Learn about prairie chickens

The history of greater prairie chickens and their place in Illinois is the topic of the Lake County Audubon Society meeting at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 7, at the Libertyville village hall, 118 W. Cook Ave. Bob Gillespie, natural resources coordinator with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources at Prairie Ridge State Natural Area, will be the speaker. Once numbering from 10 million to 14 million in Illinois, prairie chickens now are one of the rarest grassland bird species here. Prairie Ridge in Jasper and Marion counties near Newton, is dedicated to the conservation of grassland wildlife, including the only population of greater prairie chickens in Illinois. The 90-minute meeting is free and open to the public.