Seasons of the Tallgrass Prairie

Paul A. Johnsgard is Foundation Regents Professor Emeritus in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He has received the National Conservation Achievement Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award, both sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation, and is the author of more than five dozen books on natural history, including The Sandhill and Whooping Cranes: Ancient Voices over America's Wetlands and Prairie Dog Empire: A Saga of the Shortgrass Prairie (both available in Bison Books editions).

“Many scientists and historians have written about the natural history of the Great Plains, but few so compellingly as Paul Johnsgard.”-Annals of Iowa"Seasons of the Tallgrass Prairie celebrates the gifts of a half century spent roaming Nebraska's back roads, trails, and sometimes-forgotten places."-Nebraska Magazine "A simply wonderful read from beginning to end."-John Burroughs, Midwest Book Review "A quietly magnificent book, nature writing at its best."-Nancy Plain, Roundup Magazine "From sacred sites to majestic wildlife patterns, Seasons of the Tallgrass Prairie snaps a unique portraiture of Nebraska as a great sustainer of all who dwell within its bounds. Whether you’re a scientist or layperson, it’s worth your time to pick up this collection, discover a quiet outdoor spot and just take it all in."-Erin Seaward-hiatt, L Magazine

• Preface and Acknowledgments    Part 1. Wild Places and Natural Treasures1. A Place Called Pahaku    2. The Life and Hard Times of the Platte River    3. Nebraska’s Magical Spring Migration    4. The Birds of Nebraska’s Boondocks    5. What Is a Tallgrass Prairie?    6. Close Encounters with Nature at Spring Creek Audubon Prairie    Part 2. Seasonal EnchantmentsSpring    7. The Snow Geese of the Central Flyway    8. A Congruence of Cranes    with Karine Gil-Weir9. The Whooping Cranes Are Still Surviving Tough Odds    with Karine Gil-Weir10. The Strange Courtship of Prairie Grouse    11. The Secretive Shorebirds and Their Amazing Migrations    Summer    12. Birds of the Tallgrass Prairie    13. Nebraska’s City-Dwelling Peregrines    14. The Ancient Romance of the Yucca and the Yucca Moth    Fall    15. A Dazzle of Hummingbirds    16. A Symphony of Swans    17. A Plethora of Pelicans    Winter    18. A Gathering of Eagles    19. A Parliament of Owls    20. The Feathers of Winter    Part 3. The View from a High Hill21. A Summing Up    Appendix: Latin Names of Plants and Animals Mentioned in the Text    Bibliographic Sources