Black Hills Area Bird-watching

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National Geographic Guide to Birdwatching Sites, Western U.S.

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The rugged uplands of what is now eastern South Dakota were called Coteau des Prairies by 19th-century French fur traders. These “prairie hills” were pushed up by glaciers in the last ice age, and today this forested region, an anomaly in the midst of rolling grassland, can be explored at Sica Hollow State Park, a favorite destination to find nesting birds of deciduous woodland. To reach it, drive west from Sisseton 11 miles [17.7 kilometers], turn north, and drive 5 miles [8 kilometers]. Here in a forest of basswood, ash, oak, elm, and maple, look for Broad-winged Hawk, Ruby-throated Hummingbird (a rare nesting bird in this region), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Willow and Least Flycatchers, Yellow-throated Vireo, Veery, Black-and-white Warbler (a scarce breeder in the state), Scarlet Tanager, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Wood Thrush has been found nesting in the area, and might be looked for, too. The half-mile [0.8-kilometer] Trail of the Spirits is productive for birding and provides a good introduction to park flora. CONTINUED

- Black Hills
- Badlands National Park

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Black Hills
Encompassing the highest point in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, South Dakota’s Black Hills offer the traveler a chance at a number of high-country birds in forests of aspen, ponderosa pine, and spruce. One of the most popular birding routes in the region is the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway (US 14A) in Black Hills National Forest, which runs south from Spearfish 20 miles [32.2 kilometers] to Cheyenne Crossing. This superb drive is very popular with nonbirders, too; traffic will be lighter on an early morning visit.
Some of the species to look for as you start up the canyon in late spring and summer include Ruffed Grouse, White-throated Swift (common around cliffs), Lewis’s Woodpecker (scarce), Red-naped Sapsucker (in aspen and mixed woodland), Western Wood-Pewee, Dusky and Cordilleran Flycatchers, Pinyon Jay, Violet-green Swallow, Canyon Wren, Mountain Bluebird, Veery, MacGillivray’s Warbler, Western Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting, and Cassin’s Finch. American Dipper can be seen along Spearfish Creek, but it’s most likely found at Roughlock Falls, reached by turning west on Forest Road 222 at Savoy, about 15 miles [24.1 kilometers] up the canyon.
As you ascend through the spruce and pinewoods of the Black Hills, some of the possibilities include Northern Saw-whet Owl, Black-backed Woodpecker (scarce), Plumbeous Vireo, Gray Jay, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Townsend’s Solitaire, Swainson’s Thrush, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Dark-eyed Junco (the white-winged race), Red Crossbill, and Pine Siskin.
Stop and explore recreation areas along the scenic byway, as well as along Forest Road 222 west of Savoy, such as Timon Campground at 5,600 feet [1,706.9 meters]. If you continue past Cheyenne Crossing, you can turn south to Hanna Campground (5,600 feet; 1,706.9 meters), a productive spot for many high-elevation species. Three-toed Woodpecker is a possibilit y here; it’s easiest to find in spring when males are “drumming.” To reach Black Fox Campground, another favorite birding site, drive west from Cheyenne Crossing on US 85 for 13 miles [20.9 kilometers] to O’Neill Pass, turn southeast on Forest Road 231, and drive 11 miles [17.7 kilometers].
One more note about the Black Hills region: A population of Virginia’s Warbler nests in Boles, Roby, and Redbird Canyons in the southwestern part of the national forest, reached by taking Forest Road 117 north from US 16 at the Wyoming state line. The canyons are located along the first 10 miles [16.1 kilometers] from US 16, but continuing north will take you along a beautiful drive good for many Black Hills birds, far less traveled than Spearfish Canyon.

Badlands National Park

Dramatic vistas of buttes and mixed grass prairie greet visitors to Badlands National Park, located in southwestern South Dakota.

Photograph © Layne Kennedy/Corbis

To the south of Wall, Badlands National Park is a place of striking and stark beauty, where weirdly eroded sedimentary rocks rise up from arid grassland. If you can take your eyes off the landscape (and occasional pronghorn and bison), simply driving park roads might turn up nesting species such as Northern Harrier, Swainson’s and Ferruginous Hawks, Golden Eagle, Prairie Falcon, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Upland Sandpiper, Long-billed Curlew, White-throated Swift, Loggerhead Shrike, Black-billed Magpie, Mountain Bluebird, and Lark Bunting. Exploring roadsides and trails, you could find Say’s Phoebe, Bell’s Vireo, Rock Wren, and Lark and Grasshopper Sparrows.
For varied birding, take a walk along the trails near the Ben Reifel Visitor Center at the eastern end of the park. The Cliff Shelf Nature Trail, steep but only a half-mile [0.8-kilometer] loop, traverses an oasislike area of vegetation, while the longer Castle Trail passes through mixed-grass prairie and badlands formations. Be sure to take the time to drive the Sage Creek Rim Road in the western part of the park to Roberts Prairie Dog Town, where you might find Burrowing Owls.