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Explore the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway with these unique wildlife viewing opportunities.
Plymouth County, the northernmost county in the Loess Hills, is home to a variety of unique wildlife. Broken Kettle Grasslands is home to a herd of 200 bison and is the only known location of prairie rattlesnake in Iowa. It is also a bird conservation area. Also in Plymouth County, visit Knapp Prairie to see regal fritillaries and the elk herd at Hillview Recreation Area. Birders flock to Riverton Wildlife Area in spring to witness the majesty of migration. Hitchcock Nature Center near Council Bluffs is home to the Hitchcock HawkWatch that counts thousands of raptors during fall migration. Plan your road trip on the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway using the Explore the Byway page. |
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Bison at Broken Kettle Grasslands
Photo: Chris Helzer/TNC
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Broken Kettle is a sweeping reminder of nature’s beauty. Not only is it the Conservancy’s largest preserve in Iowa, but it contains the largest remaining prairie in Iowa.
The Nature Conservancy welcomed a herd of bison at Broken Kettle Grasslands in the fall of 2008—an historic event benefiting the native prairie and the bison herd itself. Learn more about this unique herd, the role that bison play in prairie restoration, and the relationship the Conservancy has with bison across North America at the E. Kevin Kelly Visitor Center, a repurposed barn with information about Broken Kettle and the Loess Hills. Driving along Butcher Road is the best way to view bison at Broken Kettle. The Aalfs Family Preserve includes a scenic overlook with a bench and interpretive panel. However, it is located inside the bison enclosure so check the area for bison before entering via the kissing gate. |
HawkWatch at Hitchcock
Photo: Ken West
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Every year, from September through December, birds of prey enthusiasts gather at Hitchcock Nature Center to observe and count thousands of eagles, hawks, and other raptors as they migrate south.
Hitchcock HawkWatch is a volunteer-driven research project based at Hitchcock Nature Center in Honey Creek, Iowa. Staffed by dozens of volunteers and one paid seasonal employee, this hawk watch effort counts an average of 13,000 migrating raptors annually. The official hawk watch season is from September 1st through December 13th annually. The data collected by the Hitchcock HawkWatch team is shared with a national database to add to our collective knowledge about birds of prey and to support continued raptor research and support projects. |
Spring Migration at Riverton
Photo: Carter Oliver
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Witness the wonder of spring migration at Riverton Wildlife Area on the Pleasant Overview Loop. Snow geese start showing up (around 100,000 to more than 300,000) as soon as southwest Iowa begins to thaw out around late February through mid-March. The ducks come right after the snow geese from early March through April, and the shorebirds after the ducks usually from late April through May.
The arrival of waterfowl can especially vary depending on the timing of thawing in spring. Shorebirds will depend on the availability of shallow water and mudflats and may skip southwest Iowa during dry springs. Spring is more favored than fall migration for birders because the birds are in breeding plumage, birders can legally walk into the refuge, and there's fewer hunters present. For the neotropical migrant song birds, spring is also favored by birders also because the males are singing more since it is the breeding season. |
Elk at Hillview Recreation Area
Photo: Plymouth CCB
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Headquarters for the Plymouth County Conservation Board, Hillview Recreation Area is located one mile west of Hinton on county road C60.
The 580-acre county park contains a mixture of open grasslands, reconstructed prairie, oak woodlands, and wildlife habitat. The park is also a place to camp, swim, and hunt as well as hike, bike and ride a horse. Be sure to check out the elk herd while you are visiting. The original herd of elk came to Hillview in 1999. Elk were originally found in Iowa and the Hillview herd allows them to be seen in their original native environment. The last report of a native elk in Iowa was 1871. |
Regal Fritillaries at Knapp Prairie
Photo: Sarah Bailey
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More than 900 regal fritillaries, orange and yellow butterflies, have been observed in a single survey at Knapp Prairie, making it one of the largest U.S. populations of this butterfly.
Knapp Prairie was donated to the Conservancy by Barry and Carolyn Knapp in 1997. It is a rare example of mesic Loess Hills prairie growing on the lower portions of moderate slopes, saved from conversion to row crops or brome pasture by the tradition of cutting prairie hay. This site is an important seed source for the reconstruction of lower slopes and valleys at other nearby preserves. The Conservancy harvests seeds from the plants that attract these butterflies for use in restoring other prairies in the area. |
One more for the road . . .
Zebra Swallowtails at Waubonsie
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Only known breeding colony in Iowa.
Photo: Grow Pittsburgh
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