The Coastal Scrub and Chaparral Bird Conservation Plan
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The Coastal Scrub and Chaparral Bird Conservation Plan A Strategy for Protecting and Managing Coastal Scrub and Chaparral Habitats and Associated Birds in California A Project of California Partners in Flight and PRBO Conservation Science The Coastal Scrub and Chaparral Bird Conservation Plan A Strategy for Protecting and Managing Coastal Scrub and Chaparral Habitats and Associated Birds in California Version 2.0 2004 Conservation Plan Authors Grant Ballard, PRBO Conservation Science Mary K. Chase, PRBO Conservation Science Tom Gardali, PRBO Conservation Science Geoffrey R. Geupel, PRBO Conservation Science Tonya Haff, PRBO Conservation Science (Currently at Museum of Natural History Collections, Environmental Studies Dept., University of CA) Aaron Holmes, PRBO Conservation Science Diana Humple, PRBO Conservation Science John C. Lovio, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, U.S. Navy (Currently at TAIC, San Diego) Mike Lynes, PRBO Conservation Science (Currently at Hastings University) Sandy Scoggin, PRBO Conservation Science (Currently at San Francisco Bay Joint Venture) Christopher Solek, Cal Poly Ponoma (Currently at UC Berkeley) Diana Stralberg, PRBO Conservation Science Species Account Authors Completed Accounts Mountain Quail - Kirsten Winter, Cleveland National Forest. Greater Roadrunner - Pete Famolaro, Sweetwater Authority Water District. Coastal Cactus Wren - Laszlo Szijj and Chris Solek, Cal Poly Pomona. Wrentit - Geoff Geupel, Grant Ballard, and Mary K. Chase, PRBO Conservation Science. Gray Vireo - Kirsten Winter, Cleveland National Forest. Black-chinned Sparrow - Kirsten Winter, Cleveland National Forest. Costa's Hummingbird (coastal) - Kirsten Winter, Cleveland National Forest. Sage Sparrow - Barbara A. Carlson, UC-Riverside Reserve System, and Mary K. Chase. California Gnatcatcher - Patrick Mock, URS Consultants (San Diego). Accounts in Progress Rufous-crowned Sparrow - Scott Morrison, The Nature Conservancy (San Diego). Lesser Nighthawk (coastal) - John Lovio, Naval Facilities Engineering Command. Financial Contributors DMARLOU Foundation National Fish and Wildlife Foundation The David and Lucile Packard Foundation The Temper of the Times Foundation, Inc. Data Contributors PRBO Conservation Science University of California, Riverside San Diego Breeding Bird Atlas Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Point Reyes National Seashore Marin Municipal Water District Technical Editor Mary K. Chase, PRBO Conservation Science Coastal Scrub and Chaparral Bird Conservation Plan California Partners in Flight - iii - Copy Editor Chris Fink, San Jose State University, English Department Design and Layout Kim Kreitinger, PRBO Conservation Science Sandy Scoggin, PRBO Conservation Science Cover Photo Eric Preston, ericwpreston.com Acknowledgements: California Partners in Flight wishes to thank everyone who helped write, edit, review, and publish this document. Many individuals and organizations volunteered time to this project and continue to support the mission of Partners in Flight. Recommended Citation: CalPIF (California Partners in Flight). 2004. Version 2.0. The Coastal Scrub and Chaparral Bird Conservation Plan: a Strategy for Protecting and Managing Coastal Scrub and Chaparral Habitats and Associated Birds in California (J. Lovio, lead author). PRBO Conservation Science, Stinson Beach, CA. http://www.prbo.org/calpif/plans.html. Coastal Scrub and Chaparral Bird Conservation Plan California Partners in Flight - iv - Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...............................................................................................................VIII BIOLOGICAL NEED ..........................................................................................................................VIII MISSION AND OBJECTIVES..................................................................................................................X FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................. XI CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................1 CONSERVATION OF SHRUBLAND BIRDS............................................................................................1 CONSERVATION PLAN FRAMEWORK AND OBJECTIVES .................................................................2 CHAPTER 2. COASTAL SCRUB AND CHAPARRAL HABITATS IN CALIFORNIA ...............................4 MAJOR SHRUBLAND GROUPINGS.......................................................................................................4 COASTAL SCRUB....................................................................................................................................6 SOUTHERN COASTAL SCRUB .................................................................................................6 NORTHERN COASTAL SCRUB ................................................................................................6 CHAPARRAL ...........................................................................................................................................8 SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY ALKALI DESERT SCRUB...............................................................................9 FURTHER CLASSIFICATION..................................................................................................................9 COMPARISON OF SHRUBLAND GROUPINGS....................................................................................10 CHAPTER 3. CONSERVATION PLANNING PROCESS......................................................................12 CRITERIA FOR SELECTING COASTAL SCRUB/CHAPARRAL FOCAL SPECIES...............................12 FOCAL SPECIES CONSERVATION......................................................................................................13 DATA-GATHERING EFFORT .............................................................................................................13 CHAPTER 4. PROBLEMS AFFECTING COASTAL SCRUB AND CHAPARRAL BIRDS .......................31 HABITAT LOSS.....................................................................................................................................31 HABITAT FRAGMENTATION..............................................................................................................32 HABITAT DEGRADATION..................................................................................................................34 SHRUBLAND BIRDS AND FIRE...........................................................................................................34 INVASION OF NON-NATIVE SPECIES ..............................................................................................35 GRAZING .............................................................................................................................................35 CHAPTER 5. SPECIES-SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS AND POPULATION TARGETS ..................36 SPECIES-SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS .........................................................................................36 GREATER ROADRUNNER (Geococcyx californianus) ...........................................................36 CACTUS WREN (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) ...............................................................38 CALIFORNIA GNATCATCHER (Polioptila californica) .........................................................39 WRENTIT (Chamaea fasciata)................................................................................................41 GRAY VIREO (Vireo vicinior).................................................................................................42 RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW (Aimophila ruficeps) .........................................................43 Coastal Scrub and Chaparral Bird Conservation Plan California Partners in Flight - v - Table of Contents SAGE SPARROW (Amphispiza belli canescens and Amphispiza belli belli) .............................44 POPULATION TARGETS......................................................................................................................45 CHAPTER 6. BIOREGIONAL CONSERVATION OBJECTIVES ..........................................................48 PORTFOLIO SITES ...............................................................................................................................49 SOUTH COAST BIOREGION ...............................................................................................................49 CENTRAL COAST BIOREGION...........................................................................................................55 SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY BIOREGION .................................................................................................59 BAY-DELTA AND KLAMATH BIOREGIONS .....................................................................................61 CHAPTER 7. CONSERVATION ACTION RECOMMENDATIONS ......................................................63 HABITAT PROTECTION RECOMMENDATIONS................................................................................63 HABITAT RESTORATION RECOMMENDATIONS..............................................................................66 MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................................................................68 MONITORING AND RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS...................................................................69 CHAPTER 8. IMPLEMENTATION OF CONSERVATION PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS