Birds Don't look for birds perching in trees as this is a nearly treeless environment, except along water courses. However, look for them perched on sage brush, or flying high in the air merrily singing away. Many will dry up and die off and the breezes will propagate their seeds for next years growth. Trees and Shrubs tend to be along natural water courses with the Cottonwood being the dominant tree. Berry bushes are common, cattails, and other low growing shrubs exist in the moister climes.
Grasses make up most of the vegetation across the endless miles of sandy-loam soil.
If you are familiar with a seashore soil this soil is similar. It does have a lot more organic materials in it and where closer to the mountains becomes a heavy black soil called adobe. The grasses are short to medium in height, ergo the name short grass prairies. All of what is called the Front Range of Colorado east of the Rocky Mountains was once this short grass prairies. Early settlers harnessed the various streams and rivers to convert a strip about 60 miles wide running from Wyoming border on the north to the southern border with New Mexico into an agricultural paradise.