Pocket Guide
to Prairie Birds
Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
Cover photo of Meadowlark
courtesy of
Key to the Range Maps
Maps in this guide are color-coded to indicate
where each bird species may be found during
different times of the year:
green = summer
blue = winter
yellow = year-round
Pocket Guide
to Prairie Birds
Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
Scott W. Gillihan and Tammy VerCauteren
The mission of Bird Conservancy of the Rockies is to conserve
birds and their habitats through science, education and land
stewardship.
Our Stewardship Program was developed to address prairie
bird conservation through voluntary cooperative partnerships
with private landowners and resource professionals. We help
raise awareness for prairie birds and their habitat needs through
outreach and by providing technical assistance for habitat
partner biologist near you.
Please consider supporting our bird conservation efforts by
becoming a member. Visit us online at www.birdconservancy.org
First edition printed July 2003
Second edition printed November 2003
Third edition printed June 2004
Fouth edition printed June 2005
Fifth edition printed July 2009
Sixth edition printed August 2015
Copyright © 2015 by Bird Conservancy of the
Rockies,Brighton, CO
Acknowledgments
Production of this sixth edition was funded
by: U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program,
Colorado Parks and Wildlife, National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation, Natural Resources Conservation Service,
USDA Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
and the members and supporters of Bird Conservancy
of the Rockies.
Many of the photographs in this guide were
donated; we greatly appreciate the generosity of the
photographers.
The diet icons were created by Chris Jordison
of Coventry Design Studio and originally appeared in
the Saskatchewan Wetland Conservation Corporation
publication, “A Land Manager’s Guide to Grassland
Birds of Saskatchewan.” Many thanks to Sharon Metz
for allowing us to use them.
1
Introduction
Not all bird species found on the Great Plains
are included in this guide. Instead, the guide
focuses on commonly seen birds and birds that are
is on adult birds in the breeding season; many
species look different in other seasons, when
they adopt a duller plumage. Also, birds in their
More extensive information, including examples
of these birds in different seasons and information
about other prairie species, can be found in bird
excellent guides are available including The Sibley
Guide to Birds, the National Geographic Society’s
Field Guide to the Birds of North America, and the
Peterson Field Guide Series.
The bird species in this guide are organized
according to their primary habitat. Within each
habitat, the birds are organized based on their
relationships to each other. For example, hawks
are grouped together, shorebirds are together,
sparrows, etc. This makes it easier to identify a bird
by comparing it to similar birds on nearby pages.
Each species account includes icons showing
2
the main components of the diet. The meaning of
the icons is described at the back inside cover.
The maps on each page show the distribution
of the species throughout the year. However, birds
are very mobile and some species move around
quite a bit. As a result, they could easily turn up
in regions that are beyond the limits shown on
the maps. Therefore, the maps should serve as a
general guide to a species’ distribution, rather than
Conservation
Together, the shortgrass, mixed-grass, and
America. In spite of their large size, the prairies
support a bird community with few members. The
Great Plains, the westernmost region of North
America’s grassland, have some of the driest
conditions. These semi-arid conditions support
only limited plant growth that has historically been
These forces left a patchwork of vegetation in a
variety of growth stages and conditions that have
supported a diverse and highly specialized group
of birds.
3
In addition to the shortgrass, the Great Plains
also consists of mixed-grass and tallgrass prairies
where moisture is adequate. Also, as you will see
from the habitats we have emphasized in the
guide, the prairie is diverse and includes rivers,
shallow wetlands, shrublands, homesteads, etc.
These areas are important for migrating birds as
well and must also be considered. Thus the guide
includes more than 80 species which can be seen
migrating through or nesting in the region.
Nine bird species are restricted to the Great
Plains, and only 20 others are closely linked with
it. These 29 species are a small fraction of the
approximately 650 bird species that breed in North
America north of Mexico. Such a small group of
birds is easily overlooked, especially in comparison
with the more numerous and colorful species of
forested lands. As a result, population declines
among prairie bird species have been largely
overlooked until recently. Grassland birds are now
arguably the highest conservation priority—they
have shown the steepest population declines
of any group of North American birds. These
declines can be attributed to the loss of high-
quality habitat resulting from the conversion and
4
fragmentation of native prairie due to agriculture,
urban development, and suppression of naturally
Many grassland birds are still here due to a
long tradition of careful and effective management
of the land, a necessity in a dry region where so
little vegetation grows. We want to extend our
gratitude to landowners who play a pivotal role in
and well as wildlife habitat. Different grassland birds
will require management for different vegetation
structure. Careful stewardship includes maintaining
healthy, diverse ecosystems upon which livestock,
wildlife, and humans depend. The management
(see Conservation in each species account). With
so much of the prairie habitat in private ownership,
assistance from landowners is critical to prairie
bird conservation. If you are interested in learning
more about the birds using your land, habitat
conservation opportunities, etc., please visit our
website (www.birdconservancy.org) and check
the pages for our Stewardship Program.
SPECIES ACCOUNTS
6
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
: North America’s largest
heron, with a wingspan of six feet. Blue-
gray body, black stripe over the eye.
Habitat: Shorelines and shallow water.
Builds a stick platform nest in trees, with
many pairs nesting close together.
Feeding: Stands or walks slowly through
shallow water with the neck outstretched,
capturing prey with a quick stabbing motion
of its sharp beak.
Conservation: Stable or increasing. Retain
trees adjacent to water for nesting sites.
Minimize use of pesticides.
Wetlands
7
American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)
: Reddish or cinnamon
head and neck, white body, black back
and on part of the wings, grayish legs.
Long, thin, upturned bill.
Habitat: Shorelines, shallow water. The
nest is a shallow depression in dried mud or
sand.
Feeding: Sweeps bill back and forth
through the water, capturing small aquatic
insects.
Conservation: Stable overall, but declining in parts
of the Great Plains. Maintain wetlands and shallow
open-water areas.
Doug Backlund
Wetlands
8
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)
: White chin, breast, and
belly contrast with two black bands, which
no other North American shorebird has.
Reddish-brown rump is obvious when the
to distract predators near the nest.
Habitat: Shorelines, other open areas with
short vegetation and bare ground. Nest is a
bare area scraped out in gravel, where the
Feeding: Picks food items from the ground.
Conservation: Stable. Minimize use of pesticides.
Tom Grey
Wetlands
9
Wilson’s Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor)
: Thin black bill, white face, sides, and
belly. Female has broad dark stripe
through the eye that extends down
the neck, and a gray cap; male has
black cap and lacks the broad dark stripe.
Contrary to most birds, the drab-colored
male incubates the eggs.
Habitat: Wet meadows near lakes or
ponds. The well-concealed nest is on the
ground.
Feeding: Often seen spinning in circles in
shallow water to stir up aquatic insects.
Conservation: Stable or increasing.
Maintain wetlands and wet meadows. Defer
livestock grazing until after 15 July in pastures
containing wetlands.
male
female
Tom Grey
Tom Grey
Wetlands
10
Marbled Godwit (Lemosa fedoa)
: Large shorebird, about
18" tall. On the breeding grounds, the
breast and belly are marked with dark
barring. The slightly upturned bill is pink
and black.
Habitat: Moist meadows and grasslands.
The nest is a shallow hollow on the
ground.
Feeding: Collects food items from the
ground.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain wetlands and
large tracts of grassland.
!"##$
Wetlands
11
Franklin’s Gull (Larus pipixcan)
: White body, gray back,
wings are white below and gray above,
black head with a red bill, and white
crescents above and below each eye.
Habitat: Lakes and ponds in prairie
to emergent vegetation such as cattails.
Feeding: Often follows farm equipment
insects.
Conservation: Stable. Maintain wetlands with open-
water areas. Minimize use of pesticides.
Bill Schmoker
Wetlands
12
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
: Deep blue back, wings,
and head, rusty throat and forehead,
buffy breast and belly. The long forked tail
is distinctive.
Habitat: Open areas near buildings.
Sometimes seen gathering mud from the
edges of puddles. It uses the mud to build a
cup nest on bridges and buildings.
Feeding:
Conservation: Declining. Minimize pesticide use.
Outside of nesting season, attach narrow strip of
wood to walls or under eaves to help support nests.
Robert Shantz
Wetlands
Glen Tepke
13
Canyon Wren (Catherpes mexicanus)
: Brown on the back,
wings, and head; white throat and breast;
chestnut belly. Fairly long bill. Beautiful,
liquid, descending song.
Habitat: Areas of steep, exposed rock,
such as canyon walls and cliffs. Nests in
crevices of rock walls, occasionally in
buildings.
Feeding: Eats spiders and insects
captured on the ground.
Conservation: Declining. Promote healthy canyon
habitats. Minimize use of pesticides.
Robert Shantz
Wetlands
14
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
: Reddish brown and dark
brown on tail, back, and wings; reddish
brown and gray stripes on head; white
breast with brown streaks, usually forming
a central dark spot; white belly.
Habitat: Shrublands or riparian areas with
dense vegetation. Nests on the ground or
in a low tree or shrub.
Feeding: Collects its food on the ground.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain shrubby
areas, especially near water.
%&##$
Wetlands
!##$
15
Yellow-headed Blackbird
(Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus)
: Male is unmistakable:
lemon yellow head and breast, black
elsewhere except for white patch on
the wing. Female is brown overall with
some yellow on the face; yellow chin and
breast.
Habitat: Breeds in marshes, winters in
wetlands vegetation, such as cattails.
Feeding: Collects its food on the ground.
Conservation: Stable or declining. Maintain
wetlands and wetland vegetation.
Tom Grey
Tony Leukering
male
female
Wetlands
16
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
: The male is black overall
with a bright red patch on each shoulder.
The female looks like a very large
sparrow, with thick brown streaks on the
breast and belly, and a buffy eyebrow.
Habitat: Marshes, wet meadows,
in emergent wetland vegetation, shrubs, or
trees.
Feeding: Collects its food on the ground or
in low vegetation.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain wetlands
and wetland vegetation.
male
female
© iStockPhoto.com/
Janet Forjan-Freedman
Wetlands
Glen Tepke
17
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
:
above and white below, with black tips
to the wings; female is brown above with
brown streaks below. Both have a long
tail with a rectangular white rump patch.
Formerly known as the Marsh Hawk.
Habitat: Marshes, grasslands, other open
areas. Builds a well-hidden nest of sticks
and reeds, supported on marsh vegetation.
Feeding: Often seen gliding low over the
ground with its head down, scanning for
prey.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain open
grasslands and wetlands. Avoid activity
near nest sites. Minimize pesticide use.
Tom Grey
Tom Grey
male
female
Grasslands
18
Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)
: Typical adult has a white
chin and belly, contrasting with brown head
and bib. The wings are white and dark
brown.
Habitat: Open areas with scattered trees,
shelterbelts. The large nest is usually placed
high in a tree. Spends the winter in Argentina.
Feeding: Usually soars while hunting for
small animals, but sometimes walks on the
ground to catch grasshoppers and crickets.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain open
grassland; retain existing trees for nesting; stay
away from active nests. Minimize pesticide use.
Grasslands
Bill Schmoker
David A. Mitchell#$
19
Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis)
: Typical adults viewed
from below look almost all white; the back
and other upperparts are rust-colored. The
legs are rust-colored, also, and form a sharp
contrast with the white belly and tail. The tail
lacks the dark bands seen on most hawks.
Habitat: Open areas. The large nest may be
placed in a tree or shrub, or on the ground,
and is built of sticks, bones, and grass.
Feeding: Hunts while soaring or from a
perch.
Conservation: Increasing. Maintain
open grasslands and small mammal
populations, including prairie dogs. Protect
existing trees. Avoid activity near active
nests. Minimize pesticide use.
Robert Shantz
Grasslands
USFWS
20
Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)
: Typical bird has mostly
white wings with distinctive black
rectangular patches at the wrist, a dark belly,
and a broad dark band at the end of the tail.
Habitat: Nests in arctic regions; spends
winters in open areas of the Great Plains.
Feeding: Hunts while soaring or from a
perch.
Conservation:
populations on the breeding grounds; overall,
the population appears to be stable. Retain
populations of small mammals.
Allan Claybon
Grasslands
'()$
21
: Adult is very dark brown
all over with a golden brown head;
immature birds have a white patch
toward the end of each wing (visible
Much larger than hawks and vultures.
Habitat: Nests in mountainous areas
or open country, spends winters in open
areas. The bulky stick nest is placed on
cliffs, rock outcrops, or in trees.
Feeding: Hunts primarily by soaring.
Conservation: Stable or increasing.
Maintain open grasslands and rabbit,
jackrabbit, and prairie dog populations. Avoid activity
near active nests. Minimize pesticide use.
Grasslands
© Dreamstime/Maxim Petrichuk
© Dreamstime/Debra James
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
22
Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus)
: Pointed wings typical
of falcons. When seen from below, the
wings and body are pale, contrasting with
dark brown “armpits” under the wings,
close to the body. A narrow, dark brown
bar extends below each eye.
Habitat: Open areas. Nests on cliff
ledges.
Feeding:
birds in midair and small mammals on the
ground.
Conservation: Increasing. Maintain open
grasslands and small mammal populations. Minimize
pesticide use.
Brian Wheeler
Doug Backlund
Grasslands
23
: Chicken-like birds with dark
brown barring, yellow patches of bare skin
above the eyes. During courtship displays,
male expands air sacs on sides of the neck;
Greater has yellowish sacs, Lesser has reddish-
orange sacs.
Habitat: Greater inhabits tallgrass and midgrass
prairie; Lesser inhabits sandsage and
shinnery oak habitats.
Feeding: Collected on the ground.
Conservation: Both species are declining.
Maintain medium and tall grasslands for Greater,
sand sagebrush-bluestem and shinnery oak-
bluestem for Lesser. Control invasive grasses
such as cheatgrass and encroaching trees
and shrubs. Minimize surface impacts,
including fragmentation from roads, and
other disturbance during development of
energy and other resources.
Doug Backlund
Lesser
Grasslands
Greater
Greater Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido)
Lesser Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus)
24
Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus)
: Mottled, mostly dark
brown back and wings, dark brown spots
on white breast and belly. Most distinctive
feature is the pointed tail, a result of the
central tail feathers being longer than
the rest. During courtship displays, male
Habitat: Grasslands, shrublands.
Feeding: Collects from the ground or low
shrubs.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain large tracts
of native grasslands mixed with shrublands.
'()$
Grasslands
25
Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata)
: Gray overall—the black-
tipped feathers give the appearance of
scales. White-tipped crest on the head.
Sometimes called Blue Quail or Cotton-top.
Habitat: Grasslands and scrub, old
homesteads. Nests on the ground, usually
under a shrub or other tall vegetation.
Feeding: Collects food items from the ground.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain open
native grasslands; control invasive grasses
such as cheatgrass; use prescribed burns to
control encroaching trees and shrubs. Avoid
long-term overgrazing, which causes the
loss of grasses and forbs that provide food
and cover.
Tom Grey
Grasslands
26
Mountain Plover (Charadrius montanus)
: Pale tan back and wings,
white breast and belly, a black patch above
the white forehead, and a black stripe
between the black beak and eye.
Habitat: Very short grasslands, freshly
than about 2" and areas of bare ground.
Feeding: Collects insects from the ground.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain open
grasslands with extensive bare ground, and native
herbivores such as prairie dogs. When cultivating,
watch for lone adult sitting on ground or if one
plover may be on a nest—go around the nest or pick
up the implement to miss the nest (you need only
miss it by a few inches). Minimize pesticide use.
'()$
Grasslands
27
Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda)
: Brown feather tips give
mottled appearance. Small head, thin
neck, short beak, large eyes. Often seen
perched on fenceposts.
Habitat: Grasslands, often near water.
Nests on the ground, with surrounding
vegetation pulled over the nest for
concealment.
Feeding: Collects food items on the ground.
Often forages on burned prairie.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain large
tracts of open grasslands. Avoid burning, mowing, or
plowing during the nesting and brood-rearing seasons
(roughly mid-April to mid-July). Control encroaching
trees and shrubs.
Doug Backlund
Grasslands
28
: Very large shorebird,
standing about 24" tall. Extremely long (6–
8" long) downcurved beak. Body and wings
are colored with browns and cinnamon. The
call is a loud cur-lew or cur-lee.
Habitat: Grasslands. The nest is a shallow
hollow on the ground.
Feeding: Feeds by walking slowly,
watching for grasshoppers and other large
insects, toads, bird eggs, and nesting
songbirds.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain open
grasslands and prairie wetlands. Avoid
activity near known nesting sites. Minimize
pesticide use.
Tom Grey
Grasslands
Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)
29
Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
: White face, breast, and
belly; rust and gray head, back, and wings;
dark eyes.
Habitat: Open areas, such as pasture
interspersed with cropland, also open
woodlands; avoids extensive cropland.
Nests in buildings or in hollows of banks or
cliffs.
Feeding: Hunts at night, primarily for
small rodents but also large insects, bats,
and reptiles.
Conservation:
but appears to be declining. Minimize use of
pesticides, especially those targeting rodents.
© iStockPhoto.com/ John Pitcher
Grasslands
Seabamirum#$
30
Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia)
: Small, 8–10" tall, with long
legs, brown with white spots on back and
wings, dark brown barring on the light
brown breast and belly, yellow eyes.
Habitat: Treeless areas with short
vegetation (less than 4" tall), usually
where there are prairie dogs.
Feeding: Captures grasshoppers and other
insects during the day; usually captures
birds and small mammals at night.
Conservation: Population has declined
and populations of prairie dogs and other
burrowing mammals. Minimize pesticide use.
Grasslands
*)$
31
Short-eared Owl (+$$)
: Medium-sized owl (about
15" long) with dark areas around the
eyes, dark brown streaks on the breast,
and a light belly. The short ear tufts area
Habitat:
Feeding: Soars low over the ground
at dusk to hunt for voles and other small
rodents; occasionally captures songbirds.
Conservation: Declining at an alarming
rate. Maintain wetlands and open
grasslands. Minimize pesticide use.
Remove unused fences.
Doug Backlund
Grasslands
%,'#)$
32
: Grayish overall, usually
in midday; sometimes seen perched on
fenceposts. The wings are tapered and bent
end of each wing is obvious. The wingbeat is
Habitat: Open areas, woodlands. Does not
build a nest but lays its eggs directly on the
ground, especially amongst gravel on hills,
ridges, and even on rooftops.
Feeding:
Conservation: Declining. Maintain open grasslands.
Minimize pesticide use. When driving at night, watch for
them roosting on gravel roads; try to avoid hitting them.
0
Grasslands
Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)
33
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (1&2)
: Pale gray back, head,
and breast, black wings, pink sides. The
extremely long tail is unmistakable.
Habitat: Open areas with scattered
trees. Nests in a tree or on a utility pole.
Feeding:
air, other insects on the ground.
Conservation: Stable overall, but
declining in parts of its range. When
removing brush, leave strips or patches to preserve
nest and perch sites. Minimize pesticide use.
Tom Grey
Grasslands
34
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)
: Brown back, wings, and
tail, white breast and belly, bold black
markings on brown and pale yellow head,
black crescent under throat. Small black
Habitat: Open areas with very short
vegetation and bare ground. Nests on
the ground, usually adjacent to a clump of
vegetation.
Feeding: Eats seeds and insects collected
on the ground.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain open
grasslands. Control encroaching shrubs and trees.
Minimize pesticide use.
Tom Grey
Grasslands
35
Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)
: Blue-black back, wings,
and tail, buffy rump patch and collar,
blue-black crown, reddish brown
face, white belly. The prominent white
forehead is distinctive. As with all
Habitat: Open areas near water. Builds
mud nests in colonies under bridges and
highway overpasses and on buildings.
Feeding:
Conservation: Population is increasing, but is
affected by competition with the invasive non-native
House Sparrow.
Tom Grey
Tom Grey
Grasslands
36
Chihuahuan Raven (Corvus cryptoleucus)
: Black overall, larger and
with a heavier bill and deeper voice than
a crow. A nearly identical species, the
Common Raven, may be present on the
Great Plains in winter. The Common is
slightly larger and has a slightly larger bill
than the Chihuahuan.
Habitat: Grasslands.
Feeding: Wide array of foods, including
carrion, rodents, insects, seeds, fruit, birds,
and bird eggs.
Conservation: Stable. Maintain
grasslands.
'()$l
Grasslands
37
Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus)
: Back, head, and wings
belly. Bobs up and down, as though
doing deep knee bends.
Habitat: Dry, rocky, open areas. Nests in
rock crevices.
Feeding: Eats insects captured on the
ground.
Conservation: Declining, in part due to nest
parasitism by the Brown-headed Cowbird. Minimize
pesticide use.
Grasslands
38
Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii)
: Sparrow-like but with
a thinner bill. Brownish above, streaked
breast, whitish belly. White outer tail feathers
while circling high overhead.
Habitat: Areas with medium-high grasses. The
nest is a domed structure on the ground.
Feeding: Collects insects and a small
amount of seed from the ground.
Conservation: Declining at an alarming
rate. Maintain open grasslands and control
encroaching shrubs and trees. Delay mowing until
after mid-July.
Doug Backlund
Grasslands
39
Cassin’s Sparrow ( cassinii)
: Plain gray overall, dark
marks on the back give it a faintly spotted
appearance. White tips on the outer tail
almost vertically above his territory, then
Habitat: Grasslands with shrubs or cholla,
fencerows. Nests on the ground or low in
a shrub.
Feeding: Collects its food on the ground.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain open grasslands
with scattered shrubs.
Doug Backlund
Grasslands
40
Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)
: Gray and brown with
black streaks on the breast. White outer
tail feathers are conspicuous when the bird
shoulder patch is sometimes obvious.
Habitat: Present in a wide variety of
habitats, including grasslands and open
shrublands. Nests on the ground, next to a
clump of vegetation.
Feeding: Collects its food on the ground.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain open grasslands.
Use no-till or reduced-till practices in croplands.
Robert Shantz
Grasslands
41
Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus)
: Gray, black, and tan
on the back and wings, grayish breast
with central black spot, white belly,
white stripe through a reddish brown
cap, reddish brown check patch, and
striking black and white pattern on the
face. Large white corners on the tail are
Habitat: Grasslands with short vegetation,
patches of bare ground, scattered shrubs
or trees. Usually nests on the ground, but
occasionally in a shrub or tree.
Feeding: Collects its food on the ground.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain open grassland
with scattered trees and shrubs, especially in
mountain foothills areas.
Doug Backlund
Grasslands
42
Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys)
: Male is all black with large
white patch on each wing. Female is
mottled grayish brown and white on the
back and head, white breast with grayish
brown streaks, white belly, large white
patch on each grayish brown wing.
Habitat: Grasslands with some shrubs,
Nests on the ground.
Feeding: Collects its food on the ground.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain large
tracts of open grassland with scattered
shrubs. Minimize pesticide use. Use no-till or
minimum-till practices in cropland.
Doug Backlund
male
Grasslands
female
Robert Shantz
43
Baird’s Sparrow (3 bairdii)
: Buffy and black
markings, buffy eyebrow, buffy central
stripe on the cap, short dark streaks at
the top and sides of the white breast.
preferring to walk on the ground.
Habitat: Open grasslands with medium
or tall grasses. Nests on the ground.
Feeding: Collects its food on the ground.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain open
grasslands with medium or tall grasses.
Control invasive plants and encroaching
shrubs.
Grasslands
4
44
Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus ,$
: Brown, black, gray, and
white pattern on back and wings, brown
head with thin white center stripe, stubby
tail, buffy breast and sides, often with a
yellowish orange spot in front of the eye.
insect-like buzz.
Habitat: Midgrass and tallgrass prairie,
areas of taller grasses in shortgrass prairie,
the base of a grass clump.
Feeding: Collects its food on the ground.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain large tracts of
open grassland with medium or tall grasses.
Bill Schmoker
Grasslands
45
McCown’s Longspur (5 mccownii)
: Male: white throat,
black upper breast, chestnut patch on
the shoulder, gray head with a black cap.
Female: brown and black overall, faint
black upper breast, chestnut shoulder. Both
sexes have an inverted black “T” in the white
Habitat: Grasslands, especially where the
grass is very short and sparse. Nests on the
ground, often near a cowpie or a clump of
vegetation.
Feeding: Collects its food on the ground.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain large tracts of
open grassland with short grasses and minimal litter.
#67
Grasslands
46
: Male: black and gray back
and wings, chestnut-colored patch at
the nape of the neck, black crown, white
eyebrow, white throat, black breast and
upper belly. Female: black and brown
overall. Both sexes have a black triangle
Habitat: Grasslands, especially where
the grass is short to medium height. Nests
on the ground.
Feeding: Collects its food on the ground.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain
large areas of grassland with diverse
vegetation structure. Graze mixed-grass
prairie moderately to intensively; graze wet areas
in shortgrass prairie at light to moderate intensity.
Minimize pesticide use.
Grasslands
Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus)
4
47
Dickcissel (Spiza americana)
: Male has black triangle
on throat, both sexes have yellow breast,
whitish belly, rusty brown patch on each
shoulder, cone-shaped bill. Male’s song
sounds like dik dik dik-cissel.
Habitat: Found in many habitat types,
including open grasslands and shrubby
areas, wherever grasses and forbs are
dense. Nests on the ground or in shrubs,
trees, or other vegetation up to 6 ft high.
Feeding: Collects its food on the ground.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain large
tracts of grassland. Delay mowing until after mid-
August. Minimize pesticide use.
Doug Backlund
Grasslands
48
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)
: Male is black overall with
white patches on the wings and a large
buffy patch on the back of the head; a
white rump is noticeable when the bird
streaks on the back and wings, white
throat, thin brown streaks on the crown
and the white breast, belly, and sides, and a
thin dark brown line behind the eye.
Habitat: Grasslands (especially wet areas)
with other Bobolinks nesting nearby.
Feeding: Collects its food on the ground.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain large tracts of
open grassland. Delay mowing until after mid-July.
Minimize pesticide use.
© iStockPhoto.com/ Rich Phalin
Grasslands
49
Doug Backlund
Western Meadowlark
Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna)
Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
: Black and brown on the back
and wings, a yellow throat, breast, and belly
with a black “V” on the breast. These species
are virtually identical, and are distinguished
the Eastern’s is high-pitched whistles.
Habitat: Grasslands, croplands, open
shrublands. The Eastern prefers areas with
taller and/or wetter vegetation. The ground
nest is hidden by a dome of vegetation.
Feeding: Collects its food on the ground.
Conservation: Both species are declining.
Maintain open grasslands. Minimize
disturbance during the reproductive season
as they are very sensitive and easily abandon
their nests. Delay mowing until after mid-July.
Western
Eastern
Grasslands
50
Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)
: Much larger than other
grouse—as large as a small turkey. Mostly
brown, mottled on the back and wings, with
a black belly, white breast, and pointed tail.
Habitat: Sagebrush shrublands.
Feeding: In summer, eats insects. In winter,
buds.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain extensive
areas of sagebrush with understory of
native grasses and forbs. Control invasive
plants (such as cheatgrass) and encroaching
trees. Minimize surface impacts, including habitat
fragmentation from roads, and other disturbance
during development of energy and other resources.
Doug Backlund
Shrublands
'()$
female
male
51
Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)
: Brown and black streaks
on head, back, wings, and tail; white
usually seen on the ground.
Habitat: Arid woodlands, shrublands.
Feeding: Captures prey on the ground,
often after chasing it down.
Conservation: Stable. Minimize pesticide
use.
© iStockPhoto.com/ Matt Cooper
Shrublands
52
Say’s Phoebe (Sayornis saya)
: Grayish head, back, and
wings, lighter breast, cinnamon belly,
black tail. Frequently perches on fences,
where it can be seen bobbing its tail.
Habitat: Open areas, especially where
streams or ravines are present. Builds
a bulky nest of plant material in rock
crevices, under bridges, or in openings of
buildings or streambanks.
Feeding:
insects.
Conservation: Increasing. Minimize pesticide use.
Tom Grey
Shrublands
53
: Gray body, black wings
with white patches, black mask. Northern
Shrikes are present on the Great Plains
only in winter.
Habitat: Open areas with some trees or
shrubs, especially ones with thorns. Nest
is placed in a tree or shrub.
Feeding: Watches from a fencepost
or other perch, then swoops down to
capture prey. Skewers prey on thorns or
barbed wire.
Conservation: Loggerhead:
Widespread, steep declines. Northern:
Stable. Maintain open grasslands with
scattered shrubs for nesting. Minimize
pesticide
use.
Tom Grey
Loggerhead Shrike
Loggerhead
Northern
Shrublands
Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)
Northern Shrike (Lanius excubitor)
54
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
: Gray back and head,
darker gray wings and tail, grayish
white wing patches are visible, similar to
shrikes, but the mockingbird lacks the
broad black mask of shrikes.
Habitat: Open areas with shrubs. Nests
in tree or shrub.
Feeding: Picks its food from vegetation
and the ground.
Conservation: Declining in parts of its
range, increasing in others. Minimize
pesticide use.
'Robert Shant8
Shrublands
55
Sage Thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus)
: Gray tail, back, wings,
and head; white chin; white breast and
belly with black spots and streaks; pale
yellow eyes.
Habitat: Shrublands, especially
sagebrush. The nest is placed 1–3 feet
high in shrubs.
Feeding: Collects food items from the
ground.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain
shrublands. Control invasive plants (such as
cheatgrass) and encroaching trees.
'()$
Shrublands
56
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)
: Male has a long black tail,
black back, head, and breast, white belly,
reddish brown sides, black wings with
white spots; female is similar, but dark
grayish brown where the male is black.
Habitat: Shrubby areas. Nests on the
ground under a shrub or low in a shrub.
Feeding: Collects its food on the ground.
It is often very noisy as it rakes away dead
Conservation: Stable or increasing. Maintain
patches of dense shrubs.
Tom Grey
Shrublands
57
Sage Sparrow (A$58,)
: Grayish brown back,
wings, head, with white eyebrows,
throat, breast, and belly. Dark spot in
center of the breast. White ring around
the eye.
Habitat: Shrublands, especially
sagebrush. Nests on the ground or low
in a shrub.
Feeding: Collects its food on the ground.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain
sagebrush stands; control invasive plants
and encroaching trees.
Robert Shantz
Shrublands
58
Brewer’s Sparrow (Spizella breweri)
: Gray and brown with
black markings on back and wings,
unmarked gray breast and belly, gray
eyebrow. The tail is fairly long for a
sparrow, and has a distinctive notch. The
male sings from the tops of shrubs.
Habitat: Dry areas with yucca,
sagebrush, or other shrubs. Nests low in a
shrub or cactus.
Feeding: Collects its food on the ground.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain
sagebrush stands; control invasive grasses
(such as cheatgrass) and encroaching trees.
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Shrublands
59
Blue Grosbeak ( caerulea)
: The male is deep blue
overall with reddish brown patches on
each wing. The female has a light brown
body, gray wings and tail. Both sexes
have a large, heavy beak.
Habitat: Shrubby areas, streamsides,
and woodland edges. Nests low to the
ground in a shrub or small tree.
Feeding: Collects its food from the ground
and in shrubs.
Conservation: Increasing. Maintain woody
vegetation along waterways.
Tom Grey
Shrublands
60
Brewer’s Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)
: The male is black overall
with yellow eyes. The female is brown
overall with dark brown eyes. Compared
to the Common Grackle, the tail is shorter
and the beak is shorter and straighter.
Habitat: Shrubby areas, open woodlands,
homesteads. Nests on the ground or low
in a shrub.
Feeding: Collects its food on the ground.
Conservation: Declining but still abundant.
Shrublands
Tony Leukering
61
Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis)
: Pointed wings, gray
overall with black tail, grayish-white head,
and dark patch around the eyes.
Habitat: Open woods, such as along
streams, shelterbelts, or in towns. Nests
in trees, often with several pairs nesting close
their nest site, even against humans.
Feeding: Catches and eats insects while
Conservation: Stable. Maintain existing trees.
Minimize use of pesticides. Control invasive plants
(such as tamarisk and Russian-olive).
Robert Shantz
Woodlands
62
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
: Typical adult has a
reddish tail, a dark brown band across
the white belly, and a dark brown patch
on the front edge of each wing, close to
the body.
Habitat: Open areas with trees, which
are needed as support for the large nest
of sticks.
Feeding: Hunts by watching from a perch or
while soaring.
Conservation: Stable or increasing.
Maintain open grassland; retain existing
trees for nesting. Minimize pesticide use.
Woodlands
© Dreamstime/John Wollwerth
Tom Grey
63
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
: Small falcon with pointed
wings and long tail. Male has blue-gray
wings and a reddish-brown back; female
is reddish-brown all over. Both sexes
have two vertical black stripes on each
side of the head.
Habitat: Open areas. Nests in tree
cavities.
Feeding: Hovers by rapidly beating its
wings; also hunts from perches such as
trees, fences, utility poles. Because of its
small size and predation on songbirds,
this species was formerly known as the
Sparrow Hawk.
Conservation: Declining. Maintain open grasslands.
Preserve existing trees and snags. Minimize pesticide
use.
Tom Grey
Tom Grey
Woodlands
64
Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus)
: Mostly brown mottled all
over, with reddish streaks on the sides.
Eyebrow and chin are white in males, buff
brown in females.
Habitat: Farms, open areas with shrubs,
and open woods.
Feeding: Seeds, leaves, fruit, insects that
it collects on the ground.
Conservation: Declining at an alarming
rate. Use no-till or minimum-till practices in
croplands.
Woodlands
© iStockPhoto.com/Bryan Eastham
65
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
: Grayish-brown overall,
with black spots on the wings. Long,
pointed tail. The familiar cooing song
gives the bird its name—it sounds as
though it is mourning.
Habitat: Widespread, from open
grasslands and croplands to open
tree or shrub, occasionally on the ground.
Feeding: Picks seeds from the ground,
eats some insects.
Conservation: Stable and abundant. Minimize
pesticide use. Avoid using lead shot when hunting.
Tom Grey
Woodlands
66
Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
: Large grayish owl with
a white throad, yellow eyes, and two
prominent ear tufts (the “horns”). Often
seen perched on utility poles or trees at
dusk or dawn.
Habitat: Wooded areas; typically nests
in trees in a stick nest built by crows or
magpies.
Feeding: Hunts at night for squirrels, small
rodents, skunks, reptiles, and birds.
Conservation: Stable. Minimize the use
of pesticides, especially those targeting
rodents.
© iStockPhoto.com/ Cynthia Lindow
Woodlands
67
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
: Gray and brown head,
black crescent below the throat, black
spots on pale breast and belly, brown
and black bars on back and wings. In
yellow or reddish orange. The male has
a black or red “moustache.”
Habitat: River woodlands, towns,
homesteads with large trees. Nests in a tree cavity.
Feeding: Often forages for ants and other insects on
the ground, sometimes catches insects in the air.
Conservation: Declining. Preserve existing trees and
snags. Minimize pesticide use.
Doug Backlund
Woodlands
68
Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus)
: Light grayish on the head,
back, and sides, dark wings, white belly.
The song is a distinctive, descending
peeer.
Habitat: Open woods, especially near
water. The simple cup nest is placed far
out on a tree branch, 10–30 feet above
the ground.
Feeding: Flies out from an exposed perch
Conservation: Declining. Minimize pesticide use.
*)$
Woodlands
