Flora & Fauna

By Monica Macoubrie, Wildlife Education Specialist Winter is normally a time for hibernation. Sleeping five to sometimes nine months out of the year, animals will lay coiled up and cozy in an underground burrow, a pile of leaves or, as humans do, under a heated blanket in our beds. The negative temperatures, face-stinging wind, and feet and feet of shoveled snow could make anyone want to hibernate all season long in their heated homes. However, winter is a fabulous time …

Larry Porter was a beloved former sports and outdoor writer for the Omaha World-Herald. He passed away March 2. In retirement, Porter pursued his interest in nature photography, and just before his passing, he contributed this story and photographs to Nebraskaland to publish on this site. We are saddened to learn about Porter’s passing, and we are sharing this story here now to honor his memory and legacy. — Nebraska Game and Parks Staff By Larry Porter People chuckle at …

When I was kid, I always looked forward to taking a drive with my grandparents during the March thaw to see the spring migration of birds along the Platte River in rural Sarpy County, Nebraska. We never had to travel very far from our homes in Gretna to see the migrating birds either. It’s those drives that helped develop my appreciation for birds. Truth is, you still do not have to venture far at all to enjoy the spectacular spring migration of birds …

Best of Show BEST OF SHOW – Sandhill Crane Preening on Platte River Bank Photo by Britton Bailey, Aurora @bfbinstailey With more than 3,000 entries submitted through Instagram, the 2021 Nebraskaland Magazine Photo Contest drew a record number of stunning images from Nebraska photographers in the categories of Wildlife, Flora, Scenic and Recreation. This year’s Best of Show winner, “Sandhill Crane Preening on Platte River Bank,” by Britton Bailey of Aurora, was shot at Rowe Sanctuary in central Nebraska. “To …

As a conservation professional, I get sick and tired of people calling snow and Ross’s geese nasty nicknames and saying that they are downright unfit to eat. Look, they are not “sky carp,” “rats with white feathers,” or “trash birds.” No, not by a long shot! Your blogger displays snow geese harvested during a recent Light Goose Conservation Order hunt in south-central Nebraska. Photo courtesy of Greg Wagner/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. They are classified as light geese — snow …

By Greg Wagner and Brian Peterson. Brian Peterson is a biologist at the University of Nebraska at Kearney and coordinates the M.S Biology Online Program. His research focus is white-tailed deer antler metrics.  He is also an avid hunter and outdoorsman. Maybe you’re a hunter. Maybe you’re not. But, there’s a unique form of hunting you will enjoy. It is a challenging and rewarding pastime that makes for an excellent family outdoor activity this time of year. It is deer shed …

Northern Saw-whet Owl autumn migration in eastern Nebraska: results from a three-year banding study By Stephen J. Brenner & Joel G. Jorgensen The northern saw-whet owl (Aegolius acadius) is one the smallest owls in North America. In Nebraska, breeding has been documented in the Pine Ridge and Wildcat Hills and is suspected in the middle Niobrara river region, but its status over the remainder of the state is poorly defined. We recently concluded a three-year banding study at sites near …

By Amber Schiltz Woodpeckers are special birds known for exactly what their name describes — “pecking” at wood. Using their strong beaks to drill into living or dead trees helps them look for tasty bugs, build cozy nests for their young, and even allows them to talk to one another by the the sound of their drilling. Woodpeckers have incredible adaptations, or tricks, to help them drill. This includes a stiff tail that keeps them from falling as they drill …

By Dr. Andrew Little, University of Nebraska-Lincoln In February 2021, Dr. Andrew Little at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Dr. Ranglack at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and biologists with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission began a 2-year study designed to identify critical ranges, temporal and spatial distribution, habitat use, migration corridors and survival of pronghorn in western Nebraska. This project is a collaborative effort amongst the University campuses, Game and Parks and more than 300 private landowners. This …

Nebraska Game and Parks assists in collecting American burying beetles for Ohio reintroductions By Shaun Dunn, Zoologist This summer, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and partner biologists led and participated in several trapping efforts for the federally threatened American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) in the Loess Canyons and Sandhills regions of the state. The populations in these two areas are among the largest concentrations of American burying beetles in the world. Efforts to monitor their numbers and distribution have …