Prairie Rapids Audubon Society

Prairie Rapids Audubon Society Learn about birding field trips, bird sightings, service projects and programs offered by PRAS.

Are you ready for a Birding Field Trip? The PRAS Wednesday Morning Birding for the Fall will begin this coming Wednesda...
08/30/2026

Are you ready for a Birding Field Trip? The PRAS Wednesday Morning Birding for the Fall will begin this coming Wednesday, September 2nd and continue for 8 weeks.

The field trip on September 2nd is at Big Woods Lake, Cedar Falls. We will meet at the South Entrance parking lot at 8:30 a.m., and bird for approximately two hours. Pit toilets are available.

If we need to cancel for inclement weather we will send an email by 6:30 a.m. the morning of the field trip.

Irvine Prairie WalksIrvine Prairie is located at 1174 55th St, Dysart, IowaMon, Aug 24th, 6 pm: Faith Hunt, Benton Co. N...
08/23/2026

Irvine Prairie Walks
Irvine Prairie is located at 1174 55th St, Dysart, Iowa

Mon, Aug 24th, 6 pm: Faith Hunt, Benton Co. Naturalist will share information about monarch butterfly conservation and tagging.

Mon, Sept 28, 6pm: UNI Professors will share information about research projects at Irvine Prairie.

In the event of inclement weather, the walk will be moved to the following Monday.

See the Tall Grass Prairie Center website for details about this prairie and others.

Join us Tue, Sept 8th for our 1st PRAS meeting at 7 pm- 1st Presbyterian Church, Cedar Falls. The program will focus on ...
08/21/2026

Join us Tue, Sept 8th for our 1st PRAS meeting at 7 pm- 1st Presbyterian Church, Cedar Falls. The program will focus on DarkSky Iowa which educates people about the wonders and benefits of preserving dark skies. See the beautiful photo of a 1-hour exposure of the migration of the stars over the Platz Barn north of Waterloo taken by John McCormickhttps://mailchi.mp/ddbf27d6d4a3/letter-to-nas-supporters

WOOD DUCKS: Did you know Wood ducks are one of the few duck species with strong, sharp claws that allows them to perch,...
07/22/2026

WOOD DUCKS: Did you know Wood ducks are one of the few duck species with strong, sharp claws that allows them to perch, nest, and maneuver in trees. Instead of nesting on the ground, they lay their eggs in natural tree cavities or artificial nest boxes, often high above the ground. Photo by Ken Heiar.

On Thursday, June 11, Connie Svoboda (PRAS Board Member) gave a presentation to the Dysart Fine Arts Club. The club memb...
07/14/2026

On Thursday, June 11, Connie Svoboda (PRAS Board Member) gave a presentation to the Dysart Fine Arts Club. The club members gained knowledge about the DarkSky efforts, simple things that can be done to reduce light pollution to benefit migrating birds, what to do to prevent window bird strikes, and so much more. The participants left with a good understanding and insight in how they too can help protect our birds. Thanks Connie!

COOPER'S HAWK: This Cooper's Hawk spent time in our backyard checking out the lunch options from our patio. In some...
07/14/2026

COOPER'S HAWK: This Cooper's Hawk spent time in our backyard checking out the lunch options from our patio. In some areas the Cooper's Hawk is known as the "fighter jets" of the forest. With their short wings and long tails, the Cooper's can zoom through trees at high speeds to catch other birds. They are bold, intelligent, and have adapted to live in our neighborhoods. Photo by Ken Heiar.

On Tuesday, June 30th Charlene Heiar (PRAS Board Member) presented a "Budding Birder's" program to the children at the C...
07/03/2026

On Tuesday, June 30th Charlene Heiar (PRAS Board Member) presented a "Budding Birder's" program to the children at the Cedar Valley Preschool & Child Care Center in Cedar Falls. The children and Charlene talked about fun and interesting facts about nests, owls, and backyard birds. It is amazing how much these children knew about our avian friends. If you are interested in having a Budding Birder's program presented to your group, please contact Charlene.

This young Mourning Dove had recently fledged. The Mourning Dove parents will continue to bring food for up to two or t...
06/12/2026

This young Mourning Dove had recently fledged. The Mourning Dove parents will continue to bring food for up to two or three weeks helping the young one build strength, learns to fly and forage on its own. Did you know Mourning doves feed their babies with “pigeon milk,” a rich fluid made in their crops that both parents regurgitate directly into the chicks’ mouths? Photo by Charlene Heiar.

WOOD DUCK: A female Wood Duck with her four ducklings. The morning after hatching, the hen will leave the nest to fee...
06/02/2026

WOOD DUCK: A female Wood Duck with her four ducklings. The morning after hatching, the hen will leave the nest to feed and make sure it is safe for her ducklings. When she decides it is safe, she uses a maternal call to call the ducklings out. The ducklings can jump from as high as 50 feet, surviving by landing either in water, or on top of soft material such as leaf litter. The mother calls them to her and guides them to water. The ducklings can swim and find their own food by this time. The mother protects them from predators such as snakes, raccoons, and hawks while they grow and develop survival skills. Photo by Tom Schilke.

The School of the Wild, at Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community Schools recently received a grant from PRAS. Following is a mes...
05/29/2026

The School of the Wild, at Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community Schools recently received a grant from PRAS. Following is a message from Lindsay Plett the coordinator of the program.

"We just wrapped up a wonderful week at School of the Wild at Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community Schools, and I wanted to share a few photos from our bird study activities at Union Grove State Park.
The binoculars made an incredible difference for our students this year. Students learned how to identify birds using field marks, behavior, habitat clues, and bird calls while observing birds in their natural habitats. The excitement when students spotted birds through the binoculars was priceless, and many students were surprised by how much they enjoyed birding. Several students even mentioned wanting binoculars of their own for birthdays or Christmas after our week together.
Thank you again for supporting outdoor learning and bird education opportunities for our students. Your encouragement and involvement have helped make this experience truly meaningful."

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P. O. Box 682
Waterloo, IA
50703

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