Theodore Roosevelt National Park Natural History Page

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Theodore Roosevelt National Park Natural History Page

Amphibians and Reptiles List Bird List Buffalo

Common Plant List Invasive Plants Mammal List

North Dakota Badlands Prairie Dogs Wild Horses

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North Dakota's Badlands

About 60 million years ago, streams carried eroded materials eastward from the young Rocky Mountains and deposited them on a vast lowland -- today's Great Plains. During the warm, rainy periods that followed, dense vegetation grew, fell into swamp areas, and was later buried by new layers of sediments. Eventually this plant material turned into lignite coal. Some plantlife became petrified; today considerable amounts of petrified wood are exposed in the badlands. Bentonite, the blue-gray layer of clay , may be traced to ash from ancient volcanoes far to the west. But even as sediments were being deposited, streams were starting to cut down through the soft strata and to sculpt the infinite variety of buttes, tablelands, and valleys that made up the badlands we know today.

Though at first glance this landscape appears inhospitable and barren, it is home to a great variety of creatures and plants. Rainfall, scanty though it is, nourishes the grasses that cover the lands. And when the wildflowers bloom in bright profusion, they add their vibrant colors to the reds, browns, and greens of the earth and grasses. At home here, too, are over 180 species of birds, many of them songbirds. Both mule deer and white-tail deer inhabit the park. The whitetails prefer the river woodlands, and the mule deer like the more broken country and the uplands. Prairie dogs, historically a staple food source for many predators, live in "towns" in the grass lands. Through careful management some animals that nearly become extinct are once again living here. Bison and elk, for example, were reintroduced in 1956 and 1985 respectively.

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Mammal List

Artiodactyla - cloven-hoofed

Common Name	Scientific Name	Common Name	Scientific Name
Wapiti (Elk)	Cervus elaphus	Mule Deer	Odocoileus hemionus
White-tailed Deer	Odocoileus virginianus	Pronghorn (Antelope)	Antilocapra americana
American Bison (Buffalo)	Bison bison	Mountain Sheep (Bighorn Sheep)	Ovis canadensis californiana
Longhorn	Bos taurus

Perissodactyla - singletoed-hoofed

Common Name	Scientific Name	Common Name	Scientific Name
Feral Horse (Wild Horse)	Equus caballus

Carnivora - flesh eaters

Common Name	Scientific Name	Common Name	Scientific Name
Coyote	Canis latrans	Swift Fox - very rare	Vulpes velox
Red Fox - uncommon	Vulpes vulpes	Raccoon - uncommon	Procyon lotor
Long-tailed Weasel	Mustela frenata	Black-footed Ferret extirpated	Mustela nigripes
Least Weasel - very rare	Mustela rixosa	Mink	Mustela vison
Badger	Taxidea taxus	Striped Skunk	Mephitis mephitis
River Otter extirpated	Lutra canadensis	Mountain Lion - very rare	Felis concolor
Lynx - very rare	Felis canadensis	Bobcat - uncommon	Felis rufus

Rodentia - gnawing

Common Name	Scientific Name	Common Name	Scientific Name
Least Chipmunk	Tamias minimus	Richardson's Ground Squirrel very rare	Spermophilus richardsonii
Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel	Spermophilus tridecemlineatus	Black-tailed Prairie Dog	Cynomys ludovicianus
Fox Squirrel	Sciurus niger	Northern Pocket Gopher	Thomomys talpoides
Olive-backed Pocket Mouse	Perognathus fasciatus	Ord's Kangaroo Rat	Dipodomys ordii
Beaver	Caster canadensis	Western Harvest Mouse	Reithrodontomys megalotis
White-footed Mouse uncommon	Peromyscus leucopus	Deer Mouse	Peromyscus maniculatus
Northern Grasshopper Mouse	Onychomys leucogaster	Bushy-tailed Woodrat	Neotoma cinerea
Bushy-tailed Woodrat	Neotoma cinerea	Prairie Vole	Microtus ochrogaster
Meadow Vole	Microtus pennsylvanicus	Sagebrush Vole - uncommon	Lagurus curtatus
Muskrat - rare	Ondatra zibethicus	Meadow Jumping Mouse	Zapus hudsonius
Porcupine	Erethizon dorsatum	House Mouse	Mus musculus

Lagomorpha - rabbits, hares, pikas

Common Name	Scientific Name	Common Name	Scientific Name
Desert Cottontail	Sylvilagus audubonii	Eastern Cottontail	Sylvilagus floridanus
Nuttall's Cottontail - very rare	Sylvilagus nuttallii	Snowshoe Hare	Lepus americanus
Prairie Hare (White-tailed Jackrabbit)	Lepus townsendii

Chiroptera - bats

Common Name	Scientific Name	Common Name	Scientific Name
Long-eared Myotis - very rare	Myotis evotis	Keen's Myotis - very rare	Myotis keenii
Small-footed Myotis - uncommon	Myotis leibii	Little Brown Myotis	Myotis lucifugus
Long-legged Myotis	Myotis volans	Silver-haired Bat	Lasionycteris noctivagans
Big Brown Bat	Eptesicus fuscus	Red Bat	Lasiurus borealis
Hoary Bat	Lasiurus cinereus

Insectivora - shrews, moles

Common Name	Scientific Name	Common Name	Scientific Name
Masked Shrew - uncommon	Sorex cinereus	Merriam's Shrew	Sorex merriami

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Amphibians and Reptiles List

North Dakota has a sparse fauna of amphibians and reptiles. While individual populations may get quite high, species diversity is low. The semi-arid climate provides only marginal conditions for breeding and hibernation of amphibians, while low winter temperatures and the short growing season appear to be primary limiting factors for reptiles. Several of the species listed below are very rare or infrequently found and are in quite localized populations.

Slimy or dry, snakes, lizards, and salamanders are some of the most feared and misunderstood members of the animal kingdom. The prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) is the only poisonous reptile in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. They have more reason to fear us than we do them. The rattlesnake will ignore or avoid us unless surprised or provoked. Then, watch out! Do not attempt to capture or kill snakes. Observe and enjoy them from a distance and remember that all wildlife is protected in a national park.

Common sense and an appreciation for the benefits and beauty of reptiles and amphibians will protect both them and you.

Amphibians

Common Name	Scientific Name	Common Name	Scientific Name
Tiger Salamander	Ambystoma tigrinum	Plains Spadefoot Toad	Scaphiopus bombifrons
Great Plains Toad	Bufo cognatus	Rocky Mountain (Woodhouse's) Toad	Bufo woodhousei
Boreal Chorus Frog	Pseudacris nigrita	Leopard Frog	Rana pipiens

Reptiles

Common Name	Scientific Name	Common Name	Scientific Name
Common Snapping Turtle	Chelydra serpentina	Western Painted Turtle	Chrysemys picta
Soft-shelled Turtle	Trionyx muticus	Sagebrush Lizard	Sceloporus graciosus
Short-horned Lizard	Phrynosoma douglassi	Western Plains Garter Snake	Thamnophis radix
Red-sided Garter Snake	Thamnophis sirtalis	Western Smooth Green Snake	Opheodrys vernalis
Plains Hognose Snake	Heterodon nasicus	Yellow-bellied (Blue) Racer	Coluber constrictor
Bullsnake (Gopher Snake)	Pituophis melanoleucus	Prairie Rattlesnake	Crotalus viridis

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Bird List

Theodore Roosevelt admired and respected the knowledge of John James Audubon. As a result, he became quite an avid bird watcher and spent much time studying natural history. He wrote, “All I can say is that almost as soon as I began to read at all, I began to read about the natural history of beasts and birds....”.

When Roosevelt arrived in the North Dakota Badlands in 1883 for a hunting trip, not only was he struck by the beauty of the area but, as a naturalist, he also found the variety of birdlife exhilarating.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a 70,446-acre park in three units. A variety of habitats make up the park, including native prairie, north- and south-facing slopes, hardwood and juniper draws, sagebrush flats, and undisturbed Little Missouri River bottomland forest. The occurrence and status of bird species has been changing since the beginning of time. Visiting birders are asked to inform park personnel if a bird of which they have knowledge is new to the list, nesting has been confirmed, or if its status should be changed. This list includes 186 species which have been observed in Theodore Roosevelt National Park plus 22 species that have not yet been observed but are suspected of occurring since they have been seen in the immediate area. This list includes 69 species that are known to have nested in the park, 39 species that are probable breeders, and 16 species whose nesting status is uncertain.

Seasons

Spring: March through May
Summer: June through July
Fall: August through November
Winter: December through February

Code Definition

Common: abundant in suitable habitats; habitat is widespread.
Fairly Common in most suitable habitats: habitat type is strongly represented.
Uncommon: present but not certain to be seen on each trip.
Rare: local occurrence within park, low numbers in area.
Occasional: seen only a few times a season and not every year.
Accidental: a species out of normal range; very few records; not expected to occur again or occurs very infrequently.
Suspected: not yet observed WITHIN the park or in that season, but has been seen in the area and MAY be present.
Extirpated: no longer occurs in the park but did historically.
X — Species that are known to have nested in the park. Active nests with eggs or young, adults and dependent young, etc.
Y — Species suspected to have nested from observation of pair in suitable habitat, singing male, etc.
Z — Nesting status uncertain.

Chickadees, Nuthatchers, Creepers Cranes and Rails Flycatchers Gallinaceous Birds Grosbeaks, Finches, Radpolls Gulls and Turns Herins and Ibises Hummingbirds and Kingfishers Jays, Magpies and Crow Larks and Swallows Loons and Grebes Meadowlarks, Blackbirds, Orioles Owls and Goatsuckers Pelicans and Cormarant

Pigeons and Cuckoos Pipits and Waxwings Plovers and Turnstones Shirkes and Starlings Snipes, Sandpipers, Stilts Tanagers, Grosbeaks and Buntings Thrushes and Thrashers Towees, Sparrows, Juncos, Longspurs Vireos and Wood Warblers Vultures and Hawks Waterfowl Weaver Finches Woodpeckers Wrens and Kinglets

Chickadees, Nuthatches and Creepers

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
B.-c. Chickadee	X	Common	Common	Common	Common
Red-b. Nuthatch	Z	Suspected	Occasional	Suspected	Occasional
White-b. Nuthatch	X	Uncommon	Fairly Common	Uncommon	Uncommon
Brown Creeper		Suspected		Suspected	Occasional

Cranes and Rails

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Sora	Z	Occasional	Suspected	Suspected
American Coot		Occasional		Suspected
Sandhill Crane		Fairly Common		Common
Whooping Crane		Occasional		Occasional

Flycatchers

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
W. Wood-Pewee	X	Suspected	Occasional	Suspected
Willow Flycatcher	X	Suspected	Occasional	Suspected
Least Flycatcher	X	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon
Say’s Phoebe	X	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon
G. C. Flycatcher		Occasional	Occasional	Suspected
Western Kingbird	X	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common
Eastern Kingbird	X	Common	Common	Common
Scis.-tailed Flycatcher			Accidental

Gallinaceous Birds

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Gray Partridge	Y			Occasional	Occasional
Ring-n. Pheasant	X	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common
Sage Grouse	X	Suspected	Occasional	Suspected	Suspected
Gr. Pr.-Chicken	Z	Extirpated	Extirpated	Extirpated	Extirpated
Sharp-t. Grouse	X	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common
Wild Turkey	X	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Uncommon	Uncommon

Grosbeaks, Finches and Redpolls

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Rosy Finch					Occasional
Pine Grosbeak					Occasional
Purple Finch		Occasional			Occasional
Red Crossbill		Occasional	Occasional	Suspect	Occasional
Common Redpoll		Suspect			Fairly Common
Hoary Redpoll		Suspect			Occasional
Pine Siskin	X	Occasional	Occasional		Occasional
American Goldfinch	Y	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Occasional
Evening Grosbeak		Occasional		Suspect	Occasional

Gulls and Turns

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Franklin’s Gull		Occasional	Suspected	Suspected
Ring-billed Gull		Occasional	Occasional	Suspected
California Gull		Suspected	Suspected	Suspected
Common Tern		Suspected	Suspected	Suspected
Forster’s Tern		Suspected	Suspected	Suspected
Black Tern		Suspected	Suspected	Suspected

Herins and Ibises

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Great Blue Heron	X	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common
Bl.-cr. N.-heron			Occasional

Hummingbirds and Kingfishers

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
R.-t. Hummingbird		Occasional	Occasional	Occasional
Belted Kingfisher	Y	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon	Occasional

Jays, Magpies and Crows

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Blue Jay	X	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon	Occasional
Clark’s Nutcracker		Suspect		Occasional	Occasional
Black-b. Magpie	X	Fairly Common	Common	Common	Fairly Common
American Crow	X	Common	Fairly Common	Common	Occasional
Common Raven	Z		Extirpated	Occasional	Suspected

Larks and Swallows

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Horned Lark	Y	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Uncommon
Tree Swallow	X	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon
Violet-g. Swallow	X	Suspected	Rare	Occasional
N. R.-w. Swallow	X	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common
Bank Swallow	X	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common
Cliff Swallow	X	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common
Barn Swallow	X	Common	Common	Common

Loons and Grebe

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Pied-bil. Grebe		Occasional		Suspected

Meadowlarks, Blackbirds and Orioles

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Bobolink	Y	Suspect	Rare	Suspect
Red-w. Blackbird	Y	Uncommon	Uncommon	Occasional
W. Meadowlark	X	Common	Common	Common	Occasional
Yel.-h. Blackbird	Z	Suspect	Suspect	Occasional
Rusty Blackbird		Suspect		Suspect	Occasional
Brewer’s Blackbird	Y	Uncommon	Rare	Uncommon	Occasional
Common Grackle	Y	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common
Brown-h. Cowbird	X	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Uncommon
Orchard Oriole	Y	Rare	Uncommon	Uncommon
Northern Oriole	X	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Suspect

Owls and Goatsuckers

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Barn Owl	Y
E. Screech-Owl	Y	Rare	Rare	Rare	Rare
Great Horned Owl	X	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common
Snowy Owl				Suspected	Occasional
Burrowing Owl	X	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon
Great Gray Owl			Accidental
Long-eared Owl	Y	Rare	Rare	Suspected
Short-eared Owl	Z	Suspected	Occasional	Suspected	Occasional
N. Saw-whet Owl	X		Occasional	Occasional	Occasional
Common Nighthawk	Y	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Common
Poor-will	Y	Rare	Uncommon	Rare

Pelicans and Cormorants

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Am. White Pelican		Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon
D.-c. Cormorant		Suspected		Accidental

Pigeons and Cuckoos

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Rock Dove	Y	Occasional	Occasional	Occasional	Occasional
Mourning Dove	X	Common	Common	Common
Passenger Pigeon - Extinct	Z
Black-b. Cuckoo	Y	Uncommon	Uncommon	Suspected
Yellow-b. Cuckoo	Y	Suspected	Occasional	Suspected

Pipits and Waxwings

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Sprague’s Pipit	Y	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon
Bohemian Waxwing/b>		Uncommon		Uncommon	Common
Cedar Waxwing	X	Uncommon	Fairly Common	Uncommon	Uncommon

Plovers and Turnstones

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Killdeer	X	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Uncommon
Mountain Plover	Y	Extirpated	Extirpated	Extirpated

Shrikes and Starlings

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Northern Shrike				Occasional	Uncommon
Loggerhead Shrike	Y	Uncommon	Fairly Common	Uncommon	Occasional
European Starling	X	Uncommon	Rare	Occasional	Rare

Snipes, Sandpipers, & Stilts

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
American Avocet		Occasional	Occasional	Suspected
Gr. Yellowlegs		Suspected		Occasional
Les. Yellowlegs		Suspected		Occasional
Sol. Sandpiper		Occasional		Suspected
Willet		Occasional		Suspected
Spot. Sandpiper	Y	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon
Upland Sandpiper	X	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon
Eskimo Curlew		Extirpated		Extirpated
Long-bil. Curlew	Z	Suspected	Occasional
Semipalmated Sandpiper		Suspected	Suspected	Suspected
Least Sandpiper			Occasional
Pectoral Sandpiper		Suspected		Suspected
Common Snipe		Suspected		Suspected
Wilson’s Phalarope		Suspected		Suspected

Tanagers, Grosbeaks and Buntings

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Western Tanager	Z	Occasional	Occasional
Rose-b. Grosbeak	Z	Occasional	Occasional	Suspect
Bl.h. Grosbeak	X	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Suspect
Lazuli Bunting	X	Common	Common	Fairly Common
Indigo Bunting	Y	Suspect	Occasional	Suspect

Thrushes and Thrashers

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Eastern Bluebird	X	Uncommon	Occasional	Uncommon
Mount. Bluebird		Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common
Town. Solitaire		Suspected		Occasional	Rare
Veery	Y	Occasional	Occasional	Suspected
Gray-ch. Thrush		Suspected
Swainson’s Thrush		Occasional	Occasional	Suspected
American Robin	X	Common	Common	Common	Uncommon
Gray Catbird	Y	Uncommon	Uncommon	Suspected
Brown Thrasher	X	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Uncommon
Mockingbird			Accidental

Towees, Sparrows, Juncos and Longspurs

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Rufous-s. Towhee	X	Common	Common	Common
Am. Tree Sparrow		Fairly Common		Fairly Common	Rare
Chipping Sparrow	X	Common	Common	Common
Clay-col. Sparrow	Y	Common	Common	Common
Brewer’s Sparrow	Z	Suspect	Suspect	Suspect
Field Sparrow	X	Common	Common	Common
Vesper Sparrow	X	Common	Common	Common
Lark Sparrow	Y	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common
Lark Bunting	Y	Uncommon	Rare	Uncommon
Savannah Sparrow	Y	Suspect	Rare
Baird’s Sparrow	Y	Suspect	Rare
Grasshopper Spar	Y	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Uncommon
Fox Sparrow		Suspect		Suspect
Song Sparrow	X	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon
Lincoln’s Sparrow		Suspect		Suspect
Wh.-thr. Sparrow		Rare		Occasional	Accidental
Wh.-cr. Sparrow		Uncommon		Uncommon
Harris’ Sparrow		Uncommon		Uncommon	Occasional
Dark-eyed Junco		Common		Common	Occasional
McCown’s Longspur	Z	Suspect	Suspect	Suspect
Lapland Longspur		Suspect		Suspect	Occasional
Smith’s Longspur				Occasional
Ch.-col. Longspur	Y	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon
Snow Bunting		Suspect	Occasional	Occasional

Vireos and Wood Warblers

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Solitary Vireo		Suspected		Suspected
Yellow-thr. Vireo				Accidental
Warbling Vireo	Y	Uncommon	Fairly Common	Uncommon
Red-eyed Vireo	X	Fairly Common	Common	Fairly Common
Tenn. Warbler		Occasional		Suspected
Or.-cro. Warbler		Occasional		Occasional
N. Parula		Accidental
Yellow Warbler	X	Common	Common	Common
Bl.-thr. Blue Warbler			Accidental
Yel.-ru. Warbler		Fairly Common		Suspect
Blackpoll Warbler		Uncommon	Occasional	Suspect
Bl. & Wh. Warbler	Y	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common
Am. Redstart	X	Common	Common	Common
Ovenbird	X	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common
N. Waterthrush		Suspect		Suspect
Mourning Warbler		Occasional		Suspect
Com. Yellowthroat	X	Common	Common	Common
Wilson’s Warbler		Suspect		Occasional
Yellow-br. Chat	X	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common

Vultures and Hawks

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Turkey Vulture	Y	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon
Ospray				Accidental
Bald Eagle		Rare	Suspected	Rare	Occasional
Northern Harrier	X	Common	Fairly Common	Common	Occasional
Sharp-shin. Hawk	X	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon	Occasional
Cooper’s Hawk	X	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon	Occasional
Northern Goshawk		Occasional	Occasional	Suspected	Rare
Swainson’s Hawk	Y	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon
Red-tailed Hawk	X	Common	Fairly Common	Common	Rare
Ferruginous Hawk		Rare	Rare	Rare
Rough-leg. Hawk		Rare		Uncommon	Rare
Golden Eagle	X	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common
American Kestrel	X	Common	Fairly Common	Common	Occasional
Merlin	X	Rare	Occasional	Rare	Occasional
Peregrine Falcon	Z	Occasional	Occasional	Occasional	Occasional
Prairie Falcon	X	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon	Occasional

Waterfowl

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Tundra Swan		Suspected		Suspected
Snow Goose		Uncommon		Suspected
Gr. Wh.-f Goose		Suspected		Suspected
Canada Goose	X	Fairly Common	Occasional	Fairly Common	Occasional
Wood Duck	X	Occasional	Occasional	Suspected
Green-w. Teal	Y	Uncommon	Rare	Suspected
Mallard	X	Fairly Common	Rare	Occasional	Suspected
Northern Pintail	Z	Uncommon	Rare	Suspected
Blue-winged Teal	X	Fairly Common	Rare	Suspected
Cinnamon Teal	Z	Suspected	Suspected	Suspected
N. Shoveler		Uncommon	Suspected	Suspected
Gadwall	Y	Rare	Occasional	Suspected
American Wigeon	Y	Rare	Occasional	Suspected
Canvasback		Occasional	Suspected	Suspected
Redhead		Suspected		Suspected
Ring-necked Duck		Suspected		Suspected
Lesser Scaup		Occasional	Suspected	Suspected
Common Goldeneye		Occasional		Suspected	Suspected
Bufflehead		Suspected		Suspected
Common Merganser		Occasional		Suspected
Ruddy Duck		Suspected		Suspected

Weaver Finches

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
House Sparrow	Y	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon

Woodpeckers

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
R.h. Woodpecker	X	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon
Downy Woodpecker	X	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common
Hairy Woodpecker	X	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common	Fairly Common
Common Flicker	X	Common	Common	Common	Ocasional

Wrens and Kinglets

Name	Nesting	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Rock Wren	X	Common	Common	Fairly Common
House Wren	X	Common	Common	Fairly Common
Gol.-cr. Kinglet		Suspect		Occasional
Ruby-cr. Kinglet		Suspect		Occasional

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Common Plant List

This flora list represents 102 of the more common plants found in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Over 400 plants have been located and identified within the park and it is estimated that perhaps as many as 500 different species exist. Please respect other park visitors as well as wildlife when viewing wildflowers. Picking or collecting plants is prohibited.

Plants listed can be found in one or all three units of the park. Common names shown are those used in this region. Scientific names follow the convention used in Flora of the Great Plains published in 1986 by University Press of Kansas unless later accepted changes have been made. Flowering date represents the best period of time to see the plant in bloom under normal conditions. Dates could be altered by weather. Space permits listing only primary habitat.

Grasses Plants

Shrubs Trees

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Grasses

Name	Scientific	Family	Habitat
Big sandgrass	Calamovilfa longifolia	Grass	Sandy setting
Blue grama	Bouteloua	Grass	Prairie
Buffalo grass	Buchloe dactyloides	Grass	Uplands
Canada wild rye	Elymus canadensis	Grass	Riverbottom/channels
Crested wheatgrass	Agropyron cristatum	Grass	Roadsides
Foxtail barley	Hordeum jubatum	Grass	Alkaline settings
Green needlegrass	Stipa viridula	Grass	Prairie
Junegrass	Koeleria pyramidata	Grass	Prairie
Kentucky bluegrass	Poa pratensis	Grass	Campground
Little bluestem	Andropogon scoparius	Grass	Ridge slopes
Needle-and-thread	Stipa comata	Grass	Prairie
Threadleaf sedge	Carex filifolia	Sedge	Prairie uplands
Saltgrass	Distichlis spicata stricta	Grass	Alkaline settings
Sideoats grama	Bouteloua curtipendula	Grass	Ridge slopes
Smooth brome	Bromus inermis	Grass	Roadsides
Western wheatgrass (state grass)	Agropyron smithii	Grass	Uplands

Shrubs

Name	Scientific	Family	Flowering Time	Flowering Color
Big sage/ Three-toothed sage	Artemisia tridentata	Aster
Buckbrush/Wolfberry	Symphoricarpos occidentalis	Honeysuckle	Jun-Jul	White
Buffaloberry/Bullberry	Shepherdia argentea	Oleaster
Choke cherry	Prunus virginiana	Rose	May-Jun	White
Common/Shrub juniper/ cedar	Juniperus communis	Cypress
Creeping juniper/cedar	Juniperus horizontalis	Cypress
Skunkbush/Fragrant sumac	Rhus aromatica	Cashew	May-Jun	Yellow
Golden/Buffalo currant	Ribes odoratum	Currant	May	Yellow
Greasewood	Sarcobatus vermiculatus	Goosefoot
Juneberry/Saskatoon	Amelanchier alnifolia	Rose
Poison ivy	Toxicodendron rydbergii	Cashew
Prairie rose (state flower)	Rosa arkansana	Rose	Jun-Jul	Pink
Rabbitbrush	Chrysothamnus nauseosus	Aster	Aug-Sep	Yellow
Sandbar willow	Salix interior	Willow
Shrubby cinquefoil/ Potentilla	Potentilla fruiticosa	Rose	Jun-Aug	Yellow
Silver sage	Artemisia cana	Aster
Spiny saltbush	Atriplex confertiflora	Goosefoot
Wild plum	Prunus americana	Rose	May	White
Winterfat	Ceratoides lanata	Goosefoot
Wood's rose	Rosa woodsii	Rose	Jun	Pink

Trees

Name	Scientific	Family	Habitat
American elm	Ulmus americana	Elm	Riverbottom, draws
Box elder	Acer negundo	Maple	Riverbottom
Cottonwood	Populus deltoides	Willow	Riverbottom
Green ash	Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Olive	Draws, riverbottom
Rocky Mountain juniper/cedar	Juniperus scopulorum	Cypress	North-facing slopes

Plants

Name	Scientific	Family	Flowering Time	Flowering Color
Aromatic aster	Aster oblongifolius	Aster	Aug-Sep	Purple
Bastard toadflax	Comandra umbellata	Sandalwood	May-Jun	White
Bergamot/Beebalm	Monarda fistulosa	Mint	Jul-Aug	Pink
Blazing star/ Dotted gayfeather	Liatris aspera	Aster	Aug-Sep	Purple
Blue wild lettuce	Lactuca oblongifolia	Aster	Jun-Sept	Purple
Snakeweed	Gutierrezia sarothrae	Aster	Aug-Sep	Yellow
Butte candle	Cryptantha celosioides	Borage	Jun	White
Common sunflower	Helianthus annuus	Aster	Jul-Sep	Yellow
Crested beardtongue	Penstemon eriantherus	Figwort	Jun	Purple
Curlycup gumweed	Grindelia squarrosa	Aster	Jul-Sep	Yellow
False Solomon's seal	Smilacina stellata	Lily	Jun	White
Fetid marigold	Dyssodia papposa	Aster	Jun-Aug	Yellow
Field bindweed	Convolvulus sepium	Morning Glory	Jun-Jul	White
Fringed sage	Artemisia frigida	Aster	Aug-Sep	Yellowish
Goat's beard/ Western salsify	Tragopogon dubius	Aster	Jun-Aug	Yellow
Golden aster	Chrysopsis villosa	Aster	July-Sept	Yellow
Golden pea	Thermopsis rhombifolia	Pea	May-Jun	Yellow
Goldenrod	Solidago spp.	Aster	Aug-Sep	Yellow
Ground plum	Astragalus crassicarpus	Bean	May-Jun	Pink
Gumbo lily	Oenothera caespitosa