High Plains Homestead
Pine Ridge & Grassland Birding Information

I. THE FAR WESTERN  REGION: PINE-RIDGE COUNTRY

       This beautiful part of Nebraska, its geographic "Panhandle," is
largely a ridge-and-canyon region, interspersed with High Plains
topography and steppe vegetation. It is the land that Crazy Horse died
trying to protect for his people, the Oglala Sioux or Lakotas, and one
laced with the bitter history of these people and Cheyennes as they
fruitlessly fought to maintain their sacred lands. The pine-covered hills
and escarpments remind one of the Black Hills, and several pine-dependent species that are common in the Black Hills occur only in the northwestern corner of Nebraska, such as Lewis' woodpecker, pinyon jay, dark-eyed junco, sage thrasher, western tanager, yellow-rumped warbler, Swainson's thrush, solitary vireo, pygmy nuthatch, red crossbill, and the canyon-adapted cordilleran (previously called "western") flycatcher. It
also supports a few quite localized short-grass plains species such as
McCown's and chestnut-collared longspurs and mountain plovers. It is also
a land rich in the fossil remains of early Cenozoic mammals, as well as an
eight-million-year-old fossil bird bone that appears to be identical to
that of a modern sandhill crane. This would make the sandhill crane the
most archaic of all known extant birds, and provides another reason for
considering it a very special if not sacred bird. Sandhill cranes by the
tens of thousands still pass through this region each spring and fall, but
their major migratory pathway lies to the east, in the central Platte
Valley.
       The major birding attractions in this part of the state include the
topographical diverse and highly  scenic Pine Ridge area (a bird checklist
representing "northwest Nebraska," based on observations of Richard
Rosche, is in the supplement (NOT INCLUDED HERE). The area around Lake
McConaughy is the most bird-rich location in the state, and a mecca for
birders from all over the country. Not far from there is Crescent Lake
National Wildlife Refuge, a wilderness jewel in the western Sandhills,
with the second-largest bird list for the state (also summarized in the
supplement--NOT in on-line version). To the north of Crescent Lake, in
northern Garden County and southern Sheridan County, are hundreds of
relatively saline Sandhills marshes that abound with waterfowl and
marshland birds..

1. SIOUX COUNTY
       Sioux County is in the heart of the Pine Ridge region, an area of
ridge-and-canyon topography that is a southern outlier of the Black Hills
region of South Dakota, and is a north-facing escarpment largely covered
by ponderosa pine forest and streamside deciduous forests.   As such, it
has several species that occur rarely if at all elsewhere in Nebraska,
such as the cordilleran flycatcher (in Sowbelly Canyon). There also
extensive areas of short-grass plains, much of which is included in the
Oglala National Grasslands, and which support a typical high plains
avifauna (Boyle & Bauer, 1994) .

A. Federal Areas
 1. Oglala National Grasslands. Area 93,344 ac.
     The area around Sugarloaf Butte offers Brewer's sparrows,
     sage thrashers, long-billed curlews, Swainson's and ferruginous
     hawks, and chestnut-collared longspurs. Otherwise,
     horned larks, western meadowlarks and lark buntings are common
     breeders in this vast region, which extends into Dawes County. Hawks
     are common here (red-tailed, Swainson's and ferruginous), and
     golden eagles are also frequent. For information contact the Forest
     Service office at 308-432-4475.
 2. Soldier Creek Wilderness. Area 9,600 ac. This is a
     large roadless area that has an extensive hiking trail network, as well
     as bridle trails. Water must be carried in, and facilities are lacking.
     Much of the area was burned in a 1989 fire.  An 8-mile loop trail over
     ridges and canyons has its trailhead at the picnic area. For information
     contact the Forest Service office mentioned above.
 3. Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. Not shown; see a state
     highway map for location. Includes nearly 2,000 acres of shortgrass
     plains. No official bird checklist is yet available, but 156 species have
     been reported for the site, including ferruginous hawk, mountain
     plover, burrowing owl, saw-whet owl, white-throated swift, Cassin's
     kingbird, pinyon jay, Townsend's warbler, western tanager, black-
     headed grosbeak, lazuli bunting, and three species of longspurs
     including both McCown's and chestnut-collared. For information
     call the National Park office at 308/668-2211.
 4. Toadstool Geologic Park. This area of badlands
     (ca. 300 acres) supports rock wrens, Say's phoebes, golden eagles
     and prairie falcons, and sometimes also rosy finches during winter.
     A one-mile loop trail through part of the park that begins at the picnic
     area should turn up rock wrens and other topography-dependent birds.
     Water is at a premium here, and a canteen should be carried in hot
     weather. A small campground is present (call 308/432-4475).
 5. Nebraska National Forest, McKelvie District.  Area
     comprises  about 5l,000 acres,  including holdings in Dawes County.
     This area is much like the Pine Ridge Unit, and most or all of the
     same birding opportunities should exist (see Dawes County).
 B. State Areas
1. Fort Robinson State Park. Area 22,000 ac. Although
    still proving good pine habitat, a forest fire in 1989 destroyed much
    of the best sections of the park, which does offer lodging and eating
    facilities (Rosche, 1990). A nesting area for white-throated swifts
    occurs six miles west of headquarters (Pettingill, 1981). For information
    call 308/665-2900.
2. Gilbert-Baker WMA, Area 2,457 ac. This is an area of
    ridges covered with ponderosa pines, with scattered areas of grassland
    at the forest fringes. Monroe Creek traverses the area and is a trout
    stream. Located three miles north of Harrison, via an oil-surfaced road.
    While in the area, a gravel road going south along the Wyoming border
    (turn 8 miles west of Harrison)  crosses the Niobrara River and passes
    into ridge-and-valley topography that supports McCown's longspurs,
    Say's phoebes and rock wrens, as well as Brewer's sparrows,
    ferruginous hawks and long-billed curlews, plus chestnut-collared
    longspurs farther south. At about 8 miles south of the turning a road
    goes east and back to state highway 29 (Rosche, 1990). Hiking trails
    penetrate the area; for information call 308/668-2211.
3. Peterson WMA. Area 2,460 ac. This are consists of
    habitats alternating between mature ponderosa pine forests  and
    grasslands in  typical ridge-and canyon topography. Two streams bisect
    the area, There are no camping facilities.
4. James Ranch SRA.
C. Other  Areas
1. Sowbelly Canyon. Although privately owned, a county
   road northeast from Harrison passes through  a creekbottom area where
   on-foot birding  can be done, about five miles from town . Many
   distinctly western species occur here, including not only the very local
   cordilleran flycatcher, but also white-throated swift, violet-green
   swallow, common poorwill, Say's phoebe, rock wren, western tanager,
   Bullock's oriole, prairie falcon, and other western and eastern species
   (Rosche, 1990).