Woodlands

Photo: Blue Jay and Redheaded Woodpecker. Photo: Ella Clem.

Along the rivers of the Great Plains, woodlands are abundant with birds that thrive in the treetops shelter. These forests significantly increase the biodiversity of the plains, providing shelter from the wind, cooler temperatures, and water for plants and animals. Cavities of decaying wood provide microhabitats for insects, birds, and mammals to live and forage. Dead trees are critical to the woodland ecosystem and signal its overall health, as they provide nutrients, release nitrogen, and store carbon dioxide. 

Birds of the Woodlands

Northern Cardinal

Latin:  Cardinalis cardinalis

Illustration for Northern Cardinal

Northern Flicker

Latin:  Colaptes auratus

Illustration for Northern Flicker

Red-headed Woodpecker

Latin:  Melanerpes erythrocephalus

Illustration for Red-headed Woodpecker

Scarlet Tanager

Latin:  Piranga olivacea

Illustration for Scarlet Tanager
Birds
Birds

Birds of the Great Plains

The Great Plains is a shifting landscape made up of many interdependent ecosystems. What we evoke with the very idea of the Great Plains is, of course, extensive grasslands for which it was named. The Great Plains is the world’s largest intact grasslands.

Read more

Wetlands
Birds

Wetlands

In addition to native species like the Northern Pintail and Piping Plover, the Central Platte Valley and Prairie Potholes are important migration stops for millions of birds every year.

Read more

The Badlands
Birds

The Badlands

If you are looking for desert-like habitats in the Great Plains, you will not be disappointed.

Read more

How you can help, right now