into the wild

ONLINE BONUS: Wildlife Viewing Suggestions
Look for lizards and songbirds in the spring around Christmas Tree Pass and the surrounding Newberry Mountains (near Laughlin), or the Muddy Mountains and Valley of Fire State Park (northeast of Las Vegas), which also includes a great opportunities to see bighorn sheep and two-month old lambs. The River Mountains east of Henderson provide a good place to view bighorn sheep.

At Hinkey Summit in Humboldt County you can see bighorn sheep and mule deer, many beautiful songbirds and game birds that inhabit the aspen forests, and lizards along the canyon rock formations.

In central Nevada, hike the Monitor Range to see elk, mule deer, and pronghorn antelope in adjacent Monitor Valley. Bighorn sheep can be seen in the Toquima Range or in Peavine Canyon at south end of the Tioyabe Range.

Waterbirds of all kinds, including Pelicans, grebes, and shorebirds, can be seen at Stillwater, Ruby Lake, and Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuges.—MIKE COX, NDOW

   Wildlife viewing can truly be an adventure. Nevada, no doubt, is an “adventure place,” with many regions of the state still relatively unspoiled.

   What better reason to explore Nevada’s unique and rugged landscapes than to search out and see the wondrous wildlife species that grace our valleys, hills, lakes, and mountainsides?  

—MIKE COX, NDOW

	Photo: Tim Torell
Scientific Name: Antilocapra americana Size: up to 3 1/2 feet at shoulder Weight: 100 to 150 pounds Speed: close to 60 mph Diet: grasses, flowers, and shrubs Nevada Population: more than 23,000

WHERE IN NEVADA... Pronghorn antelope prefer open brushlands and sagebrush areas in the Great Basin.
DID YOU KNOW?
	Antelope are the only animals in the world with branched horns (not antlers) and the only animals in the world to shed their horns.
	Their horns consist of an outer sheath made of compressed (almost glued) hair on top of a bony core protruding from their skulls.
	Antelope can pick up movement as far as three miles away.
	They are the fastest mammals in North America and the second fastest in the world.
	If chased by a predator, pronghorn herds run in perfect unison in tight, oval-shaped formations, much like flocks of birds.

	Photo: Mike Cox
Scientific Name: Ovis canadensis Size: 3 to 3 1/2 feet at shoulder Weight: ewes: 100 to 160 pounds, rams: 160 to 280 pounds Diet: grasses, flowers, and occasionally shrubs Life Span: 12 years for rams, 18 for ewes Species: two primary subspecies in Nevada: desert (Nelson) and Rocky Mountain

WHERE IN NEVADA... Bighorn sheep inhabit more than 70 mountain ranges around the state. They can be difficult to spot because they blend into the rocks around them. Areas of consistent bighorn use may show trails on the faces of talus slopes or slight depressions dotting an open hillside where the animals slept during the night.
DID YOU KNOW?
	Desert bighorn (Nelson) rams join ewes and lambs in late summer, and Rocky Mountain bighorn rams mix with ewes in the fall.
	During breeding season, if you are quiet and attentive enough, you may hear the loud thunder of males ramming their horns or jousting to determine the dominant ram for mating.
	The desert bighorn sheep is the Nevada state animal.

	Photo: Larry Spradlin
Scientific Name: Oreamnos americanus Size: 3 feet at shoulder Weight: ewes: 100 to 225 pounds Diet: grasses, sedges, and mahogany leaves Life Span: 10 years Species: about 400

WHERE IN NEVADA... Mountain goats are found in the highest, steepest cliff areas of northeastern Nevada ranges and seldom travel far from this terrain. The best place for viewing goats is Lamoille Canyon in the Ruby Mountains. Early morning and late afternoon trips are most productive, and the best months are typically during the rut in November and spring thaw in April.
DID YOU KNOW?
	The goats were first introduced into the Ruby Mountains in 1964 and the East Humboldt Range in 1981 by NDOW. These animals have historically resided exclusively in these two ranges. However, recent sightings of goats have been reported in the Diamond Range to the south.
	Both males and females have horns.

	Photo: Tim Torell
Scientific Name: Odocoileus hemionus Size: 3 to 3 1/2 feet at shoulder Weight: ewes: 125 to 250 pounds Diet: sagebrush, bitterbrush, serviceberry, flowers, and grasses Life Span: 10 to 15 years

WHERE IN NEVADA... Native to the Great Basin, mule deer are found throughout the state anywhere adequate water and foliage can be found. They are typically found at high elevations during the summer and migrate to lower elevations with less snow during the winter.
DID YOU KNOW?
	Mule deer rely on their strong running and jumping ability to avoid predators.
	Only male mule deer have antlers.

	Photo: Steve Ting
Scientific Name: Cervus elaphus Size: 4 1/2 to 5 feet at shoulder Weight: 500 to 700 pounds Diet: grasses, flowers, and shrubs Life Span: 12 to 18 years

WHERE IN NEVADA... Elk inhabit Clark, Eureka, Lander, Lincoln, Nye, White Pine, and Elko counties. They tend to be active at daybreak and sunset. In warm weather elk seek shade to conserve energy, usually under trees. In moderate temperatures elk can sometimes be seen in large herds in open terrain just below the tree line.
DID YOU KNOW?
	Elk bugle—a high-pitched squeal, uncharacteristic of such a large animal—in mid-September to mid-October during their breeding season.
	Hunted by natives, settlers, and miners, elk nearly disappeared in Nevada by the early 1900s.,
	Elk were obtained from Yellowstone National Park and shipped to Nevada to repopulate the ranges.

	Photo: Mike Sevon
Scientific Name: Callipepla californica Size: length: 9 to 11 inches, wingspan: 13 to 15 inches Diet: seeds, buds, berries, leafy plant parts, and insects Offspring: about 12 eggs

WHERE IN NEVADA... California quail are found throughout Western Nevada near agricultural areas, in shrublands along the foothills of mountains, and in suburban areas.
DID YOU KNOW?
	California quail are not native to Nevada but were captured in California and released by private landowners in the Truckee Meadows as early as 1862.
	They are highly social birds that loaf, forage, and roost together.
	If a covey is flushed and becomes separated, a sentinel bird will call to direct the covey to reassemble.
	Both parents look after their young.

	Photo: Steve Ting
Scientific Name: Tyto alba Size: length: 13 to 16 inches, wingspan: 3 to 4 feet Diet: primarily small rodents Life Span: up to 17 years Offspring: 3 to 11 eggs

WHERE IN NEVADA... Barn owls have statewide distribution, but the highest densities are found in agricultural and riparian areas. The best opportunity to view these owls is in Fallon during the Spring Wings Bird Festival, May 9 to 11. The owls got their common name because they prefer to roost and nest in an enclosed, secure place like a barn, mine shaft, or hollow tree. In the Lahontan and Carson valleys, barn owls also roost and nest in haystacks.
DID YOU KNOW?
	Females start incubating when the first egg is laid, resulting in staggered ages of owlets. This allows the species to survive even in times when food is sparse.
	Barn owls are sometimes referred to as “monkey-faced owls” because of their elongated skulls.
	Their left and right ear openings are located at different points on either side of the head, which helps in locating prey from the air.

	Photo: Tim Torell
Scientific Name: Podiceps nigricollis Size: length: 12 to 14 inches, wingspan: 20 to 22 inches Diet: water bugs, brine shrimp Markings: dark gray with white accents during winter, bright reddish-orange eyes Offspring: worldwide

WHERE IN NEVADA... Eared grebes are found in most Nevada marshes and wetlands during the fall migration and, to a lesser extent, in the spring. When ephemeral playas hold water long enough for brine shrimp to flourish, grebes arrive.
DID YOU KNOW?
	For much of the year grebes cannot fly because their bodies transform to prepare for migration. Their digestive organs enlarge and they put on fat while their pectoral muscles shrink, rendering them flightless. Just before migration, the birds’ digestive organs shrink to one-fourth peak size and their pectoral muscles enlarge.
	Breeding plumage includes chestnut-colored flank feathers and golden-feathered crests flaring from the sides of their heads, hence their namesake.
	Grebes fly only at night, and there have been instances in which flocks have been stranded when they mistake rain-slicked playas for wetlands.

	Photo: Steve Ting
Scientific Name: Centrocercus urophasianus Size: up to 28 inches long (males) Diet: sagebrush leaves, grasses, flowers, and insects, including Mormon crickets Weight: up to 6 pounds (males) Offspring: 6 to 9 eggs

WHERE IN NEVADA... Sage grouse are a sagebrush obligate species—they need sagebrush to survive. The birds nest under large sagebrush bushes with a thick grass and forb understory. Females raise the young and take their chicks to feed on forbs and insects in meadows, riparian areas, and irrigated pastures.
DID YOU KNOW?
	The sage grouse courtship displays and vocalizations are among the most extraordinary of any bird in the world.
	Between March and April on flat areas called leks, where the vegetation is low and sparse, males display their yellow air sacs, white breasts, and fanned-out tail feathers in hopes of wooing mates.
	Sage grouse and their subspecies have been petitioned for listing under the Endangered Species Act nine times.
	They are often called sage hens.

	Photo: John Gebhardt
Scientific Name: Corynorhinus townsendii Size: 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 inches long Diet: insects (up to 3,000 per night, nearly equaling their body weight) Life Sapn: 27 years Species: 23, including Townsend’s, in Nevada

WHERE IN NEVADA... Bats inhabit most parts of the Silver State from the low Mojave Desert to the highest alpine mountains. They form large maternity and hibernation roosts in caves and abandoned mines.
DID YOU KNOW?
	Bats use echolocation—a form of sonar—which enables them to fly and catch insects in the dark.
	A mother bat will fly with her baby on her back while searching for food.
	Radio-telemetry studies conducted by NDOW in east-central Nevada have found that bats prefer to forage in open forest woodland consisting of piñon, juniper, mahogany, white fir, aspen, and cottonwood.

	Photo: Mike Sevon
Scientific Name: Piranaga ludoviciana Size: 6 to 7 inches long Diet: insects, berries, other small fruit Marking: males have a bright red head and yellow body with black bands on their wings; females are less brightly colored Offspring: 3 to 5 eggs

WHERE IN NEVADA... Western Tanagers are colorful birds that can be spotted statewide in coniferous forests. Look for them in the Carson Range, Lake Tahoe, and throughout the Sierra during their breeding season—late May through early July. They also have been found in wetland areas and along streams during their migration flights in April and May when returning from their wintering grounds in Mexico and Central America.
DID YOU KNOW?
	The birds breed farther north than any other member of this mostly tropical family.
	Their song is a series of short, burry syllables, sounding like a robin with a sore throat.

	Photo: Tim Torell
Scientific Name: Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Size: length: 50 inches, wingspan: up to 9 feet Diet: fish Life Sapn:12 to 14 years

WHERE IN NEVADA... White pelicans maintain a nesting colony at Pyramid Lake’s Anaho Island. The birds make daily foraging flights to wetlands in Western Nevada and can often be seen during warm months in shallow marshes like Stillwater or deep lakes like Pyramid and Walker.
DID YOU KNOW?
	White pelicans are masters of wind currents and updrafts, often soaring great distances with minimal use of energy.
	These birds form cooperative foraging groups and circle an area at the water’s surface to entrap fish. They then plunge their heads into the water, beaks open and pouches expanded, in hopes of catching startled prey.

	Photo: Mike Cox
Scientific Name: Crotaphytus bicinctores Size: 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 inches long Diet: spiders, grasshoppers, beetles, smaller lizards, some plant material Marking:black bars interrupted by white on the neck Offspring:3 to 7 eggs, usually laid in May or June

WHERE IN NEVADA... Collared lizards prefer rocky terrain and are found throughout the state in the Great Basin and Mojave Desert. The best time to view them is in the spring during the day and in the summer during the early morning, especially in the Mojave.
DID YOU KNOW?
	NDOW is working with its mapping partners, Southwest Gap Analysis Project, to better chart the lizard’s habitat.

	Photo: Derek Hall
Scientific Name: Coleonyx variegatus Size: 4 to 6 inches long Diet: insects and spiders

WHERE IN NEVADA... It’s a common misconception that geckos live in tropical rainforests, but banded geckos inhabit the Mojave Desert in Clark and southern Nye counties. They dwell in creosote and blackbush desert flats and surrounding rocky washes and may even range upslope into piñon-juniper hillsides. They spend much of their time under rocks, dead Joshua trees or yucca plants, in rodent burrows, and underneath thick vegetation at the base of bushes.
DID YOU KNOW?
	Banded geckos have soft translucent skin unlike most lizards, which have scaly rough skin.
	They have vertical pupils, unlike any other lizard.
	Banded geckos communicate by chirping and, if caught, make a peculiar squeaking sound.
	They are almost entirely nocturnal.

BIGHORN SHEEP RESTORATION PROGRAM

Nevada Department of Wildlife, with support from various sportsmen’s groups, continues to restore bighorns to unoccupied habitats where they once lived but were extirpated in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

—MIKE COX, NDOW

SAGE GROUSE CONSERVATION EFFORTS

Many citizens in conjunction with NDOW and federal land management agencies develop local area plans to help conserve sagebrush habitats and populations. Plans were completed a few years ago, and they now are trying to implement projects on the ground. For example, they are working to control piñon-juniper expansion, which encroaches on healthy sagebrush habitats, and trying to rejuvenate dense stands of sagebrush to encourage more grass and forb production.

The Healthy Lands Initiative is a BLM-driven project to help with sage grouse conservation and habitat improvements.

The Lincoln County Conservation Plan, with funding provided by the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act, is meant to improve healthy sagebrush habitats that sage grouse depend on. It is still very much in the planning stage.—MIKE COX, NDOW

HOW TO GET INVOLVED
A directory of some of the more Nevada wildlife conservation organizations

Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn
P.O. Box 27494, Las Vegas, NV 89126
Jelindo Tiberti, President

702-382-7070

Friends of Nevada Wilderness
P.O. Box 9754, Reno, NV 89507
Rose Demoret, Office Manager
nevadawilderness.org
775-324-7667

Nature Conservancy
One E. First St., Ste. 1007, Reno, NV 89501
Kathryn Landreth, Director
tnc.org
775-322-4990

Nevada Bighorns Unlimited Elko Chapter
P.O. Box 2233, Elko, NV 89801
Dr. Bob Colon, President

Nevada Bighorns Unlimited Fallon Chapter
1090 Penelope Dr., Fallon, NV 89406
Dave Vest, Chairman

Nevada Bighorns Unlimited Midas Chapter
P.O. Box 907, Winnemucca, NV 89446
George DeLong, President

Nevada Bighorns Unlimited Reno Chapter
P.O. Box 21393, Reno, NV 89515
Jim Nelson, President


nevadabighorns.org
775-323-1177

Nevada Chukar Foundation
5272 Snowy Mountain Dr., Winnemucca, NV 89445
Larry Allen
775-623-3635

Nevada Waterfowl Association
203 S. Arlington Ave., Reno, NV 89501
Tom Wilson, President
nevadawaterfowl.org
775-324-4747

Nevada Wildlife Federation State Office
P.O. Box 71238, Reno, NV 89570
Anita Wagner

775-329-8946

Red Rock Audubon Society
P.O. Box 96691, Las Vegas, NV 89193
Pam Nickels, President

702-390-9890

Safari Club International Northern Nevada Chapter
4790 Caughlin Pkwy., PMB 227, Reno, NV 89509
Jeremy Drew, President

775-843-9109

Wildlife and Habitat Improvement of Nevada
P.O. Box 98435, Las Vegas, NV 89193
Wayne Bliss, President

702-295-2721

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Main Office
5705 Grant Cr., Missoula, MT 59808
Dave Kelner, Regional Director
rmef.org
800-225-5355