nest was observed on a slope exceeding 3 percent 
(Table 1)- The highest one-third of the study area contained 7 of the 15 nests 
studied. The lowest one-third of the area contained 3 nests; the intermediate 
one-third, 4 nests. One nest was located in a lowland site adjacent to the study 
area. 
Yeatter, Ralph E. 
1943. The prairie chicken in Illinois. 111. Nat. Hist. Surv. Bull. 22(4):377— 
416. 
Table 1. Ecology of nest of prairie chickens, located on or near the Bogota 
Study Area, May - August 1963- 
Nest Number 
and 
Location 
Cover 
at 
Nest 
Cover 
Height 
(1nches) 
Cover 
Density 
1ndex* 
Distance 
from 
Field Edge 
(Yards) 
Percent 
S 1 ope 
Sanctuary #1 
Redtop (D) ** 
3 
• 70 
0 
0 
Sanctuary #2 
Redtop (D) 
5 
.70 
117 
2 
Sanctuary #3 
Redtop (D) 
3 
• 70 
40 
0 
Sanctuary #4 
Timothy, Legume 
20-40 
• 95 
45 
3 
Sanctuary #5 
Brome, Redtop (D) 
6 
.80 
43 
3 
Sanctuary #6 
Redtop, Redtop (D) 
9 
• 90 
7 
0 
D. Woods #1 
Foxtail, Red Clover 
5-8 
.85 
20 
3 
V. Fritch1e #1 
Timothy, Red Clover 
14-40 
.95 
19 
0 
F. Kincade #1 
Redtop (D), Timothy 
12 
• 75 
38 
0 
F. Kincade #2 
Redtop (D), Timothy 
12 
.75 
9 
0 
L. Beam #\ 
Red Clover, V/eeds 
12-20 
• 70 
7 
0 
K. Jacobs #1 
Weeds 
48 
.95 
7 
1 
L. Shew //I *** 
Grass, Red Clover 
14 
— 
Unknown 
1 
M. Calvert #1 
Grass, Red Clover 
16 
.95 
70 
3 
D. Marshal 1 #1 
Grass in Clover 
12 
.95 
17 
1 
Averages 
31 .4 
1 .1 
* Coverage index (Dice 1952:55). 
** (D) = Dead. 
*** One-half mile from the study area. 
