The Iowa Prairie Lakes Region

Union

Ornithologists Ornithologists

n a m u Buman B n a t S Stan © ©

Iowa

r e g a n a T Tanager t e l r a c S Scarlet n o s i r r o M Morrison e c u r B Bruce © ©

d r i b k c a l Blackbird B d e d a e h - w o l l e Y Yellow-headed Partridge.

Green Slough, and drive gravel roads at dawn and dusk to see Gray Gray see to dusk and dawn at roads gravel drive and Slough, Green

on Participants on Bird-A-Th Wetlands & Wings 2015 •

Great-tailed Grackle, Yellow-headed Blackbird, and Black Tern at Dan Dan at Tern Black and Blackbird, Yellow-headed Grackle, Great-tailed

• Prairie Lakes Audubon Bird Club Bird Audubon Lakes Prairie •

rmed nesting in the Dewey’s Pasture Complex. Watch for for Watch Complex. Pasture Dewey’s the in nesting rmed confi been

• Palo Alto County Conservation Foundation Conservation County Alto Palo •

waterfowl, White Pelican, Osprey, and heron. Sandhill Crane have have Crane Sandhill heron. and Osprey, Pelican, White waterfowl,

• Oneota Conservation Fund Conservation Oneota •

natural marshes with over 1,700 acres and a great site for viewing viewing for site great a and acres 1,700 over with marshes natural

• Northwest Bank Northwest •

Bittern and Forster’s Tern. Barringer Slough is one of Iowa’s largest largest Iowa’s of one is Slough Barringer Tern. Forster’s and Bittern

• Little Sioux Valley Conservation Association Conservation Valley Sioux Little •

of water birds including Western Grebe, Common Gallinule, Least Least Gallinule, Common Grebe, Western including birds water of

• LaVonne & Dale Foote Fund Foote Dale & LaVonne •

ts to birds and other wildlife are evident with nesting success success nesting with evident are wildlife other and birds to ts benefi

• Iowa Ornithologists Union Ornithologists Iowa •

e e Th Slough. Green Dan and Lake, Trumbull Lake, Island Lost in

• Iowa Audubon Society Audubon Iowa •

downs, and intense carp removal have greatly improved water quality quality water improved greatly have removal carp intense and downs,

• Conservation Foundation of Dickinson County Dickinson of Foundation Conservation • legs. yellow and Sandpiper Upland

projects in this region. Fish barriers, water control structures, draw- structures, control water barriers, Fish region. this in projects

Conservation Boards Conservation ch as the American Golden Plover, Plover, Golden American the as ch su shorebirds migrating observe to

e Iowa DNR has completed several shallow lake management management lake shallow several completed has DNR Iowa e Th

• Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, O’Brien and Palo Alto County County Alto Palo and O’Brien Emmet, Dickinson, Clay, • prairie species. prairie restored prairie with several restored wetland basins, is a great location location great a is basins, wetland restored several with prairie restored

abundant grassy uplands also provide a home to a wide variety of of variety wide a to home a provide also uplands grassy abundant is publication has been sponsored by: sponsored been has publication is Th species like meadowlark and Dickcissel. Burns Prairie, a native and and native a Prairie, Burns Dickcissel. and meadowlark like species

can be found in the area. the in found be can

e e Th unusual. and common both – shorebirds other many as well as sure to walk the unique Kettlehole Prairie where you will see upland upland see will you where Prairie Kettlehole unique the walk to sure

Northern Harrier, Sedge Wren, Bobolink, and Grasshopper Sparrow Sparrow Grasshopper and Bobolink, Wren, Sedge Harrier, Northern

Come visit and stay for a day or a week! a or day a for stay and visit Come dpiper and Wilson’s Phalarope Phalarope Wilson’s and dpiper San Stilt Plover, Golden American Eastern Towhee. It is also an important site for warbler migration. Be Be migration. warbler for site important an also is It Towhee. Eastern

an and Least Bittern, Black Tern, Tern, Black Bittern, Least and an Americ as such Need, Conservation

is location is a reliable place to observe observe to place reliable a is location is Th shorebirds. migratory with Over 300 different birds can be seen in the region! region! the in seen be can birds different 300 Over rush and and rush Th Wood the to home is Area Heritage Watson migration.

Over 230 species of birds utilize this diverse habitat. Species of Greatest Greatest of Species habitat. diverse this utilize birds of species 230 Over

ats can be dotted dotted be can ats mudfl low, are levels water When Tern. Black and Brushy Bayou are great places to see eastern wood warblers during during warblers wood eastern see to places great are Bayou Brushy

Alto counties encompassing 78,000 acres of public and private land. land. private and public of acres 78,000 encompassing counties Alto

such as American Bittern, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Marsh Wren Wren Marsh Blackbird, Yellow-headed Bittern, American as such Bald Eagle are found nesting here. Greenbelt strips at Basswood and and Basswood at strips Greenbelt here. nesting found are Eagle Bald nesting cover, and a place to stop and refuel on a long trip. long a on refuel and stop to place a and cover, nesting

is prairie wetland complex crisscrosses the border of Clay and Palo Palo and Clay of border the crisscrosses complex wetland prairie is Th

marshes house nearly every kind of water bird known to nest in Iowa Iowa in nest to known bird water of kind every nearly house marshes er strips along the river. Wild Turkey and and Turkey Wild river. the along strips er buff provide and plain ood fl throughout all seasons, wetlands are important in providing food, food, providing in important are wetlands seasons, all throughout

Kirchner Prairie, Lost Island Lake, Trumbull Lake Trumbull Lake, Island Lost Prairie, Kirchner lakes dominate the collection of county, state and federal lands. Area Area lands. federal and state county, of collection the dominate lakes have been enrolled in the Wetland Reserve Program to protect the the protect to Program Reserve Wetland the in enrolled been have migration north or south. Whether they are wet for a few weeks, or or weeks, few a for wet are they Whether south. or north migration

a “prairie pothole” landscape. Numerous small wetlands and shallow shallow and wetlands small Numerous landscape. pothole” “prairie a drains east to the Mississippi River, and many private and public lands lands public and private many and River, Mississippi the to east drains are summer nesters, and still others only pass through on their long long their on through pass only others still and nesters, summer are

Barringer Slough, Blue Wing Marsh, Dan Green Slough, Slough, Green Dan Marsh, Wing Blue Slough, Barringer

is 14,000 acre Bird Conservation Area is one of the best examples of of examples best the of one is Area Conservation Bird acre 14,000 is Th is watershed watershed is Th species. riparian of viewing excellent er off Emmetsburg wetlands home. Some birds are found in the region all year long, some some long, year all region the in found are birds Some home. wetlands

Bird Conservation Area Conservation Bird

e West Fork of the Des Moines River both north and south of of south and north both River Moines Des the of Fork West e Th

Yellow-headed Blackbird, Upland Sandpiper, and Black Tern call these these call Tern Black and Sandpiper, Upland Blackbird, Yellow-headed

Bird Conservation Area Conservation Bird

variety than any other Iowa habitat. Great Blue Heron, White Pelican, Pelican, White Heron, Blue Great habitat. Iowa other any than variety 4

2 BCA

BCA

Dewey’s Pasture Pasture Dewey’s Kettlehole Prairie, Watson Heritage Area Heritage Watson Prairie, Kettlehole

Spring Run Run Spring 7 abundant wildlife. Wetlands are home to more wildlife in number and and number in wildlife more to home are Wetlands wildlife. abundant

geological formations remain today. Where there is water, there is is there water, is there Where today. remain formations geological

Basswood, Brushy Bayou, Burns Prairie, Prairie, Burns Bayou, Brushy Basswood,

behind. Small kettleholes, drumlins, eskers, and other unique unique other and eskers, drumlins, kettleholes, Small behind.

West Des Moines River Corridor River Moines Des West

their load of rocky materials materials rocky of load their left and out, carved had they depressions

n a m u B Buman n a t S Stan © ©

s r e g n u J Jungers e o J Joe © ©

lled the shallow shallow the lled fi melted, glaciers these slightly, warmed temperatures e p o r a l a h P Phalarope s ’ n o s l i W Wilson’s r e i r r a H Harrier n r e h t r o N Northern

, rocks and giant boulders. When the the When boulders. giant and rocks , gravel carrying land the scoured

which covered this part of Iowa. Massive ice sheets scraped and and scraped sheets ice Massive Iowa. of part this covered which

s r e g n u J Jungers e o J Joe © ©

ese wet areas were formed by glaciers glaciers by formed were areas wet ese Th recreation. outdoor other as

r e k c e p d o o W Woodpecker d e d a e h - d e R Red-headed

lakes region of Iowa provide excellent sites for bird watching as well well as watching bird for sites excellent provide Iowa of region lakes

Numerous natural lakes and marshes characteristic of the prairie prairie the of characteristic marshes and lakes natural Numerous

Prairie Lakes Region Lakes Prairie

Welcome to the Iowa Iowa the to Welcome

s r e g n u Jungers J e o Joe J © ©

n a w S Swan r e t e p m u r T Trumpeter

Night Heron. Night

Sparrow, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Trumpeter Swan, and Black-crowned Black-crowned and Swan, Trumpeter Gnatcatcher, Blue-gray Sparrow,

species. Some species to look for include Western Kingbird, Swamp Swamp Kingbird, Western include for look to species Some species.

n o s i r r o Morrison M e c u r B Bruce © ©

prairie and forest species and features a bird list approaching 300 300 approaching list bird a features and species forest and prairie k n i l o b o B Bobolink

ers outstanding habitat for wetland, wetland, for habitat outstanding ers off area e Th state. entire the not if

Hogsback complex may be the best birding area in northwest Iowa, Iowa, northwest in area birding best the be may complex Hogsback n a m u Buman B n a t S Stan © ©

r e l b r a W Warbler d e d i s - t u n t s e h C Chestnut-sided Northern Pintail, Canvasback, Ruddy Duck and Redhead. Kettleson Kettleson Redhead. and Duck Ruddy Canvasback, Pintail, Northern

viewing of abundant waterfowl and wetland species such as the the as such species wetland and waterfowl abundant of viewing

ers excellent roadside roadside excellent ers off complex, the in marsh largest the Creek, Out

other migrating woodland birds. birds. woodland migrating other

Rail which may be heard or seen as it migrates through the area. Dug Dug area. the through migrates it as seen or heard be may which Rail

nd warblers and and warblers nd fi to times excellent are fall and Spring parks. County

animals. Keep a sharp eye out for a glimpse of the secretive Yellow Yellow secretive the of glimpse a for out eye sharp a Keep animals.

n a m u B Buman n a t S Stan © ©

Explore the scenic roads that wind through Wanata and Buena Vista Vista Buena and Wanata through wind that roads scenic the Explore

contains many glacial relic landscapes alive with unusual plants and and plants unusual with alive landscapes relic glacial many contains

e b e r Grebe G n r e t s e W Western

miles of trails that include prairie, woodland, and riverine ecosystems. ecosystems. riverine and woodland, prairie, include that trails of miles

e region region e Th Harrier. Northern endangered Iowa the with along here

this 250 mile corridor. Kindlespire Park and Burr Wildlife Area boast boast Area Wildlife Burr and Park Kindlespire corridor. mile 250 this

birds. Dickcissel, Grasshopper Sparrow and Sedge Wren can be found found be can Wren Sedge and Sparrow Grasshopper Dickcissel, birds.

Cerulean Warbler. Many excellent birding locations can be found along along found be can locations birding excellent Many Warbler. Cerulean

Found west of Okoboji, this 37,000 acre area has a focus on grassland grassland on focus a has area acre 37,000 this Okoboji, of west Found

rush, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and and Cuckoo, Yellow-billed rush, Th Wood Tanager, Scarlet with woods

Kettlehole, Kettleson Hogsback Kettleson Kettlehole,

s. Red-shouldered Hawk and Barred Owl share these these share Owl Barred and Hawk Red-shouldered s. bluff wooded

owing waters shaped a deep, scenic valley and towering towering and valley scenic deep, a shaped waters owing fl Fast west.

Cayler Prairie, Dugout Creek, Freda Hafner Hafner Freda Creek, Dugout Prairie, Cayler BBirdingirding

River carved a new channel from the Spencer area heading south and and south heading area Spencer the from channel new a carved River

Bird Conservation Area Area Conservation Bird

er the last glacier receded 12,000 years ago, the Little Sioux Sioux Little the ago, years 12,000 receded glacier last the er Aft glaciers.

BCA

this region, take note of the impressive landscape features formed by by formed features landscape impressive the of note take region, this TThehe IowaIowa Cayler Prairie Prairie Cayler

ows into the Missouri River near Onawa. As you travel through through travel you As Onawa. near River Missouri the into ows fl and

e Little Sioux River begins its journey near the Minnesota border border Minnesota the near journey its begins River Sioux Little e

Th PPrairierairie

Bertram, Burr, Kindlespire, Oneota Park, Wanata Park Wanata Park, Oneota Kindlespire, Burr, Bertram,

n a m u B Buman n a t S Stan © ©

k c u D Duck y d d u R Ruddy

Little Sioux River Valley River Sioux Little LLakesakes

n a m u B Buman n a t S Stan © ©

r e s n e g r e M Mergenser d e d o o Hooded H RRegionegion

g n i w x a Waxwing W n a i m e h o B Bohemian

the river. the

utilize the edge where grasslands meet the oak and walnut trees along along trees walnut and oak the meet grasslands where edge the utilize

Anderson Prairie, a beautiful native tallgrass prairie. Indigo Bunting Bunting Indigo prairie. tallgrass native beautiful a Prairie, Anderson

these woods. Prairie birds such as Bobolink and meadowlark nest at at nest meadowlark and Bobolink as such birds Prairie woods. these

and ravines. Pileated Woodpecker and Eastern Wood Peewee nest in in nest Peewee Wood Eastern and Woodpecker Pileated ravines. and

near Estherville, is a stand of dense deciduous woods covering ridges ridges covering woods deciduous dense of stand a is Estherville, near

ance State Park, Park, State ance Defi Fort Complex. Lake Ingham-High the at found

Northwest Iowa. Over 3,000 acres of shallow lakes and marshes can be be can marshes and lakes shallow of acres 3,000 Over Iowa. Northwest

Emmet County provides good examples of the diverse habitats of of habitats diverse the of examples good provides County Emmet

Fort Deﬁ ance State Park State ance Deﬁ Fort

Anderson Prairie, Cunningham Slough, Slough, Cunningham Prairie, Anderson

y e r p s O Osprey

Ingham - High Wetland Complex Wetland High - Ingham

Designates Bird Conservation Area Conservation Bird Designates

k r a l w o d a e Meadowlark M n r e t s e W Western

are comprised of both public and private lands. private and public both of comprised are

e total acres in these Bird Conservation Areas Areas Conservation Bird these in acres total e Th habitat. bird quality

r e p i p d n a S Sandpiper d n a l p U Upland and is a prime interior migration corridor for raptors in the fall. the in raptors for corridor migration interior prime a is and

areas described in this brochure are part of these eff these of part are brochure this in described areas orts to manage manage to orts

valley is a consistent place to fi to place consistent a is valley nd Bald Eagle throughout the winter winter the throughout Eagle Bald nd

biodiversity. All Iowa BCAs are also designated as IBAs. Many of the the of Many IBAs. as designated also are BCAs Iowa All biodiversity.

prairies. Listen carefully to distinguish the “bird with two songs.” Th songs.” two with “bird the distinguish to carefully Listen prairies. is is

Society to identify and conserve areas that are vital to birds and other other and birds to vital are that areas conserve and identify to Society

and Golden Eagle. Both Eastern and Western Meadowlark grace the the grace Meadowlark Western and Eastern Both Eagle. Golden and

n a c i l e P Pelican e t i h W White

(IBA) program - is a global eff global a is - program (IBA) ort initiated by the National Audubon Audubon National the by initiated ort

as the Mountain Bluebird, Townsend’s Solitaire, Bohemian Waxwing, Waxwing, Bohemian Solitaire, Townsend’s Bluebird, Mountain the as

and migratory birds. Another program - the Important Bird Area Area Bird Important the - program Another birds. migratory and

best places in the state to see western bird species rare to Iowa such such Iowa to rare species bird western see to state the in places best

to preserve and protect high-quality habitat for nesting, wintering wintering nesting, for habitat high-quality protect and preserve to

location within the Little Sioux Watershed makes the area one of the the of one area the makes Watershed Sioux Little the within location

established by the Iowa DNR Wildlife Bureau in 2001 as an eff an as 2001 in Bureau Wildlife DNR Iowa the by established ort ort

include Red-headed Woodpecker, Bobolink, and Field Sparrow. Th Sparrow. Field and Bobolink, Woodpecker, Red-headed include e e

all habitats.” Th habitats.” all e Iowa Bird Conservation Area (BCA) program was was program (BCA) Area Conservation Bird Iowa e

location on the journey of many migratory birds. Some species species Some birds. migratory many of journey the on location

enthusiasts have begun working together to conserve “all birds in in birds “all conserve to together working begun have enthusiasts

or use the area for important wintering grounds. It is also a stopover stopover a also is It grounds. wintering important for area the use or

game and non-game bird species. Conservation organizations and and organizations Conservation species. bird non-game and game

on Iowa’s list of Species of Greatest Conservation Need either nest here here nest either Need Conservation Greatest of Species of list Iowa’s on

bird species have led to programs dedicated to the conservation of of conservation the to dedicated programs to led have species bird

mix of sprawling natural prairies and Bur Oak savannahs. Many birds birds Many savannahs. Oak Bur and prairies natural sprawling of mix

In recent years, alarming declines in a large number of North American American North of number large a in declines alarming years, recent In Nestled into Iowa’s Glacial Hills region, this 69,000 acre area is a unique unique a is area acre 69,000 this region, Hills Glacial Iowa’s into Nestled

Important Bird Areas Bird Important

Bird Conservation Area Conservation Bird

BCA