0
Grassland Birds
The Verdigris-Bazile Creek Drainages Geographic Focus Area (GFA) is located in Cedar, Knox, and Antelope Counties, along the northern edge of the RWBJV Administrative Area. It encompasses the watersheds of two cold-water streams: Verdigris Creek, a tributary of the lower Niobrara River, and Bazile Creek, which empties into the Missouri River just below the mouth of the Niobrara.
This relatively small GFA is in the transition zone between tallgrass and mixed-grass prairie, and provides nesting habitat to an estimated 600,000 grassland birds, including Greater Prairie-Chickens.
Land cover is a mixture of grassland, woodland, and crops – principally corn, soybeans, and alfalfa. The quality of grasslands in the region is threatened by invasive plant species, including eastern red cedar, smooth brome, and Kentucky bluegrass.
