[Length 15 in. Wingspan 25 in.]

Greater Prairie-Chickens once bred throughout the vast prairies of North America. Habitat loss has drastically reduced their populations, and one must seek them out at the few remaining grassland areas. An isolated population exists in central-eastern Texas known as "Attwater's" Greater Prairie-Chicken. By 2003 there were less than 50 of these birds in the wild. Captive breeding and re-introduction programs have been implemented to save the population, but progress has been very slow. Today, the only extant population is at the inland Attwater's Prairie-Chicken National Wildlife Refuge, where captive bred birds have been re-introduced into the wild. However, this "Attwater's" Greater Prairie Chicken was photographed just before dawn along FM 2040 slightly north of Aransas NWR, Texas, USA. It may well have been one of the last "wild" birds left in its historic coastal breeding range. Photo taken through a car windshield (and illuminated mostly by the car's headlights!) with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Ektachrome 200 film. (Date: December 1979)

[Length 17 in. Wingspan 28 in.]

Greater Prairie-Chickens once bred throughout the vast prairies of North America. Habitat loss has drastically reduced their populations, and one must seek them out at the few remaining grassland areas. It is worth the effort to do so during the early spring, for the courting ritual of the males is spectacular, to say the least. Each male defends a territory into which he hopes to lure a female by fluffing his feathers, cocking his tale, stomping his feet, and singing a loud thrumming song that sounds like air blown across the top of a soda bottle. This male "Northern" Greater Prairie-Chicken was photographed at the Nature Conservancy's Bluestem Prairie unit in western Minnesota, USA. Photo taken with a 180 mm f2.8 EDAF Nikkor lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: May 1992)

[Length 16 in. Wingspan 25 in.]

This displaying male Lesser Prairie-Chicken was photographed at the West Lek Blind, Cimarron National Grasslands, Kansas, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: May 7, 2006)

[Length 16 in. Wingspan 25 in.]

This male Lesser Prairie-Chicken was photographed at the West Lek Blind, Cimarron National Grasslands, Kansas, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: May 7, 2006)

[Length 5.75 in. Wingspan xx in.]

This Plain Prinia was photographed at one of the many fish ponds, Dongtai, Jiangsu, China. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens on a Nikon D7100 camera. (Date: May 11, 2017)

[Length 14 in. Wingspan 23 in.]

Rock Ptarmigans replace Willow Ptarmigans in rocky uplands and foothills across Canada and Alaska. They are the only Ptarmigans found on the outer Aleutian Islands. In summer the males are a dark, brownish-black above and a duller brown below. The females are a golden brown color overall to help them "blend in" on the nest while they incubate their eggs. In winter both male and female turn white to match their snowy surroundings. This male "Aleutian" Rock Ptarmigan was photographed on Attu Island at the end of the Aleutians in Alaska, USA. Photo taken with a 300mm f4.5 Nikkor ED lens on Kodachrome 64 film. (Date: May 1984)

[Length 14 in. Wingspan 23 in.]

This female "Aleutian" Rock Ptarmigan was photographed on Attu Island at the end of the Aleutians in Alaska, USA. Photo taken with a 300mm f4.5 Nikkor ED lens on Kodachrome 64 film. (Date: May 1984)

[Length 14 in. Wingspan 23 in.]

Rock Ptarmigans replace Willow Ptarmigans in rocky uplands and foothills across Canada and Alaska. They are the only Ptarmigans found on the outer Aleutian Islands. In summer the males are a dark, brownish-black above and a duller brown below. The females are a golden brown color overall to help them "blend in" on the nest while they incubate their eggs. In winter both male and female turn white to match their snowy surroundings. This winter plumage male Rock Ptarmigan was photographed along the Kougarok Road north of Nome, Alaska, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: May 1989)

[Length 14 in. Wingspan 23 in.]

This winter plumage male Rock Ptarmigan in flight was photographed along the Kougarok Road north of Nome, Alaska, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: May 1989)