It's chicken dancing time on the Chicken Dance Trail
photo by Don Brockmeier
April is a great month for bird watching in Nebraska. Although we’re seeing the last of the Sandhill Cranes as well as the larger, endangered Whooping Cranes depart, it’s chicken dancing time along the Chicken Dance Trail in the southwest and south central part of the state.
Greater Prairie-chickens and Sharp-tailed Grouse are at their peak of activity on the dancing or “booming” grounds, known as leks. This is the best time of year to observe these birds, both of which give outstanding shows as they call, display, posture and even fight on the leks. But you have to be the “early bird” if you’re going to observe the show, as they start up about 45 minutes before sunrise and quit less than two hours later. If you are out early in the morning in a grassland area, listen for deep “booming”, cackles and clucks, or the stomping of little feet — you just might find a Greater Prairie-chicken or Sharp-tailed Grouse lek.
We all know that “April showers bring May flowers”, but they also bring shorebirds in abundance. Whether it is on the shore of a large reservoir, a Rainwater Basin wetland, a flooded crop field or a sandbar in the river, there will be shorebirds somewhere near you this month. These birds vary widely in size, coloration, habits and habitat preference. Some are no larger than sparrows, such as the Least Sandpiper, less than five inches long from beak to tail, while others, such as the Marbled Godwit can be as large as a pheasant. Some are drab with overall brownish gray colors, while others including the American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Ruddy Turnstone and American Golden Plover can be quite striking. And not all shorebirds are found on the shore. Upland Sandpipers and Long-billed Curlews call Nebraska grasslands home during the summer months, often living far from any water. American Woodcocks like the moist and shaded woodland areas, typically near water, but they are not always by the shore.
Some shorebirds even “break the rules” of the bird world. The Wilson’s Phalarope for example has females that are more colorful than males, and males that incubate the eggs (backwards from the vast majority of our bird species). Shorebirds are a very diverse group, and April “shore” is a good month to look for them.
Grab your binoculars and get outdoors. Bird watching is a wonderful hobby and now is an ideal time to see the chickens dance and the shorebirds wade along the Chicken Dance Trail.T. J. Walker
Wildlife Biologist
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission,
North Platte
Tell others the birds you're seeing
If you’re seeing interesting birds this spring, you can easily tell others and even post your pictures on the online bulletin board at www.nebraskabirdingadventures.com. From the home page, choose the Bulletin Board. You’ll see a link to submit your sightings along with postings from other bird watchers about what they’re seeing and where. Share your sightings with others. It’s easy.
Special Thanks to:
Nebraska Game and Parks, Birds of Nebraska
www.ngpc.state.ne.us/wildlife/guides/birds/findbirds.asp