Big Sioux River Wildlife Area/Nelson & Kroger Tracts

County:  Lyon
Directions:  The Kroger tract is located just south of Hwy 18 for a mile east of where it crosses the Big Sioux River into South Dakota. The Nelson tract is two miles north on the first gravel road east of the river bridge on Hwy 18.
Ornithological Significance:  The native grassland and riparian shrub/savannah and riparian woodlands of these areas and the private lands along the Big Sioux River valley of the far northwest corner of the state are largely under birded but important to species like Am Woodcock, Black-billed Cuckoo, Loggerhead Shrike, Yellow-breasted Chat, Grasshopper Sparrow and Bobolink. From limited experience in the fall, I can also predict it is a natural corridor for raptor migration concentrations.

Habitats:

Woodland

Grassland

Savanna/Shrub

Riparian

Ownership:

Private

State

Criteria Categories:

2 - High conservation priority

3 - Rare or unique habitat

4 - Significant species concentrations

Click here for breeding bird and concentration data for this site.