NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/1213050
14 Nebraskaland • March 2020 IN THE FIELD By Melissa J. Panella THREATENED AND ENDANGERED: THE MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR The McCown's longspur (Rhynchophanes mccownii) is one of a few bird species endemic to the Great Plains, which means that it is native and restricted to only a certain area. In many cases, endemic species are especially vulnerable because of their limited distribution and specialized habitats. Endemics are typically unable to find new locations with conditions suitable for their survival when the current territories they depend upon become degraded or converted to other uses. McCown's longspurs are grassland birds. They thrive when there is open country rich with food resources, such as the shortgrass prairie of western Nebraska. Longspurs stay relatively close to the earth to forage for seed and insects on bare or sparsely vegetated ground. The males are master aerial acrobatic performers, displaying on the rolling hilltops of the plains in anticipation that their song and dance will attract the attention of an onlooking interested female mate. Their nesting also takes place on the ground, with their nests often positioned atop hills and buttes. Long-term monitoring efforts have shown a substantial decrease in the number of McCown's longspurs across their range. In Nebraska, it has become increasingly harder to detect their nests. In 2018, staff of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission proposed the McCown's longspur for listing as threatened in Nebraska because of the substantial downward trend documented for the species. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is now prioritizing conservation of the longspur among the agency's many wildlife responsibilities. The addition of the McCown's longspur to the state of Nebraska list of threatened species will help bring recognition and possible funding sources to conserve this sparrow-like bird into the future. If more nesting locations can be detected, the Commission will work with willing property owners to help ensure that the eggs will hatch nestlings that have a fighting chance to survive. In fact, the McCown's longspur is a species that prefers well- grazed rangelands, so conservation of this species can go hand-in-hand with strategic cattle grazing. One of the most important objectives of the Nebraska Natural Legacy Project is to recover endangered and threatened species. State wildlife grants and Nebraska Environmental Trust funds have been critical to supporting the work that will improve and maintain shortgrass prairie habitat in the Great Plains. Melissa J. Panella is a wildlife biologist for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAAG