A Neighborhood for Birds: How Prairie Dogs Help Shape the Sky Above

Within the rolling shortgrass prairies of central North America resides a vitally important mammal tasked with many roles. Sure, the American bison is our national mammal and a mascot of the Dakotas, but that is not the species on which we will be focusing. Instead, look below the bison and you may find colonies of black-tailed prairie dogs – a keystone species essential to well-functioning ecosystems in the shortgrass and mixed-grass regions of the Great Plains. These little burrowing rodents earn the distinction of being a keystone species (a species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend) due to their ability to shape the landscape in which they live. In the Great Plains, prairie dogs congregate in large colonies, creating burrows underground, altering vegetation structure, and influencing predator-prey dynamics. Among those who benefit most from the presence of prairie dogs are many species of grassland-obligate birds and raptors.

Prairie dog colonies occur in areas known as prairie dog “towns”, where they graze the vegetation down to a short height (almost like mowing a fairway!) and create unique soil disturbances not seen on undisturbed prairie. One bird that strongly relies on these disturbances is the Mountain Plover – a shorebird that doesn’t live near the shore nor the mountains, but instead thrives in areas of intense grazing pressure and active prairie dog towns. Mountain plovers are not the only shorebirds that enjoy sharing their living space with prairie dogs. Their relative, the Kildeer, is another plover species that is commonly found in similar areas of short vegetation, like those surrounding busy prairie dog colonies.

Black-tailed prairie dogs not only maintain habitat needed for shorebird nesting success, but they also create opportunities for nesting passerines like Chestnut-collared Longspurs – often seen around the edges of a town – as well as Thick-billed Longspurs and Lark buntings, which frequently use the barren-looking, mound-riddled landscape for resources necessary to their survival. Even generalist species (species that do not need one specific type of habitat or ecological resource to survive), like the charismatic Western Meadowlark, often experience higher foraging success in prairie dog towns.

Of the many birds that use prairie dog towns, no species relies on them for nesting quite as much as the Burrowing Owl. Using vacant prairie dog dens, these smaller ground-dwelling owls raise their young underground, making them one of the only raptor species to consistently live and nest below the soil surface. Ferruginous Hawks are another raptor regularly seen hunting in the vicinity of prairie dog towns due to the high density of prey abundant across the landscape.

On the surface, prairie dog towns may appear barren, overgrazed, and desolate. But to a mountain plover searching for nesting ground or a burrowing owl seeking shelter, these towns are thriving neighborhoods and perfect places to establish nests. Prairie dogs remind us that ecological importance is not always measured in size but in impact. By maintaining open grasslands and supporting a network of dependent species, these small mammals help sustain the character and biodiversity of the Great Plains. When we protect prairie dogs, we help to protect an entire community built around their presence. Whether you view them as a nuisance causing damage to your driveway or a cute and cuddly critter peeking up to say “hello” during a hike, there is no denying the importance that prairie dogs play when it comes to protecting birds and the places they need.