Prairie-chickens have been a passion of mine for almost 15 years. My fascination with them started as a bird-watcher, and I was able to see their comical ritualistic display first hand. I was lucky enough to study them for my PhD at Kansas State where I examined what makes some males so sexy, and other males lonely bachelors. After graduation, I spent a year in Minnesota studying the vocalizations of Greater Prairie-Chickens, Sharp-tailed Grouse, and hybrids. Since 2009, I've worked at The Ohio State University at Lima where I get to combine my expertise for research with my enthusiasm for teaching. I now work in the hybrid zone between Greater Prairie-Chickens and Lesser Prairie-Chickens, and am still wondering what makes males sexy, but now - what makes them sexy enough to disregard the fact that they might not be the same species as the female making the decision.
