Biologists say power-generating wind turbines proposed for northwestern Oklahoma could push the lesser prairie chicken onto the endangered species list or even into extinction.

Huge wind turbines have been proposed across the lesser prairie chicken's habitat in Oklahoma, but it is not the turbine's blades that pose a threat to the birds.

Information obtained from radio collar tracking indicate that lesser prairie chickens usually won't go near wind turbines, much less breed in their midst. The stocky birds see the turbines and transmission lines as hideouts for their predators, namely hawks and eagles.

Wildlife experts say their already limited habitat is expected to be further fragmented by the wind industry, pushing them into small groups that have low chances for survival.