Don't giggle. This is for real. I'm talking about the new title for Southwest and South Central Nebraska which is spreading across the the Internet. The name takes a little getting used to, but once you see what the name's originators are driving at, you begin to understand the reasoning.

The new title for the region -- proudly proclaimed by the South Platte United Chambers of Com-merce -- is "The Chicken Dance Trail."

What's that again?

You heard it right: "The Chicken Dance Trail."

The trail promoters explain the name: "The purpose of the Chicken Dance Trail is to recommend some of our finest birding habitat ... as well as to help birders discover an area rich not only in birds, but in history and culture as well, with its own brand of inspiring scenery."

The South Platte organization gave its blessing to the development of the birding brochure after hearing that of all of the region's attractions, the highest rated in an Internet survey was bird watching.

Now, the effort is attracting additional support, with the Nebraska Environmental Trust awarding $14,656 to help the South Platte area with promotional efforts.

The Chicken Dance Trail was inspired by the majesty of the Sandhill cranes' annual spring visit to Nebraska, but -- as more and more birders are discovering -- the Sandhill cranes are only part of the story.

"Right in the center of North Am-erica's central flyway, millions of birds of all shapes, sizes and species pass through the area every year. If you know where to look -- and that's the key -- you can see an uncommon variety," the birding enthusiasts say.

Developers of The Chicken Dance Trail concept have specified four separate adventure areas. They are "The Sandsage Prairie Adventure," which covers parts of the southwestern counties of Dundy, Chase, Hayes, Hitchcock, Frontier and Red Willow; "The Loess Canyons Adventure," encompassing a major part of Frontier County; "The Medicine Creek Adventure," including Harry Strunk Lake and the area around Cambridge, Holbrook, Arapahoe, Edison and Oxford; and "The Rainwater Basin Adventure," which covers the heart of the Sandhill crane viewing areas near Funk, Axtell, Wilcox, Minden and Holdrege.

The Sandsage area is heralded as having "vast tracts of prairie wilderness which draw birds ... as well as many other animal species." In the Loess Canyons, "lucky birders can see prairie chickens 'dance' in their traditional breeding grounds," while the Medicine Creek region is a haven for "many species of woodland songbirds."

And, for an unparalleled birding experience, observers of feathered fliers are invited to the Rainwater Basin, which provides spring migration habitat each year for six million snow geese, five to seven million ducks, a million Canada geese and well over a million Sandhill cranes.

To find out more, you're invited to visit www.chickendancetrail. com.

Promoters have no doubt you will enjoy the experience. "Birds love this part of Nebraska!," they say, adding: "You will too!"