Most of the sunny open areas of this preserve are tallgrass savanna, a natural community where grasses and wildflowers grow amid interspersed trees, mostly bur and scarlet oaks. The herbs here include all the species of typical prairie (such as prairie dock, Indiangrass, lead plant, rough blazing star and more than 100 others). Mixed with them are species more typical of the savanna; examples include cream gentian, Seneca snakeroot, pale Indian plantain, meadow parsnip (Thaspium), sanicle (S. marilandica) and many others. Typical birds include indigo bunting, catbird, cedar waxwing, and mourning dove. Typical savanna butterflies include the great spangled fritillary, wood nymph, coral hairstreak, and the red-spotted purple. Natural shrubland, as part of the savanna, contains such shrubs as hazelnut, wild plum, sumac, dogwood, and viburnum.