Greater prairie-chicken | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Male displaying in Illinois, USA | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Galliformes |
Family: | Phasianidae |
Genus: | Tympanuchus |
Species: | T. cupido
|
Binomial name | |
Tympanuchus cupido | |
Subspecies | |
![]() | |
Distribution map of the greater prairie-chicken. Pale and dark green: pre-settlement Dark green: current year-round | |
Synonyms | |
Tetrao cupido Linnaeus, 1758 |
The greater prairie-chicken or pinnated grouse (Tympanuchus cupido), sometimes called a boomer,[2] is a large bird in the grouse family. This North American species was once abundant but has become extremely rare or extirpated over much of its range due to habitat loss, natural disasters, and overhunting.[2][3] Conservation measures are underway to ensure the sustainability of existing small populations. One of the most famous aspects of these creatures is the mating ritual called booming.