Birds

A bald eagle soars over the Niobrara River Valley.

NPS Photo/Megan McCann

A diverse array of avian life inhabits the Niobrara Valley. Five western species reach their eastern limits in the valley, while six northern oriented species reach their southern limits in the valley. The central reach of the Niobrara River is ecologically significant because it serves as an east-west avian corridor and important meeting ground, especially for forest dependent species. Hybridization of eastern and western associated species, such as indigo and lazuli buntings, yellow-shafted and red-shafted flickers, and Baltimore and Bullock's orioles are vivid testament of the biological uniqueness of the Scenic River.

Outdoor enthusiasts are likely to encounter great blue herons peering intently into the water; green herons, cormorants, and white pelicans migrating through the river valley during the spring; spotted sandpipers bobbing along sandbars; or kingfishers plunging from an overhanging branch to catch a minnow beneath the water's surface.

The Niobrara is home to several state and federally listed threatened or endangered bird species. Peregrine falcons, once an endangered species, migrate through Nebraska in late April and early May and in September and October. Falcons prey on small mammals and are found near marshes, cropland, and grasslands. Current studies by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are documenting the peregrine falcon's abundance in the Niobrara River valley. Whooping cranes migrate through the valley seasonally, and the interior least tern and piping plover nest on sandbars east of the popular floatable reach. Bald eagles are especially common in winter months fishing open stretches of the river, hunting small mammals, or feeding on winterkill or roadkill carion. They are also known to reside along the Niobrara in summer months.

 

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Species Attribute Definitions

Definitions

Occurrence

Occurrence values are defined below. One or more Occurrence Tags may be associated with each Occurrence value.

Present: Species occurs in park; current, reliable evidence available.

Probably Present: High confidence species occurs in park but current, verified evidence needed.

Unconfirmed: Species is attributed to park but evidence is weak or absent.

Not In Park: Species is not known to occur in park.

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Occurrence Tags

Adjacent: Species is known to occur in areas near to or contiguous with park boundaries.

False Report: Species was reported to occur within the park, but current evidence indicates the report was based on misidentification, a taxonomic concept no longer accepted, or other similar problem of error or interpretation.

Historical: Species' historical occurrence in park is documented. Assigned based on judgment as opposed to determination based on age of the most recent evidence.

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Abundance

Abundant:

• Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, and counted in relatively large numbers.
• Plants: Large number of individuals; wide ecological amplitude or occurring in habitats covering a large portion of the park.

Common:

• Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, but not in large numbers.
• Plants: Large numbers of individuals predictably occurring in commonly encountered habitats but not those covering a large portion of the park.

Uncommon:

• Animals: Likely to be seen monthly in appropriate habitat and season. May be locally common.
• Plants: Few to moderate numbers of individuals; occurring either sporadically in commonly encountered habitats or in uncommon habitats.

Rare:

• Animals: Present, but usually seen only a few times each year.
• Plants: Few individuals, usually restricted to small areas of rare habitat.

Occasional:

• Animals: Occurs in the park at least once every few years, varying in numbers, but not necessarily every year.
• Plants: Abundance variable from year to year (e.g., desert plants).

Unknown: Abundance unknown

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Nativeness

Native: Species naturally occurs in park or region.

Non-native: Species occurs on park lands as a result of deliberate or accidental human activities.

Unknown: Nativeness status is unknown or ambiguous.

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List Differences

The Checklist contains only those species that are designated as "present" or "probably present" in the park.

The Full List includes all the checklist species in addition to species that are unconfirmed, historically detected, or incorrectly reported as being found in the park. The full list also contains species that are "in review" because their status in the park hasn't been fully determined. Additional details about the status of each species is included in the full list.

The checklist will almost always contain fewer species than the full list.

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Niobrara National Scenic River

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Species attribute definitions

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