The spotted towhee is a nesting species on the prairies. It winters in the southwestern United States.

North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico, along with the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, make up the Great Plains.

Most people think of the prairies as grassland alone, but the prairie grasslands are made up of many different habitats besides the grass. Wetlands (sloughs and marshes, rivers, alkaline lakes), dunes, badlands of sandstone wooded river valleys and coulees combine to make up the prairie grasslands.

“Grassland birds are declining more rapidly than any other avian community,” according to my friend, Dr. Wayne Lynch, who has recently published a book titled “A Celebration of Prairie Birds!” (2021). He showcases a variety of birds that make up the over 250 species that depend on the prairies of North America. His book gives us an appreciation for the beauty of the prairies and the beautiful bird species that inhabit them.

This photo essay features a few prairie species. Like Wayne, I endeavor show some of what we will miss due to the decline of the prairie habitat and the birds that inhabit them. Loss of habitat is a major problem. Wayne writes concerning the importance of the prairie habitat, “Together, these different wild habitats combine to make the prairie grasslands, and the birds that fill its skies, a natural sanctuary to soothe the psyche, challenge the mind, and rekindle the spirit.”

My sentiments, exactly. Happy birding!