Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
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Located on six hundred acres along the James River Valley near Jamestown, North Dakota, the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center is one of seventeen USGS Science Centers that develop and disseminate the scientific information needed to understand, conserve, and manage the Nation’s rich biological resources.
Migratory-bird center of excellence
The Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center is known for its long history of meeting the migratory-bird research needs of Department of the Interior and the Nation.
Migratory BirdsInsect pollinators of the Great Plains
Pollinators support both natural and agricultural ecosystems. Northern Prairie scientists are studying factors affecting the health of insect pollinators across the northern Great Plains.
Pollinator ResearchMinimizing impacts to wildlife and ecosystems
Providing information needed to reduce the impacts of oil, gas, biofuel and wind energy development in the northern Great Plains is a focus of several research efforts at NPWRC.
Species StressorsNews
Honey Bee Helpers: It Takes a Village to Conserve a Colony
Do you eat fruits and vegetables? What about nuts? If so, you can thank an insect pollinator, usually a honey bee. These small insects play a major role in pollinating the world’s plants, including those we eat regularly. They also increase our nation’s crop values each year by more than 15 billion dollars.
Scientists Collecting Bird Data on Grasslands in Montana this Spring
Now through late July, 2018, U.S. Geological Survey scientists will conduct fieldwork on public lands in Phillips and Valley counties near Malta and Glasgow, Montana, as part of a grassland bird project.
Public Invitation: Jamestown Science Center Opens Doors for Interactive Experience
The public is invited to attend a free, family-friendly open house at a local U.S. Geological Survey center for ecology research on Saturday, September 16.
Publications
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Rates of Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) parasitism in nests of North American grassland birds
The Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) is an obligate brood parasite that relies entirely on host species to incubate its eggs and rear its young. The Brown-headed Cowbird is a host generalist; eggs of the cowbird have been found in nests of more than 220 species of North American birds. Although cowbirds are not considered a serious threat to...
Shaffer, Jill A.; Igl, Lawrence D.; Johnson, Douglas H.
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—An introduction to North American grasslands and the practices used to manage grasslands and grassland birds
The Great Plains of North America is defined as the land mass that encompasses the entire central portion of the North American continent that, at the time of European settlement, was an unbroken expanse of primarily herbaceous vegetation. The Great Plains extend from central Saskatchewan and Alberta to central Mexico and from Indiana to the Rocky...
Shaffer, Jill A.; DeLong, John P.
The effects of management practices on grassland birds
Populations of grassland birds have been declining more precipitously than any other group of North American birds. These declines highlight the need to understand the habitat requirements of grassland birds and how management practices affect grassland birds and their habitats. The demand for information on management and its effects on grassland...
Johnson, Douglas H.; Igl, Lawrence D.; Shaffer, Jill A.; DeLong, John P.