Fauna Archives - Great Plains Nature Center

Black Tailed Prairie Dog

Black-tailed Prairie-dog Cynomys ludovicianus Black-tailed prairie dogs, named for their black-tipped tails and dog-like “bark,” once lived throughout the Great Plains in “towns” that extended for miles and contained hundreds of thousands of individuals. Current dog towns seldom exceed 100 acres due to changes in land use and poisoning. They excavate a complex underground system…

Honeybee Portrait

Photo by P.O. Gustafson Common Name: Honeybee Scientific Name: Apis mellifera Awards: State Insect of Kansas (1976), Arkansas (1973), Georgia (1975), Louisiana (1975), Maine (1975), Mississippi (1980), Missouri (1985), Nebraska (1974), New Jersey (1974), North Carolina (1973),Oklahoma (1992) South Dakota (1978), Tennessee (1990), Utah (1983), Vermont (1978) Wisconsin (1977) One of the most familiar insects in the world is…

American Burying Beetle

Photo by Bob Gressused by permission Common Name: American Burying Beetle Scientific Name: Nicrophorus americanus Range: Dark Blue = Counties with designated critical habitat Light Blue = Historical records Federal Status: Endangered State Status: Endangered Comments: The American burying beetle belongs to a small group of beetles known to bury small, dead…

Scott Optioservus Riffle Beetle

Photo by Kyle Gerstnerused by permission Common Name: Scott Optioservus Riffle Beetle Scientific Name: Optioservus phaeus Range: Dark Blue = Counties with designated critical habitat Light Blue = Historical records Federal Status: None State Status: Endangered Comments: The only known place in the world where the Scott optioservus riffle beetle can be found…

Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus written by Jim Mason The Great Horned Owl is the largest owl to live year-round in Kansas. Adults weigh around 3 – 3 1/2 pounds and have a 5 foot wingspread. There are nine other species of owls that are known from Kansas, ranging in size from the tiny Northern…

Canada Goose Branta canadensis written by Jim Mason You wouldn’t know it to look around today, but the Canada Goose was once an uncommon bird. In particular, the subspecies known as the giant Canada Goose was considered extinct until a few remnant populations were discovered in the early 1960’s. Over-hunting and destruction of wetlands had…

Killdeer Charadrius vociferus One of the most familiar shorebirds, the Killdeer is a robin-sized plover with two complete dark bands across its neck and chest and pale legs in all seasons. A bright red eye ring is visible during the breeding season. The orange-brown rump is obvious as the bird tries to lure intruders from…

Dickcissel Spiza americana written by Jim Mason As you drive by the fields and pastures of the eastern Great Plains between May and September, you notice certain birds perched on the fences and power lines. Two species will look somewhat similar because each has a black “V” on a yellow breast. The robin-size one with…

Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda The Upland Sandpiper is the “shorebird of the prairie”. While most of its relatives are never found far from water, this species has made itself at home on the grasslands. Of the 47 species of shorebirds known to nest in North America, only the Killdeer, Mountain Plover and Long billed Curlew…

Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta written by Jim Mason The meadowlark is one of the most characteristic birds of the North American grasslands. One of the two species, Western or Eastern (Sturnella magna), may be found in meadows and fields from one coast to the other and from the Canadian prairie to Mexico. The Western Meadowlark…