Waterbirds

A Canadian goose flies over Devils Tower National Monument.

NPS

The term 'waterbird' does not refer to a single group of birds, but rather many branches of the tree of avian life that have adapted to aquatic ecosystems. Although many of these birds occur in the area naturally, visitors may have a hard time finding them within the park itself. During the warmer half of the year - when these birds travel north to Wyoming for the breeding season - there is little water for them in the park. The only permanent water source is the Belle Fourche River, which turns into a muddy stream in the dry season. Additionally, the construction of the Keyhole Dam upriver of the park in 1952 prevented seasonal flooding, a key event for suitable habitat. Since then, most of these waterbirds are more reliably seen at the Keyhole Reservoir 30 minutes to the southeast. Most waterbirds who do pass through our park do so on the Central Flyway, a key migration route high above our heads, which connects Devils Tower to wintering habitats as far south as Brazil and Argentina. to help them, the conservation of wetlands along this route is of the utmost importance.

Pelicans

• American White Pelican R

Cormorants

• Double Crested Cormorant R

 

 

A great blue heron wading in the Belle Fourche River.

NPS

Wading Birds

• Great Blue Heron U*
• Green Heron R
• Black-crowned Night Heron R

Geese and Ducks (Anatidae)

• Snow Goose R
• Canada Goose C
• Wood Duck C/U*
• Green-winged Teal R
• Mallard C/U*
• Blue-winged Teal R
• Common Merganser R
• Canvasback R

 

A sedge of sandhill cranes flying over Devils Tower.

NPS

Gruiformes

• Sandhill Crane F
• American Coot R

Shorebirds

• Killdeer R*

• Spotted Sandpiper R*

Gulls

• Ring-billed Gull R

LEGEND

C= Common
F= Fairly Common
U= Uncommon
O= Occasional
R= Rare
I= Introduced
*= Breeding