Together, the shortgrass, mixed-grass, and tallgrass prairies cover about one-fifth of North America. In spite of the grasslands' large size, the bird community is relatively small and often overlooked. In 1996 Fritz Knopf wrote that, "as a group, grassland birds have shown steeper, more consistent, and more geographically widespread declines than any other behavioral or ecological grouping of North American species." This fact, along with the reality that over 70% of the Great Plains is privately owned, makes it crucial for stakeholders throughout this region to work together to conserve this avian community.