Trump Administration Ends Federal Protections for Rare Dancing Prairie Bird
A ground-dwelling bird celebrated for its intricate mating dances on the southern Great Plains will no longer receive federal safeguards. The Trump administration has formally removed the lesser prairie chicken from the Endangered Species Act, agreeing with arguments from three states and the beef and petroleum industries that the species was improperly listed.
Formal Delisting Follows Court Ruling
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's delisting on Thursday formalised a recent federal court ruling that acknowledged the agency now sides with opponents of federal protections. A judge in Midland, Texas, effectively ended Endangered Species Act protections for the bird last summer. These protections had required the energy industry and ranchers to take measures to avoid disrupting the birds' habitat, particularly their mating areas known as leks.
Population Decline and Cultural Significance
Once numbering in the millions, the crow-sized lesser prairie chicken has seen its population shrink to approximately 30,000 across parts of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. This decline is primarily due to habitat loss from energy and agricultural development. Wildlife enthusiasts cherish the male birds' spring dances, which include warbling, clucking, and stomping to attract mates. Native American tribes often mimic these flamboyant displays in their traditional dances, a behaviour also seen in the more common greater prairie chicken.
History of Protections and Legal Battles
The lesser prairie chicken has been federally protected twice in recent years. In 2015, a federal judge in Midland reversed the bird's listing as a threatened species from the previous year, siding with petroleum developers who argued that sufficient protections were already in place. In 2022, President Joe Biden's administration listed the bird as threatened in the northern part of its range (Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas) and as endangered in a distinct population segment in the south (New Mexico and Texas).
This listing prompted a lawsuit from Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and groups including the Permian Basin Petroleum Association and National Cattlemen's Beef Association. After President Donald Trump took office last year, the Fish and Wildlife Service reevaluated the bird and agreed with the states and groups that there was no justification to classify it into two distinct populations.
Court Decision and Reactions
In August, another judge in Midland granted a Fish and Wildlife Service motion to reverse the Biden-era listings. District Judge David Counts wrote in his ruling, praised by Texas officials, that the agency's concession pointed to serious error at the foundation of its rule. Texas officials, including Railroad Commission spokesperson Bryce Dubee and Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, welcomed the delisting. Buckingham stated it would ensure robust American oil and gas production in the Permian Basin and a steadfast economy.
Environmentalist Opposition
Environmentalists have vowed to continue fighting in court. Jason Rylander, legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute, criticised the decision, calling it shameful that the Trump administration would sacrifice these magnificent birds for oil and gas industry profit. He warned that lesser prairie chickens may be lost forever without Endangered Species Act protections.
