Kizziar's Feedlot Prairie Dog Town
Jackson
County
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From the 1986 edition of A Guide to Birding in
Oklahoma published by the Tulsa Audubon Society. This account was partially reviewed and updated in 2007.
Kizziar Prairie Dog
Town 9.5 miles west, 2 miles north of Altus
Drive 8 miles west of the
Altus courthouse on US 62, then 2 miles north on a blacktop road at the
top of a plateau. Turn west for one-half mile and stop at the Kissiar
Feedlot office north of the road and request permission to enter the
dogtown. Return to the blacktop road and proceed west for another
three-fourths mile to a cattleguard on the north side. Drive through it
and follow the pasture road that winds WNW to the dogtown. Species to
look for: Swainson's (S), Ferruginous (W), and Rough-legged (W) hawks,
Scaled Quail, Upland Sandpipers (M,W), McCown's Longspurs (W), Western
Meadowlarks, Yellow-headed Blackbirds (M), Curve-billed Thrasher (S),
Brewer's Blackbirds and
Burrowing Owls.
McCown's Longspur -
A good spot for these is at the Kizziar feed lots west of Altus. From
the intersection of U.S. 62 and U.S. 283 in Altus, go west eight miles
on U.S. 62 (I think it's eight miles, but I might be off by a mile), to
a small green sign that points to the Altus Landfill on the north. Turn
right (north) on this road, go two miles, then turn left (west). You'll
soon pass the feed lot buildings on the right, after which you go by a
small pond and a prairie dog town, and then the road abruptly starts to
go uphill. This is the area in which the longspurs can be found,
primarily on the north side, both in the vicinity of the pond below the
hill, and also on top of the "mesa" (such as it is). You can call ahead
to the feed lot at 580-482-7611 and ask for permission to jump the fence
and walk around the prairie dog town. (Be sure to tell them that you're
a "birdwatcher"--they don't seem to understand what the word "birder"
means.)
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