Long-billed curlews are one of the 13 shorebird species known to nest in North Dakota. Learn more about these neat little birds here.
Wildlife Notes
Bluegill Spawn
Bluegill spawn late May and June when water temperatures near 22 C (71.6F). Large males build nests in colonies where they spawn and protect eggs. Some smaller males will mimic females to fertilize eggs instead of nest building and defense.
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North Dakota Deer Species
North Dakota is home to two deer species, whitetail and mule deer. Learn more about their similarities and differences in this video.
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River Otters in North Dakota
River otters can be found in certain river corridors in North Dakota. Learn more about this species in this short video.
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Prairie Rattlesnakes
Contrary to popular rumor, there are prairie rattlesnakes east of the Missouri River in North Dakota. Learn about one population in this video.
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Yucca Moths
Did you know that yucca moths are the yucca plant's only pollinator? Learn more here!
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Winter Camouflage
Did you know that North Dakota's two hare (white-tailed jackrabbits and snowshoe hares) and three weasel (long-tailed, short-tailed and least) species turn white in the winter.
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Winter Ticks and Moose
Stories about ghost moose are being told with increased frequency across the southern portion of moose range in North America. Winter ticks are the cause.
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Newly Hatched Killdeer Chicks
Newly hatched killdeer chicks, while not the most graceful of creatures, are arguably one of the most adorable. These chicks were filmed in a gravel area right outside of one of the Department's offices.
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Bison in North Dakota
Watch this short video for some facts on bison in North Dakota.
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Eastern Kingbird and Chitin Pellets
Eastern kingbirds (Tyrannus tyrannus), which can be found across North Dakota in the summer, feed primarily on insects during the breeding season. Like owls and some other birds, eastern kingbirds regurgitate pellets of indigestible prey parts, in this case insect chitin. Here is a series of photographs demonstrating this behavior (because we knew everyone would appreciate this visual to start your day out right!)
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Ticks
Ticks sit on the tips of vegetation with legs outstretched waiting for dinner to wander by. Learn more about one of North Dakota's least favorite insects here.
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Black Tern Fish Flight
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American Coots in North Dakota
American coots are a fairly common water bird in North Dakota. Check out this short video to learn more.
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North Dakota Ground Squirrels
So is that ground squirrel you see in the North Dakota countryside a Flickertail or a Franklin's?
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Wild Turkey in North Dakota
Wild turkey, a popular upland game species in North Dakota, are not native to the state. Learn more in this Wildlife Notes post.
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Ten-Petal Blazing Star
If you want to see one of the state’s most impressive wildflowers in full bloom, you need to know not only where to look, but when.
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Northern Hawk Owl
The northern hawk owl is a unique looking creature that can occasionally be found in North Dakota in the winter.
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Mimicry in the Wild
Is it a monarch butterfly or a viceroy? Viceroy, along with many other species, use mimicry to aide survival. Find out more in this post.
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American Bittern Eyes
Did you know that the eyes on an American Bittern are set in their face so they can easily focus downward? Bittern eat a wide variety of prey like fish, insects, small reptiles and mammals which they use stalking behaviors to capture.
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Wading Birds in North Dakota
Many species of wading birds migrate through North Dakota. Some even breed here. Learn more in this short video.
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Bigmouth and Smallmouth Buffalo
Bigmouth buffalo and smallmouth buffalo are members of the sucker family and both native to the Missouri River System in North Dakota.
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Chokecherry
Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), a member of the rose family, is the state fruit of North Dakota. This small tree or shrub grows to a height of 20 feet.
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Porcupine Predators
While some larger predators will take on an occasional porcupine, only one in North Dakota is a truly effective predator of porcupines. Learn more.
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Owls in North Dakota
Learn about owls that migrate through and/or nest in North Dakota.
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How much wood can a woodchuck chuck
So, how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Well, a New York state wildlife expert, Richard Thomas, decided to answer that question some years back.
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Badger
Badgers are found statewide in North Dakota. Find out more about this hard-digging furbearer in this segment of North Dakota Outdoors.
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