North American grassland birds in peril, spurring all-out effort to save birds and their habitat
TAMMY WEBBER
Associated Press
POTTER, Neb. — When Reed Cammack hears the first meadowlark of spring, he knows his family has made it through another cold, snowy winter on the South Dakota prairie. Nothing’s better, he says, than hearing the birds light up the area with song at sunrise.
“It’s part of the flora and fauna of our Great Plains and it’s beautiful to hear,” says Cammack, 42, a sixth-generation rancher who raises cattle on 10,000 acres of native grasslands.
But the number of birds dropped steeply over the years, despite seemingly ideal habitat “and I don’t know for sure why,” says Cammack’s 92-year-old grandfather, Floyd.
North America’s grassland birds are deeply in trouble 50 years after adoption of the Endangered Species Act, as habitat loss, land degradation and climate change threaten what remains of a once-vast ecosystem from Canada to Mexico.
Over half their overall population has been lost since 1970, and several species are heading toward possible extinction.
Joshua A. Bickel, Associated Press
A male bobolink stands on top of a shrub near its nest June 20 in Denton, Neb.
“Birds are the canary in the coal mine,” says Amanda Rodewald, senior director of the Center for Avian Population Studies at Cornell University’s ornithology lab. “They’re an early warning of environmental changes that also can affect us.”
The lesser prairie chicken, which declined by more than 90%, is the only grassland bird federally listed as endangered, in part of its range. Congress voted to delist it in an effort led by Republicans who say the protections hinder oil and gas drilling, though environmentalists hope President Joe Biden will veto the measure.
More than half a dozen other grassland birds have lost 50% or more of their breeding population and could lose another 50% in the next half-century, according to a 2022 report. They include: the Sprague’s pipit, a northern grassland songbird, that’s lost more than 75% of its population since 1970. The chestnut-collared longspur, which lives in the northern shortgrass prairie and sings as it flies. The Henslow’s sparrow, which barely sings at all. And the bobolink, known for its robust songs and long-distance travels to South America.
Joshua A. Bickel, Associated Press
Jason St. Sauver, center, senior manager for education at Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center, looks through binoculars while leading a grassland bird tour June 20 in Denton, Neb.
The 38% — 293,000 square miles — of historic North American grasslands that remain are threatened by intensive farming, urbanization and the rapid spread of trees once held at bay by periodic fires.
Much is still unknown: Where do birds stop during migration and for how long? What’s happening on their wintering grounds and how many birds return from their winter territory? If birds must travel great distances to find suitable breeding habitat, does that affect breeding success?
“Where along that full life cycle both in time and space are these birds suffering the most?” says Andy Boyce, a research ecologist at the Smithsonian’s Migratory Bird Center who studies the Sprague’s pipit. “We need to figure out a lot of this before we can even start to prioritize where conservation actually needs to take place.”
Researchers aim to learn more with the help of radio telemetry receivers being installed across the Great Plains to help track birds from Canada to Mexico’s Chihuahuan desert.
Joshua A. Bickel, Associated Press
A male dickcissel calls out June 20 in Denton, Neb.
When a bird fitted with a tiny transmitter flies within 12 miles of a receiver — mounted on towers and other structures — researchers electronically collect information.
Researchers are about halfway to building 150 or more receivers, says Matthew Webb, who leads installation efforts for the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies. He says it’s “extremely important to get adequate coverage,” to fill knowledge gaps about bird movements.
Meanwhile, biologists are sharing data and using sophisticated computer modeling to determine the biggest threats. They’re working with farmers and ranchers to implement practices that ensure survival of livelihoods and native birds.
Though some birds require contiguous grasslands, most adapted to living alongside agriculture, Cornell’s Rodewald says.
Brittany Peterson, Associated Press
Daniel Horton, field biologist with the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, conducts a grassland bird survey June 20 in Potter, Neb.
Still, intensive farming — eliminating hedgerows and buffers, fewer crop types and more pesticides — took a toll. And climate change is bringing hotter, drier conditions that hurt soil health, worsen erosion and dry up watering holes.
So nonprofits and government agencies are offering farmers incentives to improve soil, enroll grasslands in conservation programs and adopt bird-friendly practices, such as mowing after nesting season.
“Private landowners care and are very, very good stewards of (the land) because it’s their livelihood,” says Brandt Ryder, chief conservation scientist for the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies.
Ranchers also are critical to birds’ survival, scientists say, because almost all of North America’s remaining prairie is on privately owned rangelands. They say high-quality grasslands require grazing and hooves on the ground to stay healthy.
Brittany Peterson, Associated Press
Brian Sprenger checks on his cattle June 21 in Sidney, Neb.
Cattle rancher Brian Sprenger never saw sharp-tailed grouse as a kid, when much of the rangeland near Sidney, Nebraska, was overgrazed or farmed.
About 20 years ago, more ranchers put land into a federal conservation program, replanted native grasses and started moving cattle to prevent overgrazing. Now Sprenger, 44, sometimes sees two dozen or more grouse at a time during mating season.
“We’ve noticed that as we have started allowing these rangelands to flourish … that we have seen a lot of different bird species,” he says.
Joshua A. Bickel, Associated Press
Ed Hubbs, habitat and private lands manager at Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center, removes vegetation while clearing a path for cattle June 20 in Denton, Neb.
Many land owners are battling fast-spreading eastern red cedar and juniper trees that contribute to grassland ecosystem collapse, says Dirac Twidwell, a rangeland ecologist at the University of Nebraska.
Tree and shrub encroachment and cultivation now account for roughly the same amount of Great Plains loss every year — a combined 6,250 square miles, Twidwell says.
25 endangered animals that live only in America
US Forest Service // Flickr
The Endangered Species Act is a landmark conservation law that has brought wildlife threatened by habitat destruction, climate change, and other issues back from the brink of extinction—the iconic Bald Eagle is one of the most well-known examples.
In 2019, the Trump Administration rolled back several major protections outlined in the Endangered Species Act. These changes included banning blanket protections for newly threatened species and allowing cost to be a consideration when evaluating what it would take to save at-risk species. While in office, Trump took more than 100 legislative actions favoring business over the environment. In July 2022, U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar, presiding in Northern California, threw out the Trump-era changes, restoring critical protection for threatened species.
All animals on this list are classified as either Endangered or Critically Endangered by the IUCN, and classified as either Endangered or Threatened by the federal government. While the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service identifies critical habitats and provides legal protections for endangered species, the IUCN helps raise global awareness through data collection, analysis, fieldwork, advocacy, and fundraising.
US Forest Service // Flickr
The Endangered Species Act is a landmark conservation law that has brought wildlife threatened by habitat destruction, climate change, and other issues back from the brink of extinction—the iconic Bald Eagle is one of the most well-known examples.
In 2019, the Trump Administration rolled back several major protections outlined in the Endangered Species Act. These changes included banning blanket protections for newly threatened species and allowing cost to be a consideration when evaluating what it would take to save at-risk species. While in office, Trump took more than 100 legislative actions favoring business over the environment. In July 2022, U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar, presiding in Northern California, threw out the Trump-era changes, restoring critical protection for threatened species.
All animals on this list are classified as either Endangered or Critically Endangered by the IUCN, and classified as either Endangered or Threatened by the federal government. While the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service identifies critical habitats and provides legal protections for endangered species, the IUCN helps raise global awareness through data collection, analysis, fieldwork, advocacy, and fundraising.
The salt marsh harvest mouse was found around the Bay Area until relatively recently, but its habitat has become extremely fragmented. Because of human development, populations of the mouse are isolated from one another and cannot breed properly.
USFWS // Flickr
- Scientific name: Reithrodontomys raviventris
- Red List status: Endangered
- Geographic range: California
The salt marsh harvest mouse was found around the Bay Area until relatively recently, but its habitat has become extremely fragmented. Because of human development, populations of the mouse are isolated from one another and cannot breed properly.
The Utah prairie dog was declared endangered in 1973. However, over the last 30 years, the population has been stable to increasing, and the species is now federally recognized as threatened rather than endangered. Threats like urban expansion, climate change, and resource exploration remain, but the prairie dog has recovered strongly.
Bernd Thaller // Flickr
- Scientific name: Cynomys parvidens
- Red List status: Endangered
- Geographic range: Utah
The Utah prairie dog was declared endangered in 1973. However, over the last 30 years, the population has been stable to increasing, and the species is now federally recognized as threatened rather than endangered. Threats like urban expansion, climate change, and resource exploration remain, but the prairie dog has recovered strongly.
Red wolves were once found along much of the Southeast, but habitat destruction, hunting, and urban encroachment have dwindled their range to the point that they are only found in North Carolina. They're one of the most endangered canids on Earth. Red wolves are also highly endangered because of interactions with coyotes, which can hurt the species' long-term viability.
LaggedOnUser // Wikimedia Commons
- Scientific name: Canis rufus
- Red List status: Critically endangered
- Geographic range: North Carolina
Red wolves were once found along much of the Southeast, but habitat destruction, hunting, and urban encroachment have dwindled their range to the point that they are only found in North Carolina. They're one of the most endangered canids on Earth. Red wolves are also highly endangered because of interactions with coyotes, which can hurt the species' long-term viability.
The Kauai cave wolf spider is a highly unusual spider that can only be found in caves in the Koloa district of Kauai, Hawaii. Wolf spiders usually utilize their vision rather than webs to catch their prey, but the Kauai cave wolf spider is unique because it is eyeless, relying only on swift motion to hunt. Because they have such specific habitat needs, the cave wolf is highly vulnerable to habitat destruction from construction, human visitation, and other sources.
Gordon Smith // Wikimedia Commons
- Scientific name: Adelocosa anops
- Red List status: Endangered
- Geographic range: Hawaii
The Kauai cave wolf spider is a highly unusual spider that can only be found in caves in the Koloa district of Kauai, Hawaii. Wolf spiders usually utilize their vision rather than webs to catch their prey, but the Kauai cave wolf spider is unique because it is eyeless, relying only on swift motion to hunt. Because they have such specific habitat needs, the cave wolf is highly vulnerable to habitat destruction from construction, human visitation, and other sources.
Ducks don't immediately come to mind when we consider an endangered species, but this particular one is. The Laysan duck, once found all over the Hawaiian islands, now has a population only found on Laysan Island and on a wildlife refuge at Midway Atoll.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Scientific name: Anas laysanensis
- Red List status: Critically endangered
- Geographic range: Hawaii
Ducks don't immediately come to mind when we consider an endangered species, but this particular one is. The Laysan duck, once found all over the Hawaiian islands, now has a population only found on Laysan Island and on a wildlife refuge at Midway Atoll.
The Yosemite toad, endemic to the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Northern California, is covered in warts; the females also have splotches all over their bodies. This species of toad walks rather than hops. They are particularly vulnerable to habitat destruction and are estimated to survive in only 50% of the species' historically known habitats.
USFWS // Flickr
- Scientific name: Anaxyrus canorus
- Red List status: Endangered
- Geographic range: California
The Yosemite toad, endemic to the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Northern California, is covered in warts; the females also have splotches all over their bodies. This species of toad walks rather than hops. They are particularly vulnerable to habitat destruction and are estimated to survive in only 50% of the species' historically known habitats.
The Gunnison sage-grouse is an unusual species of bird found only in the Southwest. They face threats from a variety of sources, but their habitat has been largely ravaged by oil and gas drilling. Environmental groups are fighting hard to protect the animal's remaining habitat from further drilling.
Larry Lamsa // Flickr
- Scientific name: Centrocercus minimus
- Red List status: Endangered
- Geographic range: Colorado, Utah
The Gunnison sage-grouse is an unusual species of bird found only in the Southwest. They face threats from a variety of sources, but their habitat has been largely ravaged by oil and gas drilling. Environmental groups are fighting hard to protect the animal's remaining habitat from further drilling.
The Fanshell, a river mussel, has been severely impacted by human activity like dredging, mining, and water pollution. Water conservation activities and erosion prevention are both key to keeping the mussel from disappearing.
Dick Biggins // Wikimedia Commons
- Scientific name: Cyprogenia stegaria
- Red List status: Critically endangered
- Geographic range: Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia
The Fanshell, a river mussel, has been severely impacted by human activity like dredging, mining, and water pollution. Water conservation activities and erosion prevention are both key to keeping the mussel from disappearing.
Giant kangaroo rats are the largest species in their family. They got their name because they stand up on their hind feet and hop to move, like a kangaroo. They create complex burrow systems that sometimes have more than five separate entrances. In addition to habitat fragmentation, this species is under threat from rodenticide use in agricultural operations.
Harrison George // Wikimedia Commons
- Scientific name: Dipodomys ingens
- Red List status: Endangered
- Geographic range: California
Giant kangaroo rats are the largest species in their family. They got their name because they stand up on their hind feet and hop to move, like a kangaroo. They create complex burrow systems that sometimes have more than five separate entrances. In addition to habitat fragmentation, this species is under threat from rodenticide use in agricultural operations.
This beetle has a range of only about 7,000 acres in Solano County, California. There are natural gas reserves in the beetle's habitat, so natural gas exploration could further threaten it. Because it is unusually colorful, it could also be a target for illegal collectors.
USFWS // Flickr
- Scientific name: Elaphrus viridis
- Red List status: Critically endangered
- Geographic range: California
This beetle has a range of only about 7,000 acres in Solano County, California. There are natural gas reserves in the beetle's habitat, so natural gas exploration could further threaten it. Because it is unusually colorful, it could also be a target for illegal collectors.
This unique salamander spends its entire life underwater. It was only discovered in 2000, but already its population has declined dramatically due to the sensitive nature of these amphibians. The Jollyville Plateau salamander is highly threatened by development, which groups like The Center for Biological Diversity fight in areas known to be inhabited by this species.
Piershendrie // Wikimedia Commons
- Scientific name: Eurycea tonkawae
- Red List status: Endangered
- Geographic range: Texas
This unique salamander spends its entire life underwater. It was only discovered in 2000, but already its population has declined dramatically due to the sensitive nature of these amphibians. The Jollyville Plateau salamander is highly threatened by development, which groups like The Center for Biological Diversity fight in areas known to be inhabited by this species.
Condors are the largest flying birds in North America. Their wingspan is nearly 10 feet from tip to tip. After they nearly went extinct, the remaining 10 wild condors were captured in 1987; reintroduction began in 1992. The condor population has grown to exceed 500 birds today.
Pacific Southwest Region // Wikimedia Commons
- Scientific name: Gymnogyps californianus
- Red List status: Critically endangered
- Geographic range: California, Arizona, Utah
Condors are the largest flying birds in North America. Their wingspan is nearly 10 feet from tip to tip. After they nearly went extinct, the remaining 10 wild condors were captured in 1987; reintroduction began in 1992. The condor population has grown to exceed 500 birds today.
- Geographic range: Arkansas, Kansas, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas
Burying beetles survive off of the carcasses of dead animals, which they bury in the ground. Biologists aren't sure what has led to their rapid decline, bt it is possible that it has been caused by declines in other species that they rely on to eat.
USFWS // Flickr
- Scientific name: Nicrophorus americanus
- Red List status: Critically endangered
- Geographic range: Arkansas, Kansas, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas
Burying beetles survive off of the carcasses of dead animals, which they bury in the ground. Biologists aren't sure what has led to their rapid decline, bt it is possible that it has been caused by declines in other species that they rely on to eat.
This tiny, translucent shrimp has only been found in a single sinkhole in Florida. Because they are so rare, very little is known about them at this point.
Unknown // Wikimedia Commons
- Scientific name: Palaemonetes cummingi
- Red List status: Critically endangered
- Geographic range: Florida
This tiny, translucent shrimp has only been found in a single sinkhole in Florida. Because they are so rare, very little is known about them at this point.
The crested honeycreeper, known in traditional Hawaiian as 'Ākohekohe, was once found on both Maui and Molokai but is now only found on Maui. It is known for its acrobatic movements and how it runs across treetops.
Hiart // Wikimedia Commons
- Scientific name: Palmeria dolei
- Red List status: Critically endangered
- Geographic range: Hawaii
The crested honeycreeper, known in traditional Hawaiian as 'Ākohekohe, was once found on both Maui and Molokai but is now only found on Maui. It is known for its acrobatic movements and how it runs across treetops.
The Red Hills salamander is unusually large, growing to near 1 foot long. Unfortunately, its range is very limited. In fact, it is the only terrestrial vertebrate entirely confined to the state of Alabama, where it is the official state amphibian.
Blakenship Emmett // Wikimedia Commons
- Scientific name: Phaeognathus hubrichti
- Red List status: Endangered
- Geographic range: Alabama
The Red Hills salamander is unusually large, growing to near 1 foot long. Unfortunately, its range is very limited. In fact, it is the only terrestrial vertebrate entirely confined to the state of Alabama, where it is the official state amphibian.
The Louisiana pine snake, one of the rarest snakes in North America, is known for its large eggs. This non-venomus constrictor rarely appears in the wild anymore, but when it does, it lives out its days in the warren of tunnels created by pocket gophers, which it eats.
USFWS // Flickr
- Scientific name: Pituophis ruthveni
- Red List status: Endangered
- Geographic range: Louisiana, Texas
The Louisiana pine snake, one of the rarest snakes in North America, is known for its large eggs. This non-venomus constrictor rarely appears in the wild anymore, but when it does, it lives out its days in the warren of tunnels created by pocket gophers, which it eats.
Woundfins are tiny minnows that once occupied much of the Colorado River Basin. But because of habitat destruction, invasive species, and other issues, its populations have dwindled significantly. Increased water temperatures are one of the biggest threats to the fish.
Brian Gratwicke // Flickr
- Scientific name: Plagopterus argentissimus
- Red List status: Critically endangered
- Geographic range: Arizona, Utah, Nevada
Woundfins are tiny minnows that once occupied much of the Colorado River Basin. But because of habitat destruction, invasive species, and other issues, its populations have dwindled significantly. Increased water temperatures are one of the biggest threats to the fish.
Named for its bright underbelly, which can be red or yellow, this turtle makes its home in freshwater rivers, ponds, and bayous. Unfortunately, when the turtles come onto land to lay eggs, they are a target for drivers who don't see them. The Alabama Department of Transportation has built fences to keep them off highways and has signs on roads during hatching season to keep them safer.
Josh Roswell // Wikimedia Commons
- Scientific name: Pseudemys alabamensis
- Red List status: Endangered
- Geographic range: Alabama
Named for its bright underbelly, which can be red or yellow, this turtle makes its home in freshwater rivers, ponds, and bayous. Unfortunately, when the turtles come onto land to lay eggs, they are a target for drivers who don't see them. The Alabama Department of Transportation has built fences to keep them off highways and has signs on roads during hatching season to keep them safer.
This unusual snail is found only in hot springs in Idaho. It is vulnerable because of this, mainly because of groundwater withdrawal from agriculture. It has also fallen prey to some introduced species of fish.
Claus Ableiter // Wikimedia Commons
- Scientific name: Pyrgulopsis bruneauensis
- Red List status: Critically endangered
- Geographic range: Idaho
This unusual snail is found only in hot springs in Idaho. It is vulnerable because of this, mainly because of groundwater withdrawal from agriculture. It has also fallen prey to some introduced species of fish.
These frogs are usually found within just a few feet of a water source. They mainly appear at high elevations, ranging from 4,500 to 12,000 feet. Unfortunately, fish farming has been a major threat to the frogs, as fish stock compete with them for food.
Isaac Chellman/NPS // Wikimedia Commons
- Scientific name: Rana muscosa
- Red List status: Endangered
- Geographic range: California
These frogs are usually found within just a few feet of a water source. They mainly appear at high elevations, ranging from 4,500 to 12,000 feet. Unfortunately, fish farming has been a major threat to the frogs, as fish stock compete with them for food.
It can take this tiny turtle up to 60 years to reach its full length—which is only 12 centimeters. Habitat fragmentation has had a major impact on the turtle, although the state of Alabama now protects it, and recovery efforts are underway to restore its habitat.
Unknown // Wikimedia Commons
- Scientific name: Sternotherus depressus
- Red List status: Critically endangered
- Geographic range: Alabama
It can take this tiny turtle up to 60 years to reach its full length—which is only 12 centimeters. Habitat fragmentation has had a major impact on the turtle, although the state of Alabama now protects it, and recovery efforts are underway to restore its habitat.
This lizard has adapted to life in the harsh desert. It spends most of its daylight hours "swimming" in the sand: burrowing underneath during the worst of the heat. Its biggest threat is human development in its habitat.
Desert LCC // Flickr
- Scientific name: Uma inornata
- Red List status: Endangered
- Geographic range: California
This lizard has adapted to life in the harsh desert. It spends most of its daylight hours "swimming" in the sand: burrowing underneath during the worst of the heat. Its biggest threat is human development in its habitat.
This rare squirrel relies on large amounts of grass and seeds to fatten up for its long winter hibernation. Fire suppression efforts have greatly reduced its food supply, leading to population decline. While the species recovery pattern is largely unknown, there are an estimated 2,200 animals across 54 populations in Idaho.
US Forest Service // Flickr
- Scientific name: Urocitellus brunneus
- Red List status: Critically endangered
- Geographic range: Idaho
This rare squirrel relies on large amounts of grass and seeds to fatten up for its long winter hibernation. Fire suppression efforts have greatly reduced its food supply, leading to population decline. While the species recovery pattern is largely unknown, there are an estimated 2,200 animals across 54 populations in Idaho.
US Forest Service // Flickr