Perhaps best known for its globally significant populations of breeding waterfowl, the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) also provides crucial core habitat for imperiled grassland songbirds like Sprague’s Pipit, Baird’s Sparrow, Chestnut-collared Longspur and McCown’s Longspur. Further, the Montana portion of the PPR contains expansive priority habitat for Greater Sage-Grouse. Continentally, each of these species has experienced steep population declines and several have been considered or are candidates for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA).
The majority of grasslands and sage-steppe providing habitat for songbirds and Sage-Grouse are privately-owned, making good stewardship of private lands critical for conservation of at-risk wildlife populations in the PPR and beyond. In response, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) teamed up with The