Prairie chickens are actually not directly related to domestic chickens. However, they are a part of the same family (Phasianidae), which encompasses most heavy terrestrial birds, including turkeys, peafowl and quail.
The most common kind of prairie chicken is the Greater Prairie Chicken, found in central United States. Unfortunately, the native grasslands they inhabit have been disappearing due to human development, and the resulting isolation from other prairie chicken populations has created a loss of genetic variance, which weakens and inevitably destroys a population.
A subspecies of the Greater Prairie Chicken, called Attawater’s Prairie Chicken, is considered one of North America’s most endangered birds. Only a few dozen remain in the wild, living within the remaining tallgrass prairie in Texas.
Current conservation efforts are being taken to bolster genetic variance within these bird populations, as well as to reestablish and protect native grasslands within the US.
Here’s a link to learn more!