Ecosystems · North America

Great Plains And Prairies

Grass as far as you can see, and the animals that follow it.

The Great Plains stretch across central North America as tallgrass, mixed-grass and shortgrass prairie, shaped by fire, grazing and weather. Much has been ploughed for farming, which makes what remains precious.

It is a landscape of big skies and small details, from soaring hawks to the flowers at your feet.

The Landscape

Rainfall decreases from east to west, so tall grasses give way to shorter ones. Roots run very deep, which helped build rich soils, and wildflowers fill the spaces between the grasses.

Who Lives Here

American Bison, Pronghorn and Black-tailed Prairie Dogs are classic prairie animals. Western Meadowlark, Greater Prairie-Chicken and Burrowing Owl are among the birds, and the grass supports huge numbers of insects.

Through The Year

Spring brings fire-greened grass and displaying prairie-chickens, and in March huge flocks of Sandhill Cranes gather on the Platte River. Summer is flowers and heat, autumn golden grass and migrating raptors, and winter snow and wind.

Pressures And Care

Conversion to cropland, fragmentation, invasive grasses and the loss of fire and grazing have reduced the prairie dramatically. Restoring native grassland and prescribed burning help bring it back.

Visiting Well

Respect private land and fences, watch for rattlesnakes in warm months, keep a safe distance from bison, and bring water and sun protection.

Look for

American Bison
Black-tailed Prairie Dog
Western Meadowlark
Burrowing Owl
Purple Coneflower

Often a good time to visit: April, June, September. Conditions vary from year to year and place to place.

Related habitats

Grassland

More in North America

Pacific Northwest Temperate Rainforest · Eastern Deciduous Forest And Appalachians · Sonoran And Mojave Deserts · Everglades And Gulf Coast Wetlands