prairies of north america

8/12/2019 Prairies of north america

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Copyright 2008

Presented by the

North Dakota Game and Fish Departmenterry Steinwand, Director

100 North Bismarck ExpresswayBismarck, North Dakota 58501-5095www.g.nd.gov

Published by the

North Dakota Center or Distance EducationJon Skaare, Director

Box 50361510 12th Avenue NorthFargo, North Dakota 58105-5036

www.ndcde.org

ISBN 978-0-9801993-1-4

All Rights Reserved

Duplication o these materials without express permission rom theNorth Dakota Game and Fish Department is prohibited.


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Habitats of North Dakota

i

HABITATS OF NORTH DAKOTA

PRAIRIEBy

Gwyn S. Herman, Ph.D.Laverne A. Johnson, M.S.

With Contributions ByChris Grondahl, Wildlife Biologist

Published by

North Dakota Studies ProjectNeil D. Howe, Project Coordinator

North Dakota Center for Distance EducationFargo, North Dakota 58105-5036www.NDStudies.org


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ABOUTHABITATS OFNORTHDAKOTA

iiPrairie Copyright 2008 by the North Dakota Center for Distance Education

Distribution o these Habitats o North Dakotaunits is made possible by

the North Dakota Game and Fish Department in collaboration with theNorth Dakota Center or Distance Education.

Te inormation presented in Habitats o North Dakotaseeks to promoteteaching and learning about the wildlie and conservation topics o NorthDakota. Five separate units have been developed to discuss the habitats.Tey are Wetlands, Prairie, Badlands, Woodlands, and Riparian Areas.

Te Habitats o North Dakotaunits have been produced, published, and

distributed by the North Dakota Center or Distance Education.

Chris GrondahlWildlie Biologist

North Dakota Game and Fish Department

Gwyn HermanAuthor

North Dakota Studies Project

Neil HoweProject Coordinator

North Dakota Studies Project

Laverne Johnson

AuthorNorth Dakota Studies Project

Jeff LongEducational Coordinator


Jon SkaareDirector

North Dakota Center or Distance Education

erry SteinwandDirector


Cassie Teurer

Graphic ArtistNorth Dakota Studies Project

Te Habitats o North Dakotaunits are made possible through the efforts o adedicated team o individuals at the North Dakota Game and Fish Departmentand the North Dakota Center or Distance Education.

All photos and other images are rom theNorth Dakota Game and Fish Department unless otherwise cited.


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iii

About Habitats of North Dakota ................................................. ii

About the Authors ..................................................................... ivWildlife Habitats and Conservation History ............................... v

Prairie ......................................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................1 ypes o Prairie ...........................................................................................6 allgrass Prairie ..........................................................................................8 Mixed-grass Prairie ..................................................................................12 Shortgrass Prairie .....................................................................................14 Forbs...........................................................................................................16

Prairie in a Nutshell.................................................................................21 Prairie Vocabulary...................................................................................22

Prairie Wildlife .......................................................................... 25 Prairie Dwellers ........................................................................................25 Mammals ...................................................................................................25 Reptiles and Amphibians ........................................................................36 Birds ...........................................................................................................40 Prairie Wildlie in a Nutshell..................................................................48

Prairie Wildlie Vocabulary....................................................................49

The Importance of Prairies ...................................................... 51 Value ...........................................................................................................51 Treats to Prairie ......................................................................................52 Saving Prairies ..........................................................................................54 Te Importance o Prairies in a Nutshell..............................................58

Te Importance o Prairies Vocabulary................................................59

References ................................................................................60

TABLE OF CONTENTS


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ABOUT THEAUTHORS

Dr. Gwyn Herman and Ms. Laverne Johnson were born and raised in rural

North Dakota, and both have a deep love or their home state. Tey areeducators who have over 60 years o combined teaching experience at all gradelevels, including the teaching o North Dakota Studies to both ourth and eighthgrade students.

Dr. Hermanearned her bachelor o science degree rom Dickinson StateUniversity, her master o science degree rom Minot State University, and herdoctor o philosophy degree rom the University o North Dakota. She taughtor 10 years at the secondary level and 16 years at the ourth grade level. Since

2000, Dr. Herman has been teaching education courses and coordinating theElementary Education program at the University o Mary in Bismarck.

Ms. Johnsonreceived her bachelor o science and master o science degreesrom Minot State University. Her experience includes 23 years as an elementaryteacher in grades ranging rom kindergarten through eighth grade, and 10 yearsas a speech/language pathologist in grades nine through twelve. She is currentlyan adjunct proessor at the University o Mary where she supervises pre-serviceand student teachers.

Welcome to the study o Prairiesof North Dakota! Tis book isfilled with interesting and useulinormation about prairieswhatthey are, what types there are,where they are located, whichanimals and plants depend on them,

how they are threatened, and whythey must be protected or uturegenerations. Trough reading andengaging in a variety o activitiesthat accompany this text, you willfind yoursel on a dynamic andeducational journey. Read on....

Welcome

Gwyn Herman (le) and Laverne Johnson (right)


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v

Wildlie has long been an important part o the North Dakota prairies. AmericanIndians depended on this abundant resource or their ood, clothing, and shelter or

thousands o years beore Euro-Americans arrived in the area.In European countries, wildlie resources were scarce. Te only people who wereallowed to hunt in Europe were wealthy landowners and members o royal amilies.

In the 1800s, Euro-Americans immigrated to North Dakota. Te earliest settlersdepended on hunting and trapping game animals to help eed their amilies and makea living. At the same time, market hunting or these wildlie resources began.

Market hunters killed large numbers o wildlie or urs and eathers, which they soldto people in the clothing industry on the East Coast and in Europe. Tey also sold

meat to restaurants.No laws existed to protect wildlie in North Dakota in those early years. Populations owildlie such as the white-tailed deer, bighorn sheep, elk, and pronghorn decreased tovery low numbers.

In 1883, Teodore Roosevelt came rom New York to the Badlands o northern Dakotaerritory to hunt. He liked the area so much that he bought two ranches in the Badlandsand spent summers enjoying the wildlie and wide-open spaces o North Dakota.

Teodore Roosevelts adventures in a land o wildlie and open spaces inspired his

interest in wildlie conservation. Conservation is defined as caring or, managing, andprotecting natural resources, including wildlie. When Teodore Roosevelt becamePresident o the United States in the early 1900s, one o his major goals was to preserveand protect these natural resources. He set aside 230 million acres o land throughoutthe United States in the orm o national parks, national orests, and other areas orconservation and public use. Other conservationists during this time realized theimportance o protecting habitat and wildlie and developed plans to manage theseresources.

During the 1900s, laws were passed to protect wildlie. In 1930, the North Dakota Game

and Fish Department was created. Its purpose was to manage the states wildlie resourcesor public enjoyment. Hunting was an important part o this management plan.

In order to pay or managing wildlie conservation, the U.S. government begancollecting a special tax on hunting equipment such as guns and bullets. Te moneycollected was given to state wildlie agencies or wildlie and conservation programs. Asimilar system was also adopted to und fisheries programs. In this way, the group thatuses and enjoys the resource pays or its management.

WILDLIFE HABITATS AND CONSERVATIONHISTORY by Chris Grondahl, Wildlife Biologist


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Te state Game and Fish Department has used these unds along with money

collected rom sales o hunting and fishing licenses to purchase tracts o land thatcould be used by hunters and anglers. Tese public areas are called WildlieManagement Areas, or WMAs. Public lands that were purchased by the ederalgovernment included National Grasslands, waterowl production areas, and wildliereuges. Tese lands were purchased or the public, not only or protecting habitatsor wildlie, but also or providing places or people to enjoy all kinds o outdoorrecreation. Habitat (ood, water, shelter, and space) is the key to sustaining healthywildlie populations, and quality habitats have been created and preserved byindividuals, conservation organizations, and governments.

An example o a very important habitat development or wildlie in North Dakotais a program called the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). CRP wasestablished by the U.S. government and armers to plant grass on some less ertileland that had been plowed or crop-raising. For 10 to 20 years, these grass habitatshave replaced low production arm ground. CRP has increased populations owildlie such as white-tailed deer, pheasants, ducks, and nongame species.

Figure 1. Teddy Roosevelt traveled

to North Dakota over 100 years

ago. Here, he learned to enjoy and

appreciate the wide open spaces

and the importance of hunng

and conservaon. (State Historical

Society of North Dakota, 0410-127)

Te North American Model o WildlieConservation was developed as a result o all theeffort wildlie conservationists put orth in the last100 years to create good wildlie habitat and keepwildlie available or everyone to use. Tis modelpromotes equal access to wildlie or everyone and isin contrast to the European model in which wildliewas controlled and used only by wealthy people.

Just like what happened 100 years ago when somepeople sold wildlie or personal profit, thereare commercial interests doing that today. Tepublic owns the wildlie in North America. OurNorth American wildlie conservation system

has been extremely successul. Activities thatprevent access to wildlie by the public destroythe ramework o this system. Te more thatpeople o all ages understand the importance othe North American model, the better chancepresent and uture generations will have oenjoying this great American resource.


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Introduction

Which o the ollowing has something to do with Prairies o NorthDakota?

So which o the choices above has something to do with Prairies oNorth Dakota? Answer: All o them!


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A gigantic bulldozerA sea o grassA paintbrush that never touches paintPrairie smoke with no fireTe largest land animal on the continentAnimals with pocketsA wol that is not a wolA rabbit that is not a rabbitAnimals with no earsHorns made o eathersA grasshopper that is not an insectBlack blizzards

PRAIRIE

Most o North Dakotas landscape was shaped by the Wisconsinan(wis-Kon-sin-an) glacier. Tis gigantic mass o ice entered the area rom Canada about 40,000years ago and covered all o North Dakota except or the southwest corner.

Te Wisconsinan glacier advanced and retreated several times over the next 28,000

years. It acted like a giant bulldozer, scraping the land and moving huge amountso earth. By the time the glacier melted about 12,000 years ago, it had completelychanged the landscape in several states and Canadian provinces.

Te Badlands, located in southwestern North Dakota, were not ormed by theWisconsinan glacier. Te Badlands were carved out o the landscape by the actionso the Little Missouri River, as well as by thousands o years o wind erosion.


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Prairie Copyright 2008 by the North Dakota Center for Distance Education

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North Dakota is divided into three major natural regions rom east towestthe Red River Valley, the Drif Prairie, and the Missouri Plateau

(pla-oe). Tese regions are almost like three sloping stair steps as theygo up in elevation(land height) rom east to west.

Te Red River Valleyis the floor o the ancient Lake Agassiz (Ag-ah-see),which was ormed when glaciers in Canada blocked the flow o watertrying to flow north. Tis lake has been gone or thousands o years, butits remaining lakebed, the Red River Valley, is extremely flat.

Te Drif Prairieis the second-highest land in North Dakota. Drif consists

o the soil, rocks, and other materials that were deposited by glaciers. TeDrif Prairie is sometimescalled the Glaciated (Glay-she-ate-ed) Plains.

Te Missouri Plateau(pla-oe), the highest land inthe state, lies west o the DrifPrairie and reaches to the

Montana border. Te easternpart o the Missouri Plateauis called the Missouri Coteau(koe-oe). Coteau is a Frenchword meaning little hill.

Figure 2. Prairie exists in all regions of the state.

The type of prairie, and the wildlife found

there, was determined largely by the formaon

of the soils. (Graphic by Cassie Theurer)

Tousands o square miles o land had been flattened by the enormous glacialbulldozer. Te masses o material the glacier had been carrying were deposited invarious places, orming rolling hills and millions o potholes. Over time, a prairie,or grassland, developed on the flat and rolling plains.

French trappers and explorers who entered the center o North America in the1700s observed that the land looked like a sea o grass. Tey used the Frenchword prairie to describe this grassland. Te word originally meant a grassyclearing in a orest. Te thousands o square miles o grasslands in North America


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were not at all like the grassy meadowsin France; thereore, the word prairietook on a new meaning.

A prairieis a large, treeless regioncovered with grasses and orbs, orwildflowers. North Dakota lies in theheart o the Prairie Pothole Region,which includes the potholes and prairielands created by the Wisconsinan glacier.

Prairies, or grasslands, developedand thrived because o their deep

underground root systems. Teseextremely long, downward-reachingplant parts enabled the grasses towithstand certain conditions that trees

Figure 3. Missouri Coteau Prairie. Prairie habitats dont, at rst glance, appear to be benecial

to wildlife but actually are similar to the ocean in their importance to terrestrial (land) wildlife.

Prairies support many more species than a habitat such as a pine forest in the mountains. In

North Dakota, the number of ground-nesng birds alone that rely on prairie is amazing.

Figure 4. This graphic illustrates that prairie

plantshave evolved very deep root systems

allowing them to survive.

and other woody plants could not survive. Tese conditions included the ollowing:(1) low amounts o precipitation; (2) long, cold winters, hot summers, and strongwinds; (3) requent fires; and (4) grazing (grass-eating) animals.


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Grasslands, rather than orests, developed in North Dakota because o the lowamounts o precipitation received. Much less moisture is required to supportgrasslands than is needed or orests. Te extensive root systems o prairie grassesallowed these plants to survive the harsh and changeable weather conditions o the

state.

From time to time, each part o the prairie was cleared by fire. A prairie fire wasusually started by lightning. As the fire was whipped by winds, it became a wall oflames that galloped across the prairie at a great rate o speed. Because it moved soquickly, the fire did not penetrate very ar into the soil, so it did not kill the prairiegrasses. It did, however, burn old, built-up vegetation, brush, shrubs, and sproutingtrees. Tat is why the prairie had ew trees until Euro-Americans settled there andbegan suppressing (stopping) fires. (Euro-Americans are Americans with Europeanancestors; sometimes called whites.)

Nutrients called minerals were added to the soil rom the ashes o burnedvegetation; thereore, the new grass that sprang up ollowing a fire was morenutritious (new-rish-us) than the old growth. Te grass was also able to get aresh start since the dead grass and other vegetation no longer ormed layers, calledlitter, that blocked sunlight and moisture rom prairie grasses.

Grazing animals such as bison, deer, rabbits, and prairie dogs were important ormaintaining healthy grasslands. Tese animals ate the tops off the prairie plants,

Figure 5. Fire was a natural and normal part of the prairie before Euro-Americans seled the

land. Prairie res killed most young trees, and therefore, few trees were found. Fire is benecial

since it revives prairie by removing the dead grasses and plants that prevent new grass growth.


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which resulted in new growth. Because grass grows rom growth points under thesurace o the ground, the grass quickly grew back afer being nipped off by thegrazers. Te new growth had more nutrients, was thicker, and was easier to digestthan was the old growth.

Te amount o grazing on the prairies was significant. Millions o bison covered theplains, and each animal ate about 30 pounds o grass per day. Besides mowing the

grass, grazers helped the prairie in other ways. For example, the waste products othe millions o grazing animals added natural ertilizer to the soil. Tis system ograzing can be accomplished on the prairie today, as long as it is managed correctly.

Prairie dogs and other burrowing animals helped the prairie by digging hugeunderground tunnel systems. unnels allowed air and water to enter deep into thesoil, which was good or plant roots.

Beore Euro-Americans began settling in the center o North America, native

(naturally occurring) prairie covered an area stretching rom the orests o the Eastto the Rocky Mountains in the West. Numerous kinds and numbers o wildlieinhabited the grasslands, and the orces o nature kept the prairie ecosystem inbalance. An ecosystemis an area that contains organisms (living things) interactingwith one another and with their non-living environment. Almost all o North Dakotawas covered by some type o prairie. Most o the native prairie is gone today. Tis hassignificantly decreased the populations o ground-nesting birds that rely on prairie.

Figure 6. Prairie plantscome back quickly aer a re, and the new growth is nutrious to

animals. Even though re is good for the prairie, most are put out because they can damage

farms, towns, and other property. Wildlife agencies conduct controlled burns on their

property to mimic the natural system of res which historically occurred across the prairie.


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Prairies are classified into three typestallgrass prairie, mixed-grass prairie,and shortgrass prairie. North Dakota includes all three major prairie types.Each prairie community is made up o a variety o grass species with a

sprinkling o colorul orbs, or wildflowers.

Te type o prairie that develops in a region depends on the amount oprecipitation the region receives, as well as the ertility and type o soil.allgrass prairie needs the most moisture, while shortgrass prairie needsthe least.

Te climate o North Dakota varies rom east to west. Eastern North Dakotagets much more moisture than does the western part o the state. Also, the

northeastern part o the state has colder temperatures than the southwest.It was mainly these climate actors, along with the ertility o the soil, thatdetermined the type o prairie that would develop in each part o the state.

Figure 7. The three prairie typesin North Dakota are determined by climate factors such as rain

and temperature, as well as the ferlity of the soil. (Graphic by Cassie Theurer)

Types of Prairie


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Comprehension

1. Name the three major natural regions o North Dakota. Whereis the Missouri Coteau located? What part o the state was notormed by the Wisconsinan glacier?

2. Name our conditions that enabled prairie grasses, but not treesand other woody plants, to survive.

3. What has significantly decreased the populations o ground-nesting birds in North Dakota?

4. What are the three types o prairies in North Dakota? Whatdetermined the type o prairie that developed in each part o thestate?

Critical Thinking

1. French trappers and explorers used the term sea o grass todescribe the prairies. What other terms might have been fittingor them to use? Explain.


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Tallgrass PrairieIt is estimated that beore Euro-American settlers began arming the land, NorthDakota had over 2 million acres o tallgrass prairie. An acreis approximately thesize o a ootball field. In the span o about 100 years, over 90 percent o the states

native tallgrass prairie was lost.

North Dakotas tallgrass prairie developed in the Red River Valley, where theprecipitation averages 18 to 22 inches a year. Te tallgrass prairieobviously got itsname because o the height o its grasses. Examples o native grasses that reachedheights o 6 to 7 eet included big bluestem and Indiangrass.

allgrass prairie is made up o several species o both sod-orming grasses andbunch grasses. Sodis grass-covered soil, which is held together by matted roots.

Sod-orming grassesspread by sending out horizontal stems both above and belowthe surace o the ground. Sod-orming grasses produce a web o plants that holdsoil tightly together. Areas covered by grass and other vegetation prevent soil romeroding (wearing away by wind or water).

Figure 8. Tallgrass speciessuch as big

bluestem, Indiangrass, and switch grass were

once common in the Red River Valley. Today,

lile prairie remains in this ferle region,

which was converted to agricultural use in

the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Bunch grassesgrow in bunches, orclumps, and are spread by seeds. Teseplants have extremely long roots thatstretch downward many eet below the

surace o the ground. Because theroots can reach moisture that is deepunderground, bunch grasses are able tosurvive in dry areas where other plantswither and die.

Over many centuries, the soil o thetallgrass prairie region became moreand more ertile. Tere is a reason or

this. As part o their lie cycles, thegrasses and orbs died, decomposed,and returned to the soil. Tis processbuilt up humus (Hyoo-mus) in the soil.

Humusis the organic (rom livingthings) matter in the soil. It is


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important because it provides nutrients or plants, loosens the soil so that air canenter, and holds moisture in the soil. Te more humus the soil contains, the moreertile it is. Te Red River Valley contains a thick layer o humus.

For thousands o years, the tallgrass prairie was a rich and diverse ecosystem thatprovided ideal habitats or hundreds o plant and animal species. A habitatis an

environment that provides the ood, water, shelter, and space or wildlie to maketheir homes. Te orces o nature kept the communities in balance.

It is ironic (eye-Ron-ik) (the opposite o what is expected) that the same actorresponsible or the success o the tallgrass prairie was the actor that led to its near-extinction. Tat actor was the extremely ertile soil.

Te rich soil attracted bonanza armers who arrived in the Red River Valley inthe 1870s. Bonanza armswere gigantic wheat arms in northern Dakota. Tey

ranged in size rom 3,000 acres to over 75,000 acres. Tese huge arms, which mademassive profits (a lot o money) or their owners, struck the first death-blow or thetallgrass prairie.

Hundreds o horse-drawn implements advanced over the prairie, digging intothe sod and plowing down the habitats o millions o animals. By 1900, most othe bonanza arms were being split and divided into smaller tracts. Tese tracts

Figure 9. The Red River Valley is at with very ferle soils which were developed into large

operaons called bonanza farms. Today, there is almost no prairie le in the Red River Valley.

Mature tree rows are the primary habitat present on the landscape and were planted to prevent

soil erosion in the early 1900s. (State Historical Society of North Dakota, 00699-01)


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o land were sold to settlers who established their own arms. Te destruction oprairie habitats continued.

Te Red River Valley has some o the most ertile soil and best armland in theworld. oday, its extremely rich soil provides nourishment, not or prairie grassesand orbs, but or arm crops.

Te beautiul tallgrass prairie, which had existed or thousands o years, has beenalmost totally destroyed. It is one o the most endangered habitat types in the world.

Most o the tallgrass prairie remaining in North Dakota is located in the SheyenneNational Grassland. National grasslands are public lands, which mean they belongto all o us. Tey are managed by the U.S. Forest Service, a ederal governmentagency, which is a part o the United States Department o Agriculture.

Te Sheyenne National Grasslandis located in Ransom and Richland counties insoutheastern North Dakota. It consists o over 70,000 acres o public land made upo tallgrass prairie, mixed-grass prairie, and shortgrass prairie. Cattle rom nearbyranches graze in the Sheyenne National Grassland.

Figure 10. The Sheyenne Naonal Grasslandlocated in southeastern North Dakota is owned

and managed by the U.S. Forest Service. It is one of the few remaining prairies in this part of

the state. Naonal Grasslands are public property (owned by everyone) and, therefore, good

places for eld trips. (Graphic by Cassie Theurer)


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Comprehension

1. How much tallgrass prairie was in North Dakota beoreEuro-Americans came? How much remains?

2. How tall do native tallgrass species get?

3. How do sod-orming grasses spread? How do bunch grassesspread?

4. How was humus built up in the soil? Which region o the statehas the most ertile soil?

5. What were bonanza arms?

6. What is one o the most endangered habitat types in the world?Where in North Dakota is most o this habitat type located?

Critical Thinking

1. Why was the tallgrass prairie the first prairie type to bedestroyed in North Dakota?


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Mixed-grass Prairie

As the elevation starts to rise west o the Red River Valley, various species oshortgrasses gradually begin to mix with the different varieties o tallgrasses. Temixed-grass prairieis a combination o tallgrass and shortgrass species.

A national grassland o mainly mixed-grass prairie in North Dakota is Cedar RiverNational Grassland. It is located in Sioux county. Cedar River National Grasslandconsists o 6,700 acres and connects with the Grand River National Grassland oSouth Dakota.

One o the best-known grasses o the mixed prairie is western wheatgrass. Tistough, native grass once covered almost all o North Dakota. It is still ound inevery county o the state. In 1977, western wheatgrassbecame the official state

grass o North Dakota.

Western wheatgrass is a sod-orming grass that reaches a height o 1 to 3 eet. Inthe spring, when it is resh and tender, it is good or cattle grazing. Later in thesummer, its stems become tough, and then cattle do not like to eat it. Tese toughstems ound in native grasses are very important or wildlie habitat. Tey providewildlie winter habitat since they remain standing. Tese standing grasses arealso important or ground-nesting birds in the spring. Non-native grasses suchas brome grass do not have tough stems and get pushed down in a flat mat o

vegetation making it less desirable or wildlie habitat.

Figure 11. The mixed-grass prairiemakes up the largest prairie type in the state. It begins at

the edge of the Red River Valley and extends westward beyond the Missouri River system. This

mix of grasses and forbs is crical for prairie wildlife species, parcularly ground-nesng birds.


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Both sod-orming grasses andbunch grasses are ound inmixed-prairie regions. Manycolorul orbs are also present.

Many more plant species areound in mixed-grass prairies thanin tallgrass or shortgrass prairies.

Beore Euro-American armersstarted breaking up the sod,mixed-grass prairie covered about85 percent o North Dakota.oday, mixed-grass prairie existsin about 30 percent o the stateand is the most common prairietype in North Dakota. Both theDrif Prairie and the MissouriPlateau contain mixed-grassprairie regions.

Figure 12. Conversion of prairie to cropland

(farming land) has occurred in North Dakota since

the area was rst seled by Euro-Americans. Today,

high prices for agricultural crops and the use of corn

in the producon of ethanol for fuel connue to

make it nancially aracve to convert more prairie

into cropland.

Farming practices destroyed a great deal o mixed-grass prairie, particularly onthe Drif Prairie; however, mixed-grass prairies did not suffer the almost totaldestruction that the tallgrass prairies suffered. Tere are a couple reasons or this.

Some o the mixed-grass prairies are located on land that is too hilly, too rocky, orotherwise unsuitable or arming. Others are ound in wetlands regions that are notdry or a long enough time during the summer or crops to mature.

Cattle ranching is the main activity on much o the remaining mixed-grass prairiein the state today. Grasslands are important or maintaining the livestock industry.Almost 80 percent o the diets o cattle in North Dakota is made up o orage.Forageconsists o grass and other plants that grazing animals eat.

I prairie grasses are managed correctly, they provide a continual source o ood orcattle. Beore Euro-American settlement, this periodic grazing occurred naturally byherds o bison, which never stayed on a piece o prairie too long. I prairie is over-grazed, it can take a long time to recover (grow back). Exposed soils, caused by toomuch animal traffic, can start soil erosion and invite unwanted weeds to grow.


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Shortgrass PrairieTe shortgrass prairie region is located in the southwestern part o North Dakotawhere the precipitation averages 10 to 12 inches a year. Less moisture along withshallower, less ertile soils prevent some grasses rom growing.

Shortgrasses are grasses with a height o 3 to 7 inches. One o these species is bluegrama. Other grasses are part o the shortgrass prairie but have a medium height.Tese include little bluestem and side oats grama. Te shortgrass prairie is used asrangeland or grazing cattle. Wildlie also flourishes in the shortgrass prairie.

Te Little Missouri National Grasslandin southwestern North Dakota coversover 1 million acres and consists o both short and medium-height prairie grasses.It is the largest grassland in the United States. Tis national grassland is not all

Figure 14. The Lile Missouri Naonal Grasslandis comprised of both mixed-grass and

shortgrass prairie. These western grasslands contain a variety of grasses as well as wildowers,

junipers, cactus, sagebrush, yucca, and areas called woody draws that contain trees.

Figure 13. Blue grama is a prairie grass

categorized as a shortgrass. It is found in

both the mixed- and shortgrass prairies.

connected because some privately-ownedland is scattered throughout it.

Teodore Roosevelt National Park, withits colorul Badlands, is located within theLittle Missouri National Grassland. Tehighest point in North Dakota, WhiteButte, is located in the southeastern cornero this national grassland. Its elevation is

about 3,500 eet, which is still not very highcompared with states to the west that havemajor mountain ranges.


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1. Name the national grassland that is made up mainly o mixed-grass prairie. Where is it located?

2. What is the official state grass o North Dakota? What kind ograss is it?

3. What types o grasses are ound in mixed-prairie regions?

4. What percent o North Dakota was covered by mixed-prairie

grasses beore Euro-Americans started breaking up the sod?What percent exists today?

5. What is the main activity on much o North Dakotas mixed-grass prairie today?

6. Why was the prairie not overgrazed when herds o bison grazed?

7. Name one species o shortgrass. How tall does this species get?How are shortgrass prairies used by ranchers?

8. What is the largest grassland in the United States? Whatnational attraction is located within this grassland?

Critical Thinking

1. Explain why national grasslands are so important.


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Comprehension


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Forbs

Forbsare native prairie wildflowers with deeproots. Tere are more than a thousand speciesound across the state. Tese prairie plants

bloom at various times during the spring andsummer, dotting the prairie with splashes obright color rom early spring through latesummer. Most orbs have thick leaves, whichhelp hold moisture in dry prairie conditions.Te majority are perennials, meaning thatthey come back rom the root year afer year.

North Dakotas earliest-blooming spring

wildflower is the prairie crocus. A DakotaIndian story said that this flower had thespecial power to awaken other plants inthe spring. Te prairie crocus is also calledpasque (pask) flower, wild crocus, windflower, and May flower.

Besides adding color to the prairie, someorbs provide a direct ood source or wildlie.

Teir colors attract insects, and by doing so,they provide a ood source or birds. Tisis an example o the start o a ood chain orweb o lie. Some orbs can be used in oodor in health supplements.

In 1907, the wild prairie rosewas named theofficial state flower o North Dakota. It growsalong roadsides and in prairie pastures all

over the state. Te rose hips, or ruits, o thisflower were used by Plains Indians as oodand as a treatment or many illnesses. It isused today in tea, as Vitamin A and VitaminC supplements, and in air resheners. Rosehips are also eaten in the winter by birds suchas sharp-tailed grouse.

Figures 15 & 16. Prairie crocusis the

rst wildower to bloom in the spring.

Figures 17 & 18. The wild prairie rose

is the ocial state ower. The plant

grows about 18 inches tall. Its owers

are generally pink. The fruit of the

plant is called rose hips and can be

eaten by wildlife and people.


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17

a white penstemon toothache pain

a western wallflower stomach cramps

a prairie smoke mouth sores, sore throat, coughs, open wounds,sore eyes

a purple coneflower snake bites, bee stings, toothaches, coughs, soremouth and gums, neck pain, mumps, measles,smallpox, arthritis, other conditions

a prairie lily spider bites

a yellow coneflower headaches, rattlesnake bites, poison ivya common yarrow stop bleeding

a blanket flower upset stomach, eye or ear problems

a scarlet globemallow kill pain

a dotted blazing star bring down swelling, heal wounds

a Missouri goldenrod sore throats, toothaches

a wild licorice flu, upset stomach

a curlycup gumweed asthma, coughs, skin rashes

American Plains Indians used roots and otherplant parts of various forbs in their medicines.

Figure 19. Prairie Smokegot its name from the hair-like strands that resemble

smoke. These strands remain aached to the ower head aer blooming.


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Te scientific name or purpleconefloweris Echinacea(ek-ah-Nay-sha). Te roots o this plantare used by some people today as a

health supplement to prevent coldsand to strengthen the immune system.Wild bergamotis used today in a teacalled Earl Gray.

Plains Indians used parts o other orbsbecause they tasted good and providednutrients. Examples are breadroot,Rocky Mountain bee-plant, andspiderwort.

Showy milkweedis a plant that isnot ofen eaten by grazing animalsbecause it tastes bad. On the otherhand, milkweed plants are necessary inthe lie cycle o Monarch butterflies.Tese colorul insects lay their eggs onmilkweed plants. Each egg developsinto a larva (Lar-vah), which is thecaterpillar orm o the developingbutterfly.

Milkweed plants are the only oodcaterpillars will eat. Caterpillars eatmilkweed leaves until the caterpillarsare a little bigger around than a pencil.Te toxins in the milkweed plant donot harm the caterpillars but instead

provide protection. Birds do not eat thecaterpillars since they taste bad.

At the end o the larva stage, thecaterpillar transorms into a chrysalis.A chrysalisis a cocoon, or protective

Figure 21. Rocky Mountain bee-plantis not

a perennial. The plant dies aer one season

and comes back the next year from seeds

that dropped aer owering.

Figure 20. Purple coneower is a common

forb of the mixed and shortgrass prairies.

The plant was used by American Indians

for toothaches, bee sngs, and other pains

because it contains substances that have a

numbing eect.


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case, that holds the insect as it istransorming rom the larva to theadult stage. It remains as a chrysalisor about two weeks beore emerginginto a butterfly to continue the cycle.Te process o changing rom the

larva stage to the adult stage is calledmetamorphosis(met-ah-Mor-us-is).

Many orbs need to be pollinated.Pollenis powder produced by certainplants and must be carried romplant to plant in order or the plant

Figures 22, 23, & 24. Monarch Caterpillar (le);Monarch Chrysalis (center);and Adult

Monarch Buery (right).

Figure 25. The tenpetal blazingstaris a unique

western plant which has owers that bloom at

night to be pollinated by night-ying insects.

to reproduce. When bees and other insects land on a flower, pollen sticks to theirlegs. Some o this pollen alls off when they land on another flower. In this way,

pollen is carried rom one flower to another. Tis process is called pollination.Pollination is necessary or the ormation o ruits including chokecherries, plums,and juneberries.

Some insects are attracted to specific orbs. Teyuccais pollinated only by theyucca moth. Te gumbo lilyand tenpetal blazingstarare pollinated only bynight-flying insects.


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Comprehension

1. What eatures enable orbs to get enough moisture rom theprairie?

2. What is the earliest-blooming spring orb in North Dakota?

3. What is the official state flower o North Dakota? Where does itgrow? How was it used by Plains Indians? How is it used today?

4. What is the scientific name or purple coneflower? How is itused today?

5. Which plant is necessary in the lie cycle o Monarch butterflies?Why do grazing animals not eat Monarch butterfly caterpillars?

6. Name the three stages in metamorphosis o the Monarchbutterfly.

7. How are plants pollinated?

Critical Thinking

1. For how many years has the wild prairie rose been the officialstate flower o North Dakota?

20Prairie Copyright 2008 by the North Dakota Center for Distance Education


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A prairie, or grassland, developed on the flat, rolling plains createdby the Wisconsinan glacier.

Prairies were maintained by the natural conditions o lowprecipitation, strong winds, extremes in temperature, requent fires,and grazing animals.

Te three types o prairies are tallgrass prairie, mixed-grass prairie,and shortgrass prairie.

Large regions o tallgrass prairie in the Red River Valley weredestroyed by bonanza armers, beginning in the 1870s.

North Dakotas tallgrass prairie has been decreased by over 90percent.

wo types o grasses are ound on the prairiesod-orming grassesand bunch grasses.

National Grasslands are public lands managed by the U.S. ForestService.

Western wheatgrass is the official state grass o North Dakota.

Mixed-grass prairie once covered about 85 percent o North Dakota;

it now exists in about 30 percent o the state.

Te height o tallgrasses reaches 6 to 7 eet; the height o shortgrassesis about 3 to 7 inches.

Mixed-grass prairie is a combination o tallgrass and shortgrassspecies.

Cattle ranching is the main activity on the mixed-grass prairie today.

Te Little Missouri National Grassland covers over 1 million acresand is the largest grassland in the United States.

Teodore Roosevelt National Park is located within the LittleMissouri National Grassland.

Forbs have deep roots and thick leaves or getting and holding moisture.

Te wild prairie rose is the official state flower o North Dakota.

Milkweed plants are necessary in the lie cycle o Monarch butterfliesas they go through metamorphosis.

PRAIRIEIN A NUTSHELL


30/7222Prairie Copyright 2008 by the North Dakota Center for Distance Education

PRAIRIEVOCABULARY

Acre:

Area o land approximately the size o a ootball field

Bonanza arms: Gigantic wheat arms in eastern North Dakota that began in the 1870s

Ranged in size rom 3,000 acres to over 75,000 acres

Bunch grasses: Grass species that grow in bunches, or clumps, and are spread by seeds

Have extremely long roots that stretch downward many eet below thesurace o the ground

Chrysalis: Cocoon, or protective case, that holds an insect as it is transorming rom

the larva to the adult stage

Ecosystem: An area that contains organisms (living things) interacting with one

another and with their non-living environment

Elevation: Land height

Forage: Grass and other plants that grazing animals eat

Forbs:

Native prairie wildflowers with deep roots

Habitat: Environment that provides the ood, water, shelter, and space or wildlie to

make their homes

VOC

ABULARY


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Humus: Organic (rom living things) matter in the soil

Metamorphosis:

Process o changing rom the larva stage to the adult stage Amphibians and some insects, such as butterflies, go through

metamorphosis

Mixed-grass prairie: Combination o tallgrass and shortgrass species

Native: Naturally occurring

Perennial: A plant that grows back year afer year rom the same root

Pollen: A powder produced by certain plants and must be carried rom plant to

plant in order or the plant to reproduce

Pollination:

Process o pollen being carried rom one flower to another Carried out when pollen sticks to the legs o bees and other insects

Prairie: Large, treeless region covered with grasses and orbs

Sod: Grass-covered soil that is held together by matted roots

Sod-orming grasses: Grass species that spread by sending out horizontal stems both above and

below the surace o the ground

Produce a web o plants that hold soil tightly together


23


32/7224Prairie Copyright 2008 by the North Dakota Center for Distance Education

allgrass prairie: Native prairie grasses that reach 6 to 7 eet in height

Made up o several species o both sod-orming grasses and bunch grasses

Western wheatgrass: ough, native grass that once covered most o North Dakota

Official state grass o North Dakota

Wisconsinan glacier: Last glacier that moved over North Dakota

Stayed about 28,000 years

Melted away about 12,000 years ago

Covered all o North Dakota, except or the southwest corner

Other Vocabulary I Want to Know:

VOC

ABULARY


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25

PRAIRIE WILDLIFE

Prairie DwellersTe prairies provide homes or hundreds o different species o wildlie. Teseprairie dwellers are adapted to an environment that has a great range o weatherconditions and very ew trees.

MammalsFor thousands o years, the North Dakota prairies were dominated by the largestland animal on the continent o North America. Millions o these shaggy beastsroamed the plains, grazing together in large herds that sometimes covered manysquare miles. Tis huge and majestic ruler o the prairies was the Americanbison.

People o the American Indian tribes who lived on the plains depended on thebison or ood, shelter, and clothing. Tese people hunted to survive and did notwaste any part o the animal.

Bison are part o the same animalamily as cattle and goats. Tey are notrelated to the buffalo amily o animalsound in Asia and Arica. However,when early European explorers sawbison or the first time in NorthAmerica, they misnamed them bycalling them buffalo. Some peoplestill use this word when reerring tobison.

A bison has a big head with shorthorns; a hump on its shoulders; shaggy,brown ur with a mane (long, coarsehair on the neck); a beard under itschin; and a long tail with a tuf o hairat the end. Te bull (male) can stand

Figure 26. American bisonis the correct

name for the largest land animal on the

North American connent. Bison can

be found within the Theodore Roosevelt

Naonal Park in western North Dakota.


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6 eet tall rom hoo to shoulder, measure 12 eet in length, and weigh up to 1 ton(2,000 pounds). Te cow (emale) stands about 5 eet tall and can weigh hal a ton.

When Euro-Americans began settling on the plains in the 1800s, the slaughter

(Slaw-ter) o these magnificent animals began. Fur traders, railroad companies, theederal government, and sport hunters caused the near-extinction o the bison. Ithas been estimated that by 1900, only about 300 bison were lef in the world. TePlains Indian tribes were overpowered by Euro-Americans when the Indians oodsupply was eliminated.

oday, a small population o bison lives within the boundaries o TeodoreRoosevelt National Park in western North Dakota. Fences and other obstaclesdeveloped by people prevent bison rom being ree-roaming animals today. Somebison are privately owned and not considered wildlie under North Dakota law.

Te grizzly bear and gray wol were other mammals that once resided on the NorthDakota prairies. Even though these animals no longer roam reely in the state,many other mammals are still common.

A large, grazing mammal ound in the state today is the elk. Historically, the prairiewas the predominant habitat or elk, not mountainous habitat where they movedwhen the prairies were settled. White-tailed deer, even though they browse inwoody vegetation, are ound throughout the state. Mule deer are located in rougherprairies o the west. Pronghorn also inhabit the western prairies. Tese are game

animals, which means that they maybe hunted. Smaller prairie mammalsinclude the red ox, coyote, badger,jackrabbit, pocket gopher, groundsquirrel, and many other species.

Te red oxis a small dog-likeomnivore, which means that it eats

both plants and animals. Its dietconsists mainly o small mammals,birds, insects, crayfish, corn, berries,and other vegetation. It is primarilynocturnal(nok-er-nal), or active atnight. A red ox uses its sharp senses

Figure 27. Red foxes are furbearers,

meaning their fur is a valuable resource used

by humans. Their fur is thick and has evolved

for survival during cold winters. They stay

acve year round and primarily eat small

mammals like meadow voles and deer mice.


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o hearing and smell to find its prey. A redox can hear the squeak o a mouse rom agreat distance.

An adult red ox measures about 3 eet inlength and has a long, bushy, white-tippedtail. It weighs rom 10 to 14 pounds. Ared oxs long, bushy tail and thick urcoat make it look larger than it actuallyis. During the winter, a red ox sometimescurls up in a ball and uses its tail as ablanket to keep warm.

Foxes have their young underground in aden, which is ofen a complex o holes lefby another animal such as a badger. Youngoxes come above ground to play in thespring until they are old enough to go outon their own in the all.

Another predator o the prairies is the coyote. Even though it is not a wol, thecoyote has sometimes been called a prairie wol. Coyotes, like oxes, are canids,or members o the dog amily, but coyotes are quite a bit larger than oxes. Tecoyotes length, including the tail, can be up to 5 eet long. A coyote can weigh upto 40 pounds.

Te diet o coyotes consists mainly o small mammals such as rabbits, groundsquirrels, and mice. Tey also eat insects, reptiles, ruit, and carrion(Kair-ee-un),or dead animals that have been killed by other animals, by vehicles, or by othermeans.

A common mammal o the prairie that most people do not like to get close to is the

striped skunk. Tese animals are heavy-bodied but have short legs. Tey weigh upto 10 pounds. Te black body contains two white stripes that meet at the head.

Skunks are omnivores that eat small mammals, fish, insects, eggs, carrion, andvegetation. Tey are primarily nocturnal, sleeping in their dens during the day andhunting at night.

Figure 28. The coyoteis a member of

the dog family. When coyotes live in an

area, foxes are normally not present since

coyotes will not tolerate them.


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Tree types o ground squirrels live inNorth Dakota. Tey are Richardsonsground squirrel, thirteen-lined groundsquirrel, and Franklins ground squirrel.

Ground squirrels eat harmul insects.All three o these ground squirrelsprovide ood or larger mammals andraptors (predatory birds). Groundsquirrels have ofen been calledgophers, which is not correct.

Te Richardsons ground squirrelisa diurnal(die-Ern-al) animal, which

means it is active during the daytime.Tese small mammals dig burrowsabout 5 feet underground thatmeasure about 3 inches in diameterand 15 to 20 feet in length. Teburrows are grouped closely togetherin colonies.

Figure 29. Badgersare prairie animals

that spend a lot of me digging with their

muscular front legs and large claws. This

digging is mostly in pursuit of prey like

pocket gophers and ground squirrels that live

underground.

Predators that prey on skunks include coyotes, oxes, and badgers. For protection,the striped skunk sprays its predators with a strong-smelling fluid that stingsthe eyes o the predator. Tis tactic gives the skunk time to escape rom danger.Skunks spray only when they are threatened. urning and running away is their

preerred way o escaping predators.

Te American badgeris a carnivore(meat eater) with short legs and a wide, flat body.Its average weight ranges rom 12 to 16 pounds. Badgers, with their strong ront legsand sharp claws, are excellent diggers. Teir underground dens consist o tunnelsthat range rom 6 to 15 eet deep and contain bedrooms and separate toilet rooms.

Te badger is noted or its fierce nature. When it is threatened by a predator, itgrowls, hisses, and squeals. It uses its sharp teeth and long claws to fight whenattacked.

Badgers eat mainly ground squirrels and pocket gophers, which they dig out othe ground using their powerul ront legs and claws. Tey also eat prairie dogs,skunks, mice, snakes, birds, and carrion.


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Richardsons ground squirrels areomnivores that eat seeds, grains,grasses, insects, and carrion. Tey alsostore seeds and grains or later use.

During the winter, the ground squirrelshibernate in their burrows.

Ground squirrels are bornunderground in late April orearly May. Only about one-ourtho the young animals survive theirfirst year. Tis means that out oevery 100 ground squirrels that areborn, only 25 o them are still livinga year later. Seventy-five o them havedied. Te strategy o creating largeamilies just so a ew can survive iscommon in the world o wildlie.Most o the ground squirrel deathsare due to predators such as badgers,snakes, eagles, hawks, and alcons.

Richardsons ground squirrels aresometimes called flickertails becausetheir tails are constantly flicking, ormoving. One of the nicknames forNorth Dakota came from this smallmammal that is found throughoutthe prairies of North Dakota. Beforethe official nickname Peace GardenState was adopted in 1957, NorthDakota was known as Te Flickertail

State.

Te thirteen-lined ground squirrelis the most common ground squirrel in NorthDakota. It is ound in every part o the state and is easy to identiy by the pattern odark and light stripes extending down its back. Even though it is not a true gopher,the thirteen-lined ground squirrel is sometimes misnamed a striped gopher.

Figure 31. Thirteen-lined ground squirrels

are oen referred to as striped gophers, but

they are not gophers. They are common and

provide food for many prairie predators.

Figure 30. Richardsons ground squirrels

are prey for many larger mammals and birds,

including badgers, foxes, coyotes, red-tailedhawks, and golden eagles. This ground

squirrel has been commonly referred to as a

ickertail.


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Measuring about 9 inches, including the tail, the thirteen-lined ground squirrel isthe smallest ground squirrel in the state. Its weight ranges rom one-ourth to one-hal pound.

Tirteen-lined ground squirrels are omnivores. Teir oods include grasses, roots,seeds, insects, and carrion. Tey are hunted by the same types o animals that preyon Richardsons ground squirrels.

Franklins ground squirrelsare somewhat larger than the other ground squirrelsin the state. Franklins ground squirrels are ound mainly where taller vegetationexists. Tey are diurnal and have similar eating habits and similar predators as theother ground squirrels.

Both the Richardsons ground squirrel and the thirteen-lined ground squirrel arecurious animals that stand upright in order to check their surroundings. TeFranklins ground squirrel, however, flees to its burrow at the first sign o anythingunusual.

North Dakota has two species o pocket gophersthe northern pocket gopherand the plains pocket gopher. Pocket gophers got their name because o the ur-lined pouches, or pockets, on the outsides o their cheeks. Tese pouches areused or carrying seeds and other vegetation to their burrows. Pocket gophers areherbivores(plant eaters).

Pocket gophers dig roomy,underground burrows. Sof piles odirt scattered around fields, gardens,and armyards are evidence thatpocket gophers live in the area. Teseanimals spend most o their lives intheir burrows under the ground andthereore are rarely seen by humans.

Te burrows o pocket gophers aredivided into rooms that are used ordifferent purposes. Separate sectionsare used or ood storage, sleepingareas, toilets, and tunnels or bringingin ood.

Figure 32. Pocket gophersspend most of

their life underground so they are not oen

seen by humans. So, uy piles of soil on

top of the ground in a eld are clear signs

that pocket gophers are present.


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Te pocket gopher has several eaturesadapted to its environment. Very long,sharp ront teeth and claws enable it to digeasily into the earth. It is able to close its

lips behind its teeth while digging. Tiseature prevents soil rom entering itsmouth.

Because the pocket gopher does not need tosee or hear much underground, it has smalleyes and ears. Its tail is short and sensitiveand helps the animal find its way in theburrow while moving backwards. Whilein the burrow, a pocket gopher can runbackward just as ast as it can run orward.Te white-tailed jackrabbit, which isound throughout North Dakota, is nota rabbit at all. It is an entirely differentspecies called a hare. White-tailedjackrabbits are nocturnal herbivores that generally hide during the day but comeout at night to eat grasses, twigs, and other vegetation.

During the summer, the jackrabbit has a brownish-gray coat, but as daylighthours get shorter with the arrival o winter, the brown coat is replaced with awhite coat. Tis wintertime change in color gives the jackrabbit camouflage(Kam-ah-flozh) protection in the snow. Camouflageis protective coloring thatallows an animal to blend in with its surroundings.

Te average length o a jackrabbit rom its nose to its hind eet is about 2 eet. Itsaverage weight is about 7 pounds.

Jackrabbits have sharp eyesight and hearing, and they depend on their speed toescape predators. Tey travel in 12- to 20-oot leaps and can reach speeds o 40miles per hour. Natural predators o jackrabbits include oxes, coyotes, and eagles.

In spite o its name, the jackrabbit is not a rabbit. A true rabbit that is common inall parts o North Dakota is the eastern cottontail. Cottontail rabbits are herbivoresthat eat grasses and other vegetation such as twigs and tree bark.

Figure 33. Winter does not stop pocket

gophers from digging. This tube of soil

seen aer the snow melted in the spring

is the result of the pocket gopher pushing

soil out of the earth and into a snow

bank.


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Female cottontails give birth to several litters each year, but because o their manypredators, only about 1 percent o the rabbits that are born reach two years o age.Tis means that out o every 100 rabbits born, only one is alive afer two years.Teir many predators include oxes, coyotes, weasels, hawks, and owls.

a Born with ur; eyes opena Able to move about and eed on

their own shortly afer birtha Young are called leverets

(Lev-ah-rets)a Long ears and long, powerul

hind legsa Weigh up to 9 poundsa Live alonea Live on the surace o the grounda Brownish-gray in summer,

white in wintera Escape predators by out-

running them

Hare

Figure 34. White-tailed jackrabbitsare

prairie mammals that depend on their

speed and maneuverability to escape

from predators. Their fur turns white as

days shorten and winter approaches.

a Born hairless and blinda Need parents care or 4 to 5

weeks afer birtha Young are called kittens or

bunniesa Shorter ears and hind legs than

haresa Weigh up to 4 poundsa Live in coloniesa Usually live in burrowsa Stay the same color year-

rounda Freeze in place or run to

burrow when threatened

Rabbit

Figure 35. Coontail rabbitsare found

in a variety of woody or shrub habitats

associated with prairie. They are

smaller than jackrabbits, have shorter

ears, and do not change color between

seasons.


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Tree species o weasels are ound inNorth Dakota. Te most common oneis the long-tailed weasel. Te long-tailed weasel is a urbearer(animal

harvested or its ur).

In response to shortened daylighthours in the winter, the long-tailedweasels light-brown coat is replacedby a white coat. Te tip o the tailremains black.

wo o the smallest mammal speciesin North Dakota are voles and mice.Te only mammal smaller is the shrew.Voles are sometimes called meadowmice, but voles are not true mice.Voles have shorter aces, shorter ears,and shorter tails than mice.

Te meadow voleis ound throughoutthe state and generally lives in thickgrasslands. It has a body about 4inches long with a tail measuringabout 1 inches. Voles provideexcellent ood or red oxes, coyotes,hawks, and owls.

Te most common mouse in NorthDakota is the deer mouse. It is oundin every part o the state. Its body isabout an inch shorter than that o the

meadow vole, but it has a longer tail.

Te deer mouse is a native mouse species, which survives naturally on the prairie.Tis is not true o the house mouse, which was brought here rom Europe andsurvives only in houses, barns, and other structures provided by humans. Intrudersto North America, like the house mouse, are called exotic species.

Figure 36. Meadow volesare found in all

prairie habitats and provide excellent sourcesof food for many prairie predators. Unlike

mice, they have short tails and ears.

Figure 37. The deer mouseis one of

several nave mouse species. It is found in

woody or shrub habitats within the prairie.

Deer mice have longer tails and bigger ears

than voles.


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Comprehension

1. Name the largest land animal on the continent o NorthAmerica.

2. Name the large game animals o North Dakota.

3. What makes the red ox look larger than it actually is?

4. What has sometimes been reerred to as a prairie wol? Why is

this a misname?

5. What is the first thing that skunks will do when trying to escapepredators?

6. Which prairie carnivore is noted or its fierce nature?

7. Name the three types o ground squirrels that live in NorthDakota. Which two are curious and stand upright to lookaround?

8. Beore North Dakotas official nickname was adopted, what wasthe nickname that was related to an animal? What is the actualname o that animal?

34Prairie Copyright 2008 by the North Dakota Center for Distance Education


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Critical Thinking

1. Are bison more like water buffalo or like goats? Explain.

9. What are the pockets on pocket gophers? For what are they used?

10. What is unusual about a pocket gopher running in its burrow?

11. How was the white-tailed jackrabbit misnamed?

12. Why do cottontails need to give birth to so many rabbit kittenseach year?

13. How do the coats o both the jackrabbit and weasel change inresponse to shortened daylight hours during the winter?

14. What is the difference between voles and mice?


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36

Reptiles and AmphibiansTe prairies o North Dakota provide habitat or several species o reptiles andamphibians. Both reptiles and amphibians are ectotherms (Ek-toe-therms). Anectothermis an animal whose body temperature changes with the temperature o

its surroundings. Ectotherms are also called cold-blooded animals.

North Dakotas reptiles include snakes, turtles, and lizards. Several species osnakes inhabit the state. Te most common are two species o garter snakes. Teyare ound throughout the state in grasslands, ofen near bodies o water.

a Ectotherma Smooth skina No claws on toesa Lay eggs in watera Young hatch in water as larvae

(tadpoles) and get oxygenthrough gills

a Live part o their lie in waterand part on land

a Skin needs to stay moist

a Ectotherma Skin with scalesa Claws on toesa Lay eggs on landa Young hatch on land and

breathe through lungs

a Live on land

a Dry skin

Reptiles(snakes, lizards, and turtles)

Amphibians(frogs, toads, and salamanders)

Figure 38. Smooth green snakes are

small, insect-eang reples found on

North Dakota prairies. They are so well

camouaged that they are not oen

seen in the vegetaon.

Figure 39. Great Plains Toad. Toads

are insect-eang amphibians that hatch

in wetlands but spend most of their

lives in prairie habitats.


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Figure 40. The western hognose snake is found

in most places in the state, with the excepon

of the northeastern corner. It prefers sandy

areas in prairie and parally wooded regions. A

hognose snake can be idened by its upturned

snout, which it uses to burrow into loose soil to

escape heat or lay eggs.

When the smooth green snake eels threatened, it may either reeze or lif its bodyup and sway with the grass. It is so well camouflaged that it is difficult to spot. Tesmooth green snake is sometimes incorrectly called the green grass snake.

Te western hognose snakewas named because o its upturned snout (nose).During the hottest part o the day, these snakes escape the heat by burrowing intothe ground. Te upturned snout acts like a shovel to help the snake dig into the soil.

When hognose snakes eel threatened, they inflate their bodies, hiss loudly, and actas i they are going to strike. Tey are non-venomous (not poison), however, anddo not actually strike. I this display does not righten off their attacker, they rollover and play dead.

Te prairie skinkis a small lizard that is ound in the eastern part o the state. Itinhabits sandy areas in grasslands but is so secretive that it is seldom seen.

Prairie skinks are active in the summertime but hibernate in burrows duringthe winter. Te diet o these insectivores consists o spiders and insects such asgrasshoppers and crickets.

oads are common amphibians on the North Dakota prairies. One o the species otoads ound throughout the grasslands o the state is the Great Plains toad. It canbe recognized by the large, dark, warty spots on its back.

Garter snakeshave black bodieswith three yellow stripes runningthe length o the body. Tey arecarnivores that eat a variety o small

animals including rogs, toads,salamanders, insects, worms, andminnows. Garter snakes swallowtheir ood whole.

Te smooth green snakeis a diurnalreptile ound in native prairies andother grasslands. Tis animal is aninsectivore (in-Sek-tah-vor). Aninsectivoreis a carnivore that eatsonly insects and spiders.


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Great Plains toads breed only afer rainstorms during the summer. Because theyare amphibians, toads lay their eggs in water. Tey preer clear, shallow pools suchas flooded fields and road ditches. Tey will not lay their eggs in muddy water.

Te most easily recognized toad in North Dakota is theplains spadeoot toad

.Tis toad is the only one that has vertical eye pupils like cats. Plains spadeoottoads live in loose or sandy soils in central and western prairies o the state. Teycan dig deep burrows with the use o a digging spur (spade) on their back legs.

Figure 41. Plains spadefoot toads live in sandy,

loose soils within prairie habitats. Unlike other

toads, they have vercal eye pupils. They are

named because of a special digging adaptaon on

their rear legs.

A emale toad lays thousands oeggs at a time. It takes one to fivedays or the eggs to hatch intotadpoles and rom three to six weeksor the tadpoles to become toads.Te warmer the temperature, theaster the tadpole changes into atoad.

Metamorphosis (met-ah-Mor-us-is) is the process o changingrom the larva stage to the adultstage. Tereore, an amphibiangoes through metamorphosis inits transormation rom a tadpole(larva stage) to an adult amphibian.

Most o the tadpoles die beore theygo through metamorphosis. Teremay not be enough ood in theirshallow water habitats to supportthe thousands o tadpoles thathave hatched. Many are eaten by

predators. I the water habitat driesup, they will probably not survive.

Other toads ound in the state includeWoodhouses toad, the Americantoad, and the Canadian toad.

Figure 42. A spadefoot toad tadpolehas begun

to develop small legs. It will connue to get

larger and will lose its tail in a process called

metamorphosis. The process begins with a

tadpole that hatched from an egg laid in water.


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Comprehension

1. How are reptiles and amphibians alike?

2. What three types o reptiles live in North Dakota?

3. How does the smooth green snake camouflage itsel?

4. Which lizard is so shy that it is seldom seen by people?

5. How can the Great Plains toad be recognized? Which toad haseye pupils that are vertical?

6. Why do toads lay their eggs in the water? What happens to mosto the tadpoles beore they go through metamorphosis?

Critical Thinking

1. Which would you rather get close toa skink or a skunk?Explain.


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BirdsNorth Dakota is home to hundreds o species o birds that live in a variety odifferent types o habitats. Many o these birds are prairie species that nest on theground and rely on open spaces to survive. Te North Dakota prairies are home

to three species o the grouse amilythe greater prairie chicken, the sharp-tailedgrouse, and the sage grouse.

Te habitat o the greater prairie chickenis tallgrass prairie. When easternNorth Dakota was covered by tallgrass prairie, large numbers o greater prairiechickens were ound in the area. As the tallgrass prairie was plowed under to makearmland, the population o greater prairie chickens dropped drastically. oday, theonly parts o the state that have greater prairie chickens are the Sheyenne NationalGrassland and a small prairie remnant (small piece) west o Grand Forks.

Sharp-tailed grouse inhabit open areas o prairie grass and brush. Tey can beound in the mixed-grass and shortgrass prairies o North Dakota, ofen wherepatches o shrubs provide additional ood and cover.

Sharp-tailed grouseare native to North Dakota and have evolved (changed) orthousands o years to live in cold, snowy climates. Teir legs are covered witheathers to keep them warm, and their eet have small projections that act likesnowshoes so they can walk on the top o snow.

In a snowstorm, sharp-tailed grouse will stayput and allow snow to all on them, orming asnow shelter where they stay warm. Afer thesnow stops alling, they harmlessly fly out.

Sage grouseare the largest grouse speciesin the state. Tese birds rely on sagebrushhabitat ound in extreme southwestern

North Dakota.

Te ring-necked pheasant, a bird that wasintroduced to North Dakota rom China inthe early 1900s, did not evolve with thesesmarts to live in a snow cave. Unlike thegrouse, pheasants will simply stand in a

Figure 43. Birds of the prairie,including

waterfowl, upland game, and songbirds

rely on quality grass in which to build

their nests on the ground. With less

prairie and grass habitat in which to

nest, prairie bird populaons decrease.


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snowstorm until they die o exposureor starve.

An unusual mating behavior is displayed

by male greater prairie chickens andsharp-tailed grouse. Each spring, severalmales gather in an open area o highground and perorm a strange dance.Te object o this dancing is to impressthe emales who are watching romoutside the circle o dancers. Te samedancing area is used year afer year. Tisdancing ground is called a lek.

Te males fluff their eathers and antheir tails. Te sides o their neckscontain air sacs which they inflate anddeflate, resulting in a booming sound.Tey lower their heads as they strut,bounce, leap into the air, and rapidlystomp their eet. At the same time, theirvoices make a hoot sound, which canbe heard up to 2 miles away.

Te upland sandpiperis a bird that hasthe characteristics o a shore bird (longlegs and long bill) but actually makes itshome on the prairie. Tese birds neston the ground but ofen perch on enceposts in order to see over tall grass.Tese birds migrate to South Americato spend the winter.

Figure 45. The upland sandpiperis a bird

that doesnt quite t the mold. It has the

characterisc long legs and bill of a shore bird

that lives near water, but it actually nds its

home on the prairie.

Several species o songbirds inhabit the prairies o North Dakota. Songbirdsare small, perching birds that sing a variety o different songs. Some o the mostcommon ones are the western meadowlark, horned-lark, lark bunting, bobolink,grasshopper sparrow, and chestnut-collared longspur. All o these species rely uponprairie. As prairie is lost, so is the habitat in which they exist.

Figure 44. Male sharp-tailed grousereturn

to tradional areas on the prairie called

leks every spring. Here, males show o tofemales in order that breeding can occur.


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Te western meadowlarkis the state bird o North Dakota. It is a amiliar birdthat is ofen seen perching on ence posts. Many people recognize the melody o itssong, which is a sign o spring.

John James Audubonwas a naturalist and artist who studied birds and mammals.His goal was to draw or paint all o the birds on the continent o North America. In

1843, he spent a ew months at Fort Union in western North Dakota.

During the time that Audubon stayed at Fort Union, he identified 11 new species obirds that scientists had never seen beore. One o these birds was Bairds sparrow.Tis species was not identified again or another 29 years.

While at Fort Union, Audubon also identified Spragues pipit. Tis once-commonbird o the mixed-grass prairies is now quite rare. Both the Bairds sparrow andSpragues pipit are examples o birds with very specific habitat needs that are oundon our prairies. People rom all over the world come to North Dakota to catch aglimpse o one or both o these birds.

Figure 46. Because North Dakota is

well-known for its prairie,the western

meadowlark was chosen as the ocial state

bird. The colorful male, with a disncve

song, goes hand-in-hand with prairie and the

return of spring. It is a ground-nesng bird

whose populaons have suered because of

the loss of prairie habitat.

John James Audubon became amousor his book, Birds of America.Lake Audubonin McLean Countywas named afer this amous artistand wildlie expert. Wildlieconservationists like Audubon helpeddevelop an appreciation or wildlie andtheir habitats by showing people whatlived on the prairie.

Te lark buntingis a medium-sizedsparrow with a large, white patch onits wings. It is the only sparrow thatcompletely changes its color according

to the season. During the summer,males are black, but they becomedrab-colored in the winter. Te wingpatch remains light-colored. Larkbuntings build cup-like nests in thegrass.


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Te bobolinkis the only Americanbird that has white on its back and ablack underside. Male bobolinks looksimilar to male lark buntings, except

bobolinks have a yellow patch on theback o the neck. Bobolinks migrate tothe southern hemisphere to spend thewinter.

One o the earliest nesting birds on theprairie is the horned lark. It got itsname rom the two small eather tufsthat look like small horns on its head.It has black stripes on each side o itshead that curve up and meet below theeyes. Rather than hopping, as mostsongbirds do, the horned lark walks orruns.

Te grasshopper sparrowgot itsname or two reasons. Part o its songis a buzz that sounds much like agrasshopper, and the diet o this bird ismade up mainly o grasshoppers andcrickets.

Te chestnut-collared longspurwasnamed because o certain eatures.Te male has a rusty-red band onits neck that looks like a collar.

Figure 48. Chestnut-collared longspursare

ground-nesng prairie birds that are fairly

small. Like the prairie sparrows, not many

people have seen one, because without

binoculars, many of these birds look as if they

are just brown in color.

Figure 47. Horned larksmigrate to the

prairie early and oen stay into the rst

snowfalls. Their name came from the two

black, horned-shaped feather tus on the

head. Horned larks are ground-nesters.

Longspur comes rom the act that the birds back toe and nail are about twiceas long as the ront toes. Tis toe with its long, sharp nail is called a spur.

A raptoris a predator. Raptors are also called birds o prey. Te most commonraptors on the prairies o North Dakota include various species o eagles, hawks,alcons, and owls. Golden eaglescan be ound nesting in our western prairies.Hawks, eagles, and alcons are diurnal, while owls are mainly nocturnal. Manyspecies o hawks have been reerred to as chicken hawks since they were


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thought to have eaten chickens. Actually, there is no such thing as a chickenhawk. Te different hawk species are ofen hard to tell apart and, thereore, wereall reerred to incorrectly as chicken hawks.

Raptors o the prairie have an important role in helping to maintain the balanceo nature. By hunting and catching prey, these carnivores control the populationo rodents(gnawing or nibbling mammals such as rats, mice, voles, and groundsquirrels). Raptors have extremely good eyesight. Hawks and alcons can see about10 times better than humans. In dim light, owls can see about 100 times better thanhumans.

Te eathers on the wings o owls are designed so that the birds can fly silently.Tey use their ears and eyes, which are ound on a head that can rotate nearlyall the way around, to locate prey. Tey are successul hunters, even in completedarkness.

Te diet o raptors consists o small mammals, birds, snakes, amphibians, and largeinsects such as grasshoppers. Female raptors are generally larger than the males.

Common hawks and owls that nest and live in the wide-open spaces o the NorthDakota prairie include the northern harrier, Swainsons hawk, red-tailed hawk,great-horned owl, and short-eared owl.

Some o these species are traditionalprairie birds, while others have becomemore common as more trees haveinvaded the prairie. Land owners haveplanted trees on the prairie or windbreaks and to prevent soil erosion.Prairie fires at one time kept most othertrees on the prairie rom surviving.

Te northern harrierflies low and slowabove grasslands and wetlands. It usesits sharp eyes to search or prey such asmeadow voles, snakes, rogs, and smallbirds. Tis hawk nests on the groundin prairie grass.

Figure 49. The red-tailed hawk is one of thelargest hawks in North Dakota. It is a member

of the buteo family of soaring hawks that

have wide tails and wings. They are oen seen

high in the sky riding the warm thermal air

currents as they search for prey such as ground

squirrels, rabbits, mice, voles, and snakes on

the ground. (Courtesy of Brian Wheeler)


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Te red-tailed hawkand Swainsonshawkare airly large, commonhawks in North Dakota. Teseraptors have excellent eyesight andlook or prey rom a high perchor while soaring high on the aircurrents above the prairie. Tered-tailed hawk is one o the moreeasily identified large hawks becauseo the red rump patch near thetail. Both o these hawks are more

common on the prairie today sincethey nest in trees, which were quiterare in North Dakota 100 years ago.

Figures 50 & 51. At one me, tree-nesng birds were not very common in the prairiessince

trees were scarce. Today, trees are more common, and therefore, populaons of raptors that

build their nests in trees have increased. These species include the red-tailed and Swainsons

hawk, as well as the great horned owl. Higher populaons of these raptors result in more

predaon on waterfowl and ground-nesng bird species.

Figure 52. The American kestreldoes not nest

on the ground, but it can oen be spoed inthe prairie on highline wires and fences. It is

the smallest falcon species in North America.

(Courtesy of Brian Wheeler)

Te most common alcon that makes its home on the North Dakota prairie isthe American kestrel. It is about the size o a robin and is the smallest alcon inNorth America. Te American kestrel has been called a sparrow hawk, but it is


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not a hawk. It builds its nest in a cavity o a dead or dying tree. Its diet consistso grasshoppers, crickets, and mice. Tese birds can ofen be seen perched onhighline wires.

Tree owl species live in the prairie habitat o North Dakota. Tey are the great hornedowl, the short-eared owl, and the burrowing owl. Owls are very efficient predators.

Te great horned owlgot its name rom the tufs o eathers that look like hornson the top o its head. Te great horned owl is one o the ew animals that will killskunks and porcupines. Great horned owls were not birds o the prairie until treesbecame more common.

Great horned owls are the first birds to begin nesting in North Dakota. DuringFebruary and March, great horned owls choose an abandoned nest o a hawk in aprairie tree or arm shelterbelt in which to raise their young.

Te short-eared owlhas very small, sometimes hidden ear tufs unlike the veryvisible ones on the great-horned owl. Even though the short-eared owl is mainlynocturnal, it is partly diurnal as it also hunts during dawn and at dusk, sometimes

Figure 53. Short-eared owlsnest on the

ground in the prairie and feed on prey such

as voles, mice, snakes, ground squirrels, and

small birds. They are medium-sized birds

with very ny ear tus.

flying and sometimes looking or preyrom a ground perch. Its diet consistso voles, mice, ground squirrels, andsmall birds. Nests, in which our toseven eggs are laid, are built on theground and lined with grasses.

Te burrowing owlused to becommon in the central prairies, butloss o prairie habitat and nestingconditions have greatly reduced thepopulation o this bird. Burrowingowls must have underground burrows

or living quarters. When prairiehabitat disappeared, there were ewerburrowing mammals such as groundsquirrels to provide nesting habitat orburrowing owls. Most burrowing owlsnow reside within prairie dog towns owestern prairies.


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Comprehension

1. Name the three species o the grouse amily ound on theprairie. What is the habitat o each?

2. What adaptations do sharp-tailed grouse have on their bodiesthat help them adapt to cold, snowy climates?

3. Who identified 11 new species o birds in North Dakota in1843? Which o these birds was not identified again or almost30 years? What North Dakota eature was named afer this

naturalist?

4. Which bird looks as i it is wearing a collar? What is a toe with along, sharp claw called?

5. What our types o birds make up the raptors o North Dakota?

6. Which two hawks are more common on the prairie today than

they were 100 years ago? Why?

7. What three owl species live on the North Dakota prairies?Which are the first to begin nesting in the spring? Which nestunderground?


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Critical Thinking 1. I you had a chance to pick the state bird o North Dakota,

would you pick the one that was adopted as the state bird, orwould you pick a different one? Explain.


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Bison are part o the same amily as cattle and goats; they are notrelated to the buffalo amily ound in Asia and Arica.

Elk, white-tailed deer, mule deer, and

prairies of north america

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