Watch on the left for the turnoff to the Cottonwoods Campground, which is about 5.4 miles from the visitors’ center. This spot lives up to its name in that there are many cottonwoods. It is a good place for Common Flicker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos, Northern (Bullock’s) Oriole (rare), Black-headed Grosbeak, and Lazuli Bunting. In the summer, there are lots of people in addition to the birds.
A better area can be reached by continuing for 1.0 mile, turning left, and then immediately right to the picnic area. This spot is not only well-wooded, but also it has good patches of secondary growth. Look here for Common Flicker, Willow Flycatcher, Western Pewee, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos, Black-and-white and Yellow Warblers, Ovenbird, Yellow-breasted Chat, American Redstart, Black-headed Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting, Rufous-sided Towhee, and Chipping Sparrow.
The Jones Creek Trail (1.3 miles past the picnic area) passes through vegetation typical of the park. There is also an excellent stand of sage. Although not many birds are seen along the trail, it is good for Sharp-tailed Grouse, Rufous-sided Towhee, and Field Sparrow.
Most of the park is occupied by short-grass prairie spotted with occasional large sagebrush flats. Many of the rolling hills and ravines are covered with junipers.
In open areas, watch for Swainson’s and Ferruginous Hawks; Prairie Falcon; Golden Eagle; Sharp-tailed Grouse; Black-billed Magpie; Mountain Bluebird; Rufous-sided Towhee (brushier areas); Field, Grasshopper, and Lark Sparrows; McCown’s and Chestnut-collared Longspurs; Bison; White-tailed Jackrabbit; Mule Deer; Gopher Snake; and Prairie Rattlesnake. Check in the vicinity of eroded buttes for Poor-will (rare), Say’s Phoebe, and Rock Wren.
These badlands are fairly good in winter, mainly for raptors and western vagrants. Look for Northern Goshawk (rare), Rough-legged Hawk, Prairie Falcon (rare), and Bald (rare) and Golden Eagles. Townsend’s Solitaires usually winter, and Clark’s Nutcrackers and Gray-crowned Rosy Finches sometimes wander over. In fact, 200 of the latter species were found on a recent Medora Christmas Count. Other species found here are Sharp-tailed Grouse, Ring-necked Pheasant, Great Horned Owl, Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, Horned Lark, Black-billed Magpie, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted and Red-breasted (uncommon) Nuthatches, American Robin, Bohemian and Cedar Waxwings, Northern Shrike, Evening Grosbeak, Purple Finch, Common Redpoll, and American Tree Sparrow.
After visiting the park, it is easy to see how Theodore Roosevelt developed such a keen interest in conservation from having lived here.
NORTHWESTERN NORTH DAKOTA
Swainson’s Hawk