Home in the Cattails

The subtleties of Bozeman’s wetlands.

Though only a fraction of what were once abundant throughout the Gallatin Valley, Bozeman-area wetlands give a glimpse into a diverse community of birds living right at our doorstep.

Whether on a walk with the dog one morning in May, or breathing in the crispness of a September breeze, you’ve likely wandered amongst some of Bozeman’s community ponds and wetlands. At first glance, the collections of cattails and other aquatic vegetation might appear as nothing more than greenspace planted for our enjoyment, but upon further examination, small worlds of various riparian species appear. A sora, one of North America’s most secretive bird species, reveals itself briefly as it forages along the edge of the water, stocking up on calories before heading south for the winter. A sandhill crane, just stopping over for the night, and still as the plants in which it hides, keeps close watch with its bright red eyes. A cinnamon teal with exquisite plumage on display, also feeding, dabbles in the shallows for the energy it needs before flying south. Each of these species, plus countless others, relies on the integrity of these small, urban riparian zones, just as we do in our search for a connection with nature.

As the rain falls on concrete in Bozeman, think of these places where it does not; where it falls softly in moist soil or runs down the cattail leaves and into the water. Think of the birds seeking shelter in those spots, and the importance of that shelter remaining healthy and unchanged. For as long as the sora, the crane, and the teal have a home, we’ve managed to preserve a sliver of our distant past, as well as some space for the future.