By editor
Carter County, Southeast Montana
Located in the remote expanses of Carter County, the Little Beaver Creek area is recognized globally as an Important Bird Area specifically for the Mountain Plover. This elusive shorebird has entirely abandoned the water, evolving to thrive in the driest, most barren shortgrass prairies and prairie dog towns of the Great Plains.
The Mountain Plover is a master of invisibility. Its pale, sandy plumage perfectly matches the dry earth, and it will often turn its back to an observer and simply vanish against the background. They are most easily located by scanning the edges of active black-tailed prairie dog colonies, where the rodents have grazed the vegetation down to the bare dirt. The prairie dog towns also attract Burrowing Owls, which nest in the abandoned burrows, and Ferruginous Hawks, which hunt the rodents from above.
Visitor Access
Access to the Little Beaver Creek area is a complex mix of BLM and private land. There are no specific trails, signs, or facilities. Birding is done by driving the remote county roads and scanning the prairie dog towns from the vehicle. Road conditions in rural Carter County can vary dramatically, and high-clearance vehicles are recommended. Visitors must respect private property boundaries and should contact the BLM Miles City Field Office for current road conditions.