Fish and Wildlife Service

Description

The Attwater’s prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus cupido attwateri) (APC) was listed as an endangered species in March 1967 under the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966. Currently, fewer than 100 individuals exist in the wild. Supplementation of wild populations with captive-reared birds since 1995 has kept the remaining populations of this grouse species from becoming extinct. Near complete brood failure has been identified as a major factor limiting APC recovery, and has been identified as a high priority issue by the APC recovery team and a recent recovery plan revision. Like most gallinaceous birds, prairie-chicken chicks are primarily insectivorous during the first weeks of life. Data suggests that availability of insects as a food source for newly hatched chicks may be contributing to the extremely poor brood survival observed. Comparisons of insect abundance in APC brood habitat with that from an increasing Minnesota (with no red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta ) (RIFA)) greater prairie-chicken (GPC) population found 70% fewer insects in APC brood habitat. In particular, leaf hoppers, which were abundant in GPC habitat, were present in low numbers in APC habitat. Observations by a retired Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologist indicate that leaf hoppers were formerly abundant in APC range. The disruptive impacts of the invasive RIFA on native insect communities are well documented. Studies have also documented negative impacts on a diverse group of bird species including loggerhead shrikes, northern bobwhites, and colonial waterbirds. Refuge staff and personnel from Texas A&M University Extension Entomology have conducted RIFA control on small (5-acre) plots that was highly effective during the spring brooding period, although RIFA readily re-invaded the relatively small plots by just a few months later. Few significant differences in insect abundance were observed in these plots during the APC’s brooding period, perhaps because RIFA control may not have been achieved during critical times in insect life history and/or probability of re-colonization by beneficial insects may have been low in these relatively small plots. This project will focus on a larger area (760 acres) of the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) to determine the impacts of the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta ) on insect populations at APC NWR, specifically on insect abundance and diversity, and how this affects brood survival for the critically endangered Attwater’s prairie-chicken.

Who can apply

• Public and State controlled institutions of higher education

Contact

Terry Rossignol <br/>Wildlife Refuge Manager <br/>Phone 979-234-3021
terry_rossignol@fws.gov