Have you ever wanted to feel like you were watching a Planet Earth documentary in real life? This is your chance to do just that while coming face to face with two iconic birds of the North American prairies: the Greater Prairie Chicken and the Lesser Prairie Chicken. Watch these wild birds display on their lekking grounds with such vivacity that they inspired the ritual dances of several Plains Indian tribes.
On this 4-day trip, we will visit several privately owned ranches and meet the landowners who are actively protecting prairie chicken leks on their properties. Learn about techniques being used to help protect remaining prairie chicken habitat. In between, we will bird the shortgrass prairies and set out to find specialties like Chestnut-collared Longspur, Thick-billed Longspur, Mountain Plover, Ferruginous Hawk, Chihuahuan Raven, Golden Eagle, and Prairie Falcon, amongst others.
We will be staying at a combination of 2- and 3-star hotels throughout this tour. Our first night in Wray, we will stay at the lovely Doc's Bed and Breakfast. The following day we will transfer to Oakley, Kansas, where we will stay at the Kansas Country Inn. On the final day we will bird our way across the prairies, reaching Denver where we will stay near the airport at La Quinta Inn and Suites. Each accommodation has been vetted for quality and assurance.
Alcoholic beverages and extra drinks
All hotels have laundry facilities
Leave Denver
Pawnee National Grasslands
Transfer to Wray
Meeting with landowner
Stay at Doc's Bed and Breakfast, Wray, CO
Greater Prairie Chicken lek
Birding the prairies
Transfer to Kansas Country Inn, Oakley, KS
Lesser Prairie Chicken lek
Birding the prairies
Return to Denver
Transfer to airport
Departure