Wildlife Habitat Management Institute

Native Warm-Season Grasses and Wildlife

May 2005 Fish and Wildlife Habitat Management Leaflet Number 25

Introduction

Native grasslands once covered vast expanses of 

North America, providing habitat that supported more 

than 800 native species of plants and animals. Native 

warm-season grasses were the dominant component 

of these prairie grassland ecosystems. Native warmseason grasses have minimal requirements for supplemental water or fertilizer. Once established, they 

are drought tolerant and almost completely disease 

free. Peak growth periods of these mostly perennial bunch grasses are from June through August. Like 

other native plants, they have coevolved with the local climate, soils, and rainfall, and are well suited 

to the growing conditions found in different regions 

across North America. Likewise, wildlife associated 

with grasslands are adapted to the habitats that native 

warm-season grasses provide.

When Europeans began to settle the North American 

prairies in the late 1800s, they converted large tracts 

of native grassland to crop production and introduced 

cool-season grasses. They also began suppressing fire, 

which had been essential to maintaining natural grasslands. Many of the introduced cool-season grasses 

were hardy and aggressive species that flourished in 

the North American climate. These species can grow 

in dense mats that are almost impenetrable by wildlife 

and consequently are poor providers of nesting and 

escape cover for many species. One of the most common introduced cool season grasses is fescue, which 

often carries a toxic endophyte fungus that can cause 

reproductive problems for both wildlife and livestock.

Modern development continues to change the landscape and destroy natural grasslands. Today, less than 

10 percent of the original tallgrass prairie and 30 percent of shortgrass prairie remains. This loss has directly affected native wildlife; many prairie-dependent species are declining, threatened, or endangered. 

However, new efforts to restore pre-settlement habitats are helping to educate landowners about the benefits of grasslands. Many people do not realize that 

warm-season grasses can benefit humans and liveBilly Teels, NRCS

Reconstructed tall-grass prairie

stock as well as wildlife. The deep root systems of 

native grasses hold soil in place, reducing erosion 

and decreasing runoff, which helps keep waterways 

healthy and recharges ground water. When native 

grasses die, their roots decay and add significant 

amounts of organic matter throughout the soil, replenishing fertility. 

This leaflet serves as an introduction to native warmseason grasses and the benefits they provide to wildlife and livestock. The leaflet also provides an overview of the management of native warm-season grass 

habitat projects. Landowners are encouraged to consult with natural resource professionals to design the 

most suitable grassland habitat and associated management techniques for their property.

Benefits to wildlife 

Native warm-season grasses provide optimum habitat conditions to more native wildlife species than 

do cool season grasses. They provide three of the basic habitat requirements of grassland wildlife species – food, shelter, and space. The habitat provided 

by native warm-season grass species is preferred by 
Native Warm-Season Grasses and Wildlife

ground-dwelling wildlife such as rabbits, wild turkeys, 

ring-necked pheasants, northern bobwhites, and a variety of songbirds and small mammals. Table 1 provides examples of some wildlife species associated 

with native warm-season grasses.

The growth form of native warm-season grasses is a 

key factor in their wildlife habitat value. The bunch 

grass open structure provides bare ground between 

the plants allowing for easy wildlife movement while 

providing protective overhead cover. Many cool-season grasses, such as tall fescue, grow too densely for 

easy wildlife movement. This is particularly important for seed eating birds that pick seeds from the 

ground. Native warm-season grasses provide effective 

brood rearing habitat for game birds, allowing chicks 

to move easily on the ground in search of food. Native 

warm-season grasses are generally associated with 

a greater number of important food sources, such as 

broadleaf forbs, legumes, and insects, than are coolseason grasses.

Native warm-season grasses are structurally durable, 

with stems capable of withstanding heavy loads of 

snow in the winter. This characteristic provides wildlife with winter cover and decreases winter mortality. Some warm-season grass species will stand upright 

even under 2 feet of snow. 

Victor Love, IBM Boulder, CO

The eastern cottontail uses native warm-season 

grasses for food and nesting cover.

Warm-season grasses provide ideal nesting cover for 

many species, which consists of scattered clumps of 

herbaceous plants interspersed with bare soil or soil 

with only a light litter layer. Warm-season grasses provide particularly useful nest sites for ground-nesting birds. Their bunching nature provides the type 

of structure and materials important for nest building. Where warm-season grasses are harvested, typical haying dates of late June to late July enable early nests to succeed before haying. In contrast, haying 

cline in the eastern U.S. since the late 1960s. 

creases in forest and pasture, are main causes of 

this decline. Bobwhite quail require habitat that has 

clumps of vegetation where they can nest, in close 

proximity to sparsely vegetated, recently disturbed 

cess insects. Good quail habitat consists of native 

warm-season grasses, particularly broomsedge, 

Indiangrass, and little bluestem, interspersed with 

native legumes such as partridge pea, lespedezas, 

aged warm season grasses.

Bobwhite quail: A habitat example

Native warm-season grasslands provide many 

white.

Northern bobwhite populations have been in deShrinking native grasslands, with corresponding inareas with bare ground where quail chicks can acand beggarticks. Ideally, the landscape also provides scattered shrubs, briers, and blackberry thickets for contrast and escape cover. Quail require a 

minimum of nine inches of overhead cover for nesting, which is easily supplied in stands of well-manof the habitat requirements of the northern bobU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

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Native Warm-Season Grasses and Wildlife

dates of cool-season grasses are much earlier, causing the destruction of many grassland bird nests. 

Studies have shown that pheasants build 20 percent 

more nests in switchgrass than in orchardgrass/alfalfa fields. In many regions of the U.S., the use of warmseason grasses has resulted in extraordinary rebounds 

of several upland game bird populations. The conversion of as little as 5 percent of hayfields to warm-season grasses can increase bird populations 10-fold.

Benefits to livestock

Native warm-season grasses have been shown to 

be very beneficial for livestock production. Warmseason grasses thrive and provide high quality forage during hot summer months, during which time 

cool-season grasses are slow growing and unproductive. Approximately 60 to 90 percent of the annual 

growth of warm-season grasses occurs during June 

through August, whereas, more than 60 percent of the 

growth of cool-season grasses occurs before June. 

Landowners without adequate warm-season grass 

pastures frequently have to feed hay to their livestock 

during the height of summer. Some warm-season 

grasses are more palatable and produce significantLynn Betts, NRCS

Native warm-season grasses provide nutritious forage during hot summer months.

ly higher weight gain in livestock than some popular 

cool-season grasses. The ratio of weight gain by cattle feeding on big bluestem and switchgrass to those 

that feed on tall fescue is approximately 2:1. The high 

productivity of warm-season grasses, combined with 

their high digestibility (70% or more) and high protein 

content (6 to 12%) make warm-season grasses a valuable summer forage.

Table 1 Warm-season grassland types and associated wildlife species

Tallgrass prairie Mixed prairie Shortgrass prairie

Region Corn Belt (Kansas, Oklahoma, 

Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, 

South Dakota, Wisconsin, Missouri, 

Illinois) 

Great Plains Region 

(North and South 

Dakota, Nebraska, 

Kansas, central 

Oklahoma, north 

central Texas) 

Montana, eastern 

Wyoming, Colorado, 

western Kansas, 

Oklahoma panhandle, 

northern Texas, North 

and South Dakota, 

Alberta, Saskatchewan

Grasses Big bluestem, Indiangrass, little 

bluestem, side-oats grama, 

switchgrass

Little bluestem, buffalo 

grass, grama grass 

Blue grama, buffalo grass, 

needle grass

Associated Pocket gophers, ground squirrels, 

elk, white-tailed deer, mule deer, 

rabbit, coyote, greater prairiechicken, sandhill crane, loggerhead strike, waterfowl 

Pronghorn, black-tailed 

jackrabbit, desert cottontail, coyote, eastern cottain-tail, mule deer, 

white-taileddeer, prairie 

dog, ground squirrel, 

gopher, burrowing owl, 

grassland birds 

Prairie dog, pronghorn, 

swift fox, bison, blacktailed deer, white-tailed 

deer, bobcat, cougar, 

short-horned lizard, rattlesnake, burrowing owl, 

ferruginous hawk, 

Swainson’s hawk, golden 

eagle, sharp-tailed grouse, 

sage grouse, mountain 

plover, killdeer

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Native Warm-Season Grasses and Wildlife

Management

Table 2 provides management considerations for landowners in planting and maintaining native warm-season grasses. Management techniques vary from region 

to region. Landowners are encouraged to consult local grassland management experts, local conservation 

districts, state wildlife agencies, or local NRCS offices for more information on site preparation, planting, 

burning, and grazing management.

Landowner assistance

Financial and technical assistance for native grassland projects are available from an array of government agencies and public and private organizations. 

Table 3 lists the contact information of organizations 

that can provide information about grassland management, as well as other natural resource projects, and 

describes their associated conservation incentive programs.

Conclusion

The benefits to both wildlife and livestock from warmseason grasses far surpass the initial investment of 

time and money to plant and establish them. Native 

warm-season grasses provide food and nesting and escape cover for a variety of grassland wildlife species. 

They also serve as valuable summer forage for livestock. With some assistance from local agencies, landowners can plant and maintain warm-season grasses 

on their properties. Native warm-season grasses provide a relatively low-maintenance land cover alternative that is extremely beneficial to both landowners 

and wildlife.

Top: Little bluestem (Schizachyarium scoparium), big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii). Bottom: 

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans). Photos courtesy Charlie Rewa, 

NRCS.

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Native Warm-Season Grasses and Wildlife

Table 2 Management considerations for native warm-season grasses

Planning

Obtaining seed

Site preparation

Planting

Controlling 

weeds

Prescribed 

burning

Mowing

Discing

Rotational

grazing

Determine site conditions (soil types, topography, rare plants and animals, existing vegetation, hydrological characteristics)

Identify project goals

Ensure that purchased seed has been tested by a certifying agency

Purchase seed as Pure Live Seed (PLS) and not as bulk seed

Consult the PLANTS National Database (http://plants.usda.gov/) for help with seed selection

Consult the Plant Materials Program (http://www.plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/) for 

fact sheets and planting guides to select the plant releases that are best suited to a particular area and for source identified or selected releases to use for widlife purposes

Ensure that seed does not contain undesirable species

If collecting seed, ensure that collection is legal and that seeds are adapted to local conditions

If necessary, pack the soil with a cultipacker. The site is properly packed when a footprint 

barely registers in the soil

For sites smaller than half an acre, seed by hand

For sites larger than half an acre, use a native drill seeder, which will reduce labor and 

costs, plant seed uniformly, and produce consistent successful results

Reduce weed competition during the first few years by mowing to allow sunlight to reach 

developing seedlings. Other methods include plowing, hand pulling, burning, grazing, or 

applying herbicides

Obtain a burn permit before a prescribed burn is performed

Because proper timing of burning operations is dependent upon the landowner’s objectives, landowners should consult their local NRCS office for assistance with timing of 

native grass burns

Burn rotationally every three to five years

To suppress established warm season grasses that get too dense and rank for wildlife 

benefit, summer or early fall burns will set back warm season grasses

Only mow if burning is not an option

If mowing is necessary, mow after peak wildlife nesting times on a three to five year rotation. Peak nesting times vary from region to region and can continue through the end of 

July in some areas

To suppress established warm season grasses that get too dense and rank for wildlife 

benefit, use light discing or strip discing to open stands

Do not allow warm season grasses to be grazed lower than 10 inches

Allow grasses to regrow to approximately 18 inches before they are grazed again

Grazing pure stands of switchgrass can be potentially toxic to horses, sheep, and goats

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Native Warm-Season Grasses and Wildlife

Table 3 Financial and technical assistance available to landowners with habitat projects

Program Land eligibility Type of assistance Contact

Conservation Highly erodible land, 50% cost-share for establishing permanent NRCS or FSA state 

Reserve Program wetland and certain cover and conservation practices, and an- or local office

(CRP) other lands with crop- nual rental payments for land enrolled in 

ping history; stream- 10- to 15-year contracts. Additional finanside areas in pasture cial incentives available for some practices.

land.

Environmental Cropland, rangeland, Up to 75% cost-share for conservation prac- NRCS state or loQuality grazing land and oth- tices in accordance with 1- to 10-year con- cal office

Incentives er agricultural land in tracts. Incentive payments for certain manProgram need of treatment. agement practices.

Partners for Most degraded fish Up to 100% financial and technical assis- Local U.S. Fish and 

Fish and Wildlife and/or wildlife habitat. tance to restore wildlife habitat under mini- Wildlife Service ofProgram (PFW) mum 10-year cooperative agreements. fice

Wildlife Habitat High-priority fish and Up to 75% cost-share for conservation prac- NRCS state or loIncentives wildlife habitats. tices under 5- to 10-year agreements. cal office

Program (WHIP)

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Native Warm-Season Grasses and Wildlife

References

On-line sources

Conservation Commission of Missouri. 2002. 

Questions about native warm-season grasses. 

http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/landown/

grass/questions/

Environmental Media. n.d. American grasslands 

free teaching guide. http://www.envmedia.com/

guides/grasslands/edu-inf-2tallgrass_prairie.

htm, http://www.envmedia.com/guides/grasslands/edu-inf-3mixed_prairie.htm, and http://

www.envmedia.com/guides/grasslands/edu-inf4shortgrass_prairie.htm [Accessed 20 December 

2004].

Natural Resources Conservation Service. 2002. Plant 

Materials Center. http://plant-materials.nrcs.

usda.gov.

Natural Resources Conservation Service, Wisconsin. 

Prairie restoration seeding. 1999. http://www.

wi.nrcs.usda.gov/technote/notes/atn5.pdf

The Nature Conservancy. 2002. Berkshire taconic 

landscape. http://www.lastgreatplaces.org/berkshire/index.html

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. n.d. Warm 

season grasses for wildlife. http://www.ngpc.

state.ne.us/wildlife/grass.html [Accessed 30 May 

2002].

Prairiesource.com. Newsletter resource for information about prairies. 2002. http://www.prairiesource.com.

Tennessee Conservationist Magazine. 1999. The return 

of native grasses to Tennessee. http://www.state.

tn.us/environment/tn_consv/archive/grass.htm

University of Minnesota Extension Service. 2003. 

Plants in prairie communities. http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/

DG3238.html

Printed sources

————. 1994. Warm season grasses and wildlife. 

Maryland Department of Natural Resources, 

Annapolis, MD.

———. 2000. Native plants: Warm season grasses, flowers, and legumes. Natural Resources 

Conservation Service, Washington, DC.

Abouguendia, Z.M. 1995. Seeded native range plants. 

Grazing and Pasture Technology Program, 

Regina, SK, Canada.

Brown, R.W. and M.C. Amacher. 1999. Selecting plant 

species for ecological restoration: a perspective 

for land managers. pps 1-16 in L.K. Holzworth 

and R.W. Brown, editors. Revegetation with native species. Rocky Mountain Research Station, 

Fort Collins, CO.

Capel, S. 1995. Native warm season grasses for 

Virginia and North Carolina: benefits for livestock 

and wildlife. Virginia Department of Game and 

Inland Fisheries, Richmond, VA.

Davis, K.M., J.M. Englert, and J. L. Kujawski. 2002. 

Improved plant materials released by NRCS and 

cooperators through September 2002. NRCS 

National Plant Materials Center, Beltsville, MD.

Fuhlendorf, S.D. and D.M. Engle. 2004. Application 

of the fire-grazing interaction to restore a shifting mosaic on tallgrass prairie. Journal of Applied 

Ecology 41: 604-614.

Kurtz, C. 2001. A practical guide to prairie reconstruction. University of Iowa Press, Iowa City, IA.

Moore, K.J. and B.E. Anderson, editors. 2000. Native 

warm-season grasses: research trends and issues. 

American Society of Agronomy, Madison, WI.

Moore, P. n.d. Increase quail numbers through native warm season grasses. Virginia Department of 

Game and Inland Fisheries.

Packard, S. and C.F. Mutel. 1997. The tallgrass restoration handbook: for prairies, savannas, and woodlands. Island Press, Washington, DC.

Shaw, N.L. and B.A. Roundy. 1997. Proceedings: using 

seeds of native species on rangelands. Society of 

Range Management 50th Annual Meeting. USDA 

Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station. 

Ogden, UT.

Shirley, S. 1994. Restoring the tallgrass prairie: an 

illustrated manual for Iowa and the Upper 

Midwest. University of Iowa Press, Iowa City, IA.

Taylor, P.A. 1996. Easy care native plants: a guide to 

selecting and using beautiful American flowers, 

shrubs, and trees in gardens and landscapes. H. 

Holt, New York, NY.

Wasowski, S. 2002. Gardening with prairie plants: how 

to create beautiful native landscapes. University 

of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, MN.

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Native Warm-Season Grasses and Wildlife

Natural Resources Conservation Service Wildlife Habitat Council

Check your local telephone directory 

for a field office near you.

8737 Colesville Road, Suite 800

Silver Spring, Maryland 20910

(301) 588-8994

The Natural Resources Conservation Service The mission of the Wildlife Habitat Council 

provides leadership in a partnership effort to is to increase the amount of quality wildlife 

help people conserve, maintain, and improve habitat on corporate, private, and public land. 

our natural resources and environment. WHC engages corporations, public agencies, 

and private, non-profit organizations on a 

voluntary basis as one team for the recovery, 

development, and preservation of wildlife 

habitat worldwide.

www.nrcs.usda.gov www.wildlifehc.org

Primary authors: Maureen B. Ryan and Raissa Marks, Wildlife Habitat Council. Drafts reviewed by: Rob 

Pauline, Wildlife Habitat Council; Charlie Rewa, Natural Resources Conservation Service; Jerry Kaiser, 

Elsberry Plant Materials Center; Aaron Jeffries, Missouri Department of Conservation; Keith Jackson, Missouri 

Department of Conservation; John Leif, Rose Lake Plant Materials Center; and Dave Burgdorf, Rose Lake Plant 

Materials Center.

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and marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternate means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should 

contact the USDAs TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326W, Whitten Building, 14th 

and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an 

equal opportunity provider and employer.

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