Illustration of prairie chicken
prairie chicken
noun
: a grouse (Tympanuchus cupido) chiefly of the tallgrass prairies of the central U.S. with the male having yellowish-orange neck sacs which are inflated during courtship displays
also
: a closely related smaller grouse (T. pallidicinctus) having reddish neck sacs
Examples of prairie chicken in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Attwater’s prairie chickens are among the rarest birds in the Lonestar State and are highly-endangered.
—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
29 Apr. 2026
The flamboyant lesser prairie chicken has already made the list of legislative targets.
—
Christine Peterson,
Wired News,
5 July 2025
Its geographic isolation gave rise to a genetically distinct population that was smaller in size and redder in color than greater prairie chickens from the Midwest.
—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
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Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
29 Apr. 2026
The flamboyant lesser prairie chicken has already made the list of legislative targets.
—
Christine Peterson,
Wired News,
5 July 2025
Its geographic isolation gave rise to a genetically distinct population that was smaller in size and redder in color than greater prairie chickens from the Midwest.
—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for prairie chicken
Cite this Entry
“Prairie chicken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prairie%20chicken. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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