Wildlife Habitat
Historically, grasslands in the United States supported 30 to 70 million bison and similar numbers of pronghorn antelope. Large herds served as mobile communities, moving over grasslands following available forage, which varied with seasonal and climatic conditions. These huge grazing communities stimulated grass growth and diversity while discouraging woody and non-native plant invasion. Prairie grasses and soils have adapted to the disturbances associated with these grazers.
Today U.S. grasslands support an estimated 20 million deer, 500,000 pronghorn antelope, 400,000 elk, and many other wildlife species. Each species possesses a unique natural history, but all are well adapted to the rewards and challenges of life on the prairie grasslands. Waterfowl, shorebirds and small mammals are just a few non-grazers that depend on prairie grasslands. Large un-fragmented grassland areas such as Nebraska’s Sandhills, the Missouri Coteau portion of the Prairie Pothole Region, and the Coastal Prairie of Texas offer high wildlife habitat value.
Nebraska’s Sandhills provides important nesting and migration habitat. The Prairie Pothole Region is most important to northern breeding waterfowl such as northern pintails, mallards, canvasbacks, redheads, gadwall, blue-winged teal, and northern shovelers. The Gulf Coast of Texas is an important breeding area for mottled ducks, black-bellied whistling ducks and fulvous whistling ducks, with nearby bays and other coastal wetlands providing important wintering waterfowl habitat. Each of these areas provide important and unique wildlife habitat to a diverse group of species.
Other Grassland Benefits