Bluegill spawn late May and June when water temperatures near 22 C (71.6F). Large males build nests in colonies where they spawn and protect eggs. Some smaller males will mimic females to fertilize eggs instead of nest building and defense.


Wildlife Notes

Yucca Moths
Did you know that yucca moths are the yucca plant's only pollinator? Learn more here!
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Eastern Kingbird and Chitin Pellets
Eastern kingbirds (Tyrannus tyrannus), which can be found across North Dakota in the summer, feed primarily on insects during the breeding season. Like owls and some other birds, eastern kingbirds regurgitate pellets of indigestible prey parts, in this case insect chitin. Here is a series of photographs demonstrating this behavior (because we knew everyone would appreciate this visual to start your day out right!)
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Ticks
Ticks sit on the tips of vegetation with legs outstretched waiting for dinner to wander by. Learn more about one of North Dakota's least favorite insects here.
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Black Tern Fish Flight
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American Coots in North Dakota
American coots are a fairly common water bird in North Dakota. Check out this short video to learn more.
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North Dakota Ground Squirrels
So is that ground squirrel you see in the North Dakota countryside a Flickertail or a Franklin's?
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Wild Turkey in North Dakota
Wild turkey, a popular upland game species in North Dakota, are not native to the state. Learn more in this Wildlife Notes post.
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Ten-Petal Blazing Star
If you want to see one of the state’s most impressive wildflowers in full bloom, you need to know not only where to look, but when.
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Winter Camouflage
Did you know that North Dakota's two hare (white-tailed jackrabbits and snowshoe hares) and three weasel (long-tailed, short-tailed and least) species turn white in the winter.
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Winter Ticks and Moose
Stories about ghost moose are being told with increased frequency across the southern portion of moose range in North America. Winter ticks are the cause.
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Newly Hatched Killdeer Chicks
Newly hatched killdeer chicks, while not the most graceful of creatures, are arguably one of the most adorable. These chicks were filmed in a gravel area right outside of one of the Department's offices.
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Bison in North Dakota
Watch this short video for some facts on bison in North Dakota.
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Snapping Turtles
Snapping turtles are common throughout North Dakota. These big turtles can live 40-50 years or more in the wild and can grow to around 65 pounds (though most are in the 10-35 pound range).
Read Full Article: Learn more about snapping turtles

Porcupine Fur
Did you know that porcupines have three types of fur? Learn more in this Wildlife Note post.
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Dirt Tubes
Have you ever been driving down a back road during the spring and seen tubes of dirt meandering along a ditch? These tubes are created by northern pocket gophers.
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Sagebrush Lizards Escape Mechanism
Did you know that sagebrush lizards (found in the North Dakota badlands) can drop their tail to distract an attacking predator? They escape while the predator goes after their still twitching tail. Later their tail grows back.
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Spring in North Dakota
Sights and sounds of spring advancing across our North Dakota
Read Full Article: Watch ND spring sights and sounds

Sharp-Tailed Grouse and Snow Caves
One strategy sharp-tailed grouse use to survive winter is to burrow into the snow. Find out more in this post.
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Plains Gartersnake
Plains gartersnakes can be found across North Dakota and can be identified by three stripes, with the middle stripe often being bright orange or yellow.
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Molting
All birds molt - shedding their old, weathered feathers with new ones. Some birds molt once per year, others two or three times per year. Sometimes the molt process is simultaneous, such as with waterfowl when they lose all of the primary feathers at once, leaving them flightless for 3-4 weeks. You’ve probably seen them this time of year in a wetland doing a breast-stroke swim to escape to cover.
Read Full Article: Learn more about bird molts

Burrowing Owls
Burrowing owls nest underground. Learn more in this Wildlife Notes post.
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The Sandman Goes Wild
For humans, sleeping involves closing their eyes and drifting away into a state of rest for the mind and body. In the safety and warmth of their home, this is typically accomplished in about eight hours. For teenagers, sometimes it takes much longer.
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White-Tailed Deer Movements
On the northern Great Plains, seasonal movements of white-tailed deer are highly variable. Find out more in this Wildlife Notes post.
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Sharp-tailed Grouse or Fire Bird
To the Lakota, the sharp-tailed grouse was called “Cansiyo” or the “Fire Bird”, because of its need for fire to keep the grasslands open. Learn more about this iconic bird in the Wildlife Notes post.
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Western Prairie Fringed Orchid
The western prairie fringed orchid is North Dakota's only federally listed plant under the Endangered Species Act.
Read Full Article: Western Prairie Fringed Orchid

Mountain Lion vs. Canine Tracks
How do you tell the difference between mountain lion and coyote tracks? Watch this short video for some tips.
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Red-Eyed Vireo
Red-eyed vireos typically sing high in tree canopies in short little bursts of 2-4 syllables, altering back and forth between ascending and descending tones so it sounds like a 90's Valley Girl on the phone saying, "Hello?" "Where are you?" "That's cool" "I'm up here." "Totally."
Read Full Article: Learn more about red-eyed vireo