The Prairie Keepers: Secrets of the Grasslands

The Prairie Keepers is a charming account of a graduate student's summer wildlife biology project. I enjoyed sharing Marcy Houle's youthful enthusiasm for the rugged Zumwalt Prairie, her fascination with prairie wildlife, and her persistent efforts to determine why the buteo hawks thrived in this remote area in Oregon. Her descriptions of the adversarial relationship between the ranchers of the Zumwalt Prairie and the government employees (Forest Service, BLM, Fish and Wildlife Services, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Game) managing public land were thoughtful and well-balanced. Her recognition of the role ranchers play in preserving the Zumwalt Prairie was particularly insightful. The remote Zumwalt Prairie in northeastern Oregon is home to a large concentration of buteo hawks - the ferruginous hawks, red-tailed hawks, and the Swainson hawks, all characterized by distinctive broad, round-tipped wings, husky bodies, and wide fanning tails. Elsewhere most hawk populations appear to be in decline. What makes the Zumwalt prairie habitat special? Marcy Houle had a daunting summer job: locate and identify the nesting buteo population on the 200 square mile Zumwalt prairie. Climb the trees and place leg bands on the hatchlings while cautiously ignoring angry parents. Identify and measure relevant ecological parameters that might offer clues why the Zumwalt prairie is so attractive to buteo hawks. Her account brought back memories of a summer several years ago when I mapped paleomagnetic trends in southwestern Montana. My field work was in many ways different; I certainly never climbed trees to place leg bands on hawk hatchlings! Nonetheless, I readily related to Marcy Houle's description of her field activities: careful reading of topographic maps and aerial photos, exercising care on private property, and completing transects of range conditions. Thanks to Marcy Houle for an enjoyable book.

This book gave me a fascinating view of an area I did not know existed. Ms. Houle lets us explore the Zumwalt with her as she studies the birds of prey on the prairie, the delicate balance of the natural food chain, and the effect of human land management. I have been far more aware of the different birds of prey since reading this book. Ms. Houle's writing induced me to search out other books, identification charts, and exhibits about these fascinating creatures.

Marcy Houle is a wildlife biologist yet her books read as easily as those of any good fiction writer. As Marcy presents the science of her work, in this case the study of hawks, the reader becomes involved in a very interesting story. As man's use of the land becomes more invasive of nature, man needs a better understanding of how his actions effect not only the earth but also himself. Marcy's study of a 200 square mile area known as "The Zumwalt Prairie" in northeastern Oregon provides an informative, interesting, and enjoyable look at man's impact on nature. Well worth reading!