Birds

Home Sweet Home

Grasslands provide essential habitat for many bird species, especially those that rely on open spaces for nesting, foraging, migration, and wintering. By conserving grassland habitat throughout the Central Grasslands biome, we will protect habitat important to birds throughout their annual cycle, from their nesting habitat where they raise young to their wintering habitat and the migration pathways in between.

Declining Numbers

Grassland bird populations have declined by about 53% since 1970. Of the three billion North American birds lost over the past half century, nearly one-quarter rely on grassland habitats.

Baird's Sparrow Sevilleta
Cattle grazing in sagebrush in Wyoming
Lark Bunting
Nesting Birds
Colorado Parks and Wildlife conservation biologist Jonathan Reitz releases a lesser prairie chicken in the Comanche National Grassland in southeast Colorado as part of a four-year project to restore the birds.

Indicators of Grassland Health

Birds are excellent indicators of ecosystem health because they are sensitive to habitat change, fill multiple ecological roles, and are relatively easy to monitor.

Lark Bunting

Sensitivity to habitat change: Different grassland birds have distinct habitat requirements. Their distribution is influenced by the types and heights of grasses and forbs, grazing intensity, fire intervals and intensity, and many other factors. Declines in bird populations can be a sign that essential habitat needs to be conserved or restored.

Nesting Birds

Multiple Ecological Roles: Grassland birds fulfill important ecological functions. They help control insects, disperse seeds, and pollinate wildflowers.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife conservation biologist Jonathan Reitz releases a lesser prairie chicken in the Comanche National Grassland in southeast Colorado as part of a four-year project to restore the birds.

Ease of Monitoring: Birds are relatively easy to observe and identify, making them ideal for monitoring programs. Their presence, abundance, and reproductive success can be readily assessed, providing valuable data on the overall health and condition of grassland ecosystems. By monitoring a variety of bird species, scientists can track the health of grasslands. 

When grasslands are healthy, we’re not just conserving birds, but helping to keep our ecosystems intact, balanced, and vibrant for people and other wildlife.

Photo Credits
  • Willet: Photo: Kevin Barnes PPJV
  • Baird’s Sparrow Sevilleta NWR: Photo: Bill Howe
  • Lark bunting: Photo: Bob Martinka
  • Nesting birds: USFWS
  • Releasing lesser prairie chicken on the Comanche National Grassland: Photo: Courtesy Colorado Parks and Wildlife