Native woodlands and birds of South Dakota: past and present.

Eighty-four percent of the upland bird species in present-day bird counts a long the Missouri River were included in bird species lists 150 years ago. Eighty-three percent of upland bird species in the Slim Buttes area also oc curred 80 to 120 years ago. Historical photographs show native woodlands we re part of the presettlement landscape. Expansion of the ranges of blue jay s, common grackles, and eastern phoebes in western South Dakota can be attr ibuted to tree plantings, cultivation, and urbanization rather than expande d native woodlands.