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Hosted by Chuck Lura, a biology professor at Dakota College in Bottineau. Chuck has a broad knowledge of “Natural North Dakota” and loves sharing that knowledge with others. Since 2005, he has written a weekly column, “Naturalist at Large,” for the Lake Metigoshe Mirror. His columns also appear under “The Naturalist” in several other weekly newspapers across North Dakota. Natural North Dakota is supported by NDSU Central Grasslands Research Extension Center and Dakota College at Bottineau, and by the members of Prairie Public. Thanks to Sunny 101.9 in Bottineau for their recording services. Hear Natural North Dakota on Prairie Public on Saturdays and Sundays at 8:35am CT.

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Check latest episodes from Natural North Dakota podcast

Following the fall waterfowl migration through North Dakota

2026/10/17

It is the sights and sounds of waterfowl overhead that perhaps best exemplify fall. Biologists have long recognized predictable seasonal migrations of birds from their breeding grounds to non-breeding grounds, or what we would generally refer to as wintering grounds. They have also come to recognize four basic routes or flyways for migratory waterfowl in North America.

Get to know North Dakota’s native hackberry tree

2026/10/10

Hackberry is a medium to tall tree that grows to between 40-60 feet. It ranges roughly east of a line from North Dakota south to Oklahoma. In North Dakota it has been documented in most counties in the eastern half of the state and would probably be listed as occasional.

The difference between puddle ducks and diving ducks

2026/10/03

Have you ever noticed that some ducks get up from the water quickly and easily while other have to paddle away for a considerable distance before getting airborne? Ducks can be categorized in two groups, puddle ducks (aka dabbling ducks) and diving ducks. The differences between these two groups relate to how they look, fly, and eat.

Exploring North Dakota's tallgrass prairie

2026/09/26

There are three types of prairie, and in North Dakota, the tallgrass prairie historically dominated the Red River Valley. As the name implies, the tallgrass prairie was dominated by tall grasses that grow to three feet or more. Historically the tallgrass prairie has been estimated to have covered between 140-170 million acres, but I have seen estimates that only 1-4 percent remains.

How to make the most of North Dakota nature this fall

2026/09/19

North Dakotans have endless opportunities to get out and enjoy nature, and those opportunities are not restricted to summer.

The sands of glacial Lake Souris

2026/09/12

Most North Dakotans are well aware of the rich soils of the Red River Valley, what was once glacial Lake Agassiz. Although less well known, glacial Lake Souris also has rich soils. It covered much of Bottineau and McHenry counties as well as portions of Rolette and Pierce counties.

Have you seen a bobcat in North Dakota?

2026/09/05

Have you ever seen a bobcat? If so, I suspect you are among the few North Dakotans that have. It might come as a surprise to learn that they reside in the state, particularly in the west.

Getting to know the pineapple weed

2026/08/29

When you look near barnyards, roadsides, or other disturbed areas this time of year, you may notice a low-growing weedy plant with finely divided leaves, and a yellowish-green flower head. I suspect most people dismiss this plant as just another weed, but its common name pineapple weed, or perhaps wild chamomile, indicates something a little different.

This carnivorous plant lives in North Dakota's Turtle Mountains

2026/08/22

Dveryone has heard of the Venus flytrap, but North Dakota's Turtle Mountains is home to a different carnivorous plant — the round-leaved sundew.

Goldenrods signal the coming of fall

2026/08/15

The goldenrods are starting to put on their annual floral show. Much as the pasque flowers in bloom serve as harbingers of spring, the goldenrods are harbingers of fall. They are telling us that the days of summer are numbered and fall is fast approaching.

Check the skies on August 12: A meteor shower and partial eclipse will be visible in North Dakota

2026/08/08

Two noteworthy celestial shows are coming up on August 12. The Perseids meteor shower is expected to peak that evening, and a partial solar eclipse is expected to be visible in parts of the state. So, get ready and hope for clear skies.

The importance of North Dakota's rangelands

2026/08/01

The United Nations declared 2026 the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists to “honor and raise awareness of the important role these lands play in creating a sustainable environment and economic growth for communities around the world.”

Why snakes shed their skin

2026/07/25

If you frequently walk through the prairies and woodlands, or perhaps even your own backyard, you may come upon a rather delicate, whitish translucent tube of thin material that’s several inches long and has a scale pattern that resembles the skin of a snake. Well, it probably is a snake skin.

What is that hawk circling overhead?

2026/07/20

A rather common sight across North Dakota during the summer months is a large hawk with broad wings and a wide, rounded tail soaring high overhead. Although there may be other species, the odds are good that it would be a Swainson’s, red-tailed, or ferruginous hawk.

Exploring North Dakota's Heart River

2026/07/11

It might come as a surprise, but an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 Mandan lived in and around the confluence of the Heart River and Missouri River in the 16th century. And the Heart River, particularly the area around the confluence, represented the “hearth” of the world and was important to their creation story.