I saw this bit on Quercus mohriana and it triggered a bunch of associations. Lesser Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) and shin oaks go together in eastern New Mexico. I thought Mohr’s oak, Quercus mohriana, was the one in question but after a lot of digging it is Sand shinnery oak (Quercus havardii) that they rely on mostly. Mohr’s oak may be in the mix but I am not sure. Mohr’s oak prefers limestone soils so maybe not.
I knew Steve talked about Jim Weaver and his conservation work on Tympanuchus pallidicinctus aka Lesser Pinnated Grouse. Weaver is a falconer and he manages a large ranch in NM for LPG and the shin oaks they need. He considers LPG a superb bird for falconers. Steve discussed prairie grouse as the same in his books. I skimmed A Rage for Falcons and Querencia looking for the reference but found nothing there, or on the blog. It took a while but I remembered On the Edge of the Wild as another likely place. It was there under Grouse Camp.
Another book on wing shooting lauded the LPG as a favorite bird, as well, especially in winter, when they are wild and hard to hunt. The author was fascinated by their duck-like behavior and fine pass shooting they offered.
Like most grassland birds, they are in trouble. Prairies are the most ravaged ecosystems in North America. I haven’t followed it closely but LPG stocks have crashed since 2016 for reasons known and unknown. LPG also have unusual requirements. Barbed wire fences are a threat to them and they refuse to nest around telephone poles, or other tall structures that predators can use. It is too bad since they are a great bird and iconic of the prairie.
Yes, I have a thing for oaks.
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