prairie chicken

American  

[prair-ee chik-uhn] / ˈprɛər i ˌtʃɪk ən /

noun

1. either of two North American gallinaceous birds of western prairies, Tympanuchus cupido greater prairie chicken, or T. pallidicinctus lesser prairie chicken, having brown, black, white, and rufous plumage: both species, once abundant, have diminished greatly in number and are classified as vulnerable.

2. sharp-tailed grouse.

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prairie chicken British  

noun

1. either of two mottled brown-and-white grouse, Tympanuchus cupido or T. pallidicinctus, of North America

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Etymology

Origin of prairie chicken

An Americanism dating back to 1685–95

Example Sentences

Burd also expressed excitement that the Attwater's greater prairie chicken is on the new list.

From Salon • Jun. 26, 2023

Clay Nichols, the lesser prairie chicken coordinator with the U.S.

From New York Times • Nov. 17, 2022

Those species include the endangered Attwater’s prairie chicken, but also the somewhat less sympathetic native fire ant, which most people would be hard pressed to tell apart from the imported kind.

From Washington Post • Jun. 17, 2022

This behavior is observed in several bird species including the sage grouse and the prairie chicken.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

An occasional covey of prairie chicken, noisily winging their way to a far-distant bluff, might well be startling both to horses and driver.

From The Hound From The North by Bull, Charles Livingston