What is Prairie?
A '''prairie''' is a type of [[habitat]] with mostly [[grass]]es, but also flowering plants and occasional shrubs or isolated trees.<ref>{{cite web|title=Illinois Prairies|url=http://dnr.state.il.us/education/podcasts/textfiles/prairies%20podcast.htm|publisher=Illinois DNR|accessdate=8 April 2013|archive-date=8 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140208122954/http://dnr.state.il.us/education/Podcasts/textfiles/prairies%20podcast.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> This type of habitat can be found around the world, but it goes by different names, such as [[steppe]]s in Asia. What attracts tourists is the golden grass in prairie grassland. The word 'prairie' generally means grasslands in [[North America]]. There are often many animals on a prairie. They either prefer a prairie or can only live in a prairie. Well-known are the [[American bison]] (also called the buffalo) and the [[pronghorn]] [[antelope]]. Birds include the [[bobolink]] and the [[meadowlark]]. [[File:Compass plant in northeast Illinois.jpg|thumb|upright|Standing next to a compass plant nearly ten feet (3m) tall on a tall grass prairie restoration in NE [[Illinois]], USA]] == Tall grass prairie == A ''tall grass prairie'' has plants and grasses that typically grow three to seven feet (one to two meters) high, with occasional plants growing higher. This type of prairie grows in areas with a good amount of [[rain]]. [[Illinois]] (the ''prairie state''), [[Indiana]] and [[Iowa]] are good examples of where a tall grass prairie would be. This type of habitat usually has rich soil and is very good for farming. Much of the original prairie has been changed into crops or lost to brush and trees. Trees can grow in this area, but most were stopped by fires that swept through. Some [[oak]]s and hickories could survive a prairie fire. If there are scattered trees, it is called a [[savanna]], and an area in a prairie where trees grew closer together is called a [[grove]]. In the last century, fires have been stopped, and trees and brush that o