April 1989 Vol
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LliUlillLJlimiiiLILMlllllILlI • 111 111 April 1989 Vol. XIV No. 4 Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Technical Bulletin Service, Washington, D.C. 20240 The Return of Thick-billed Parrots to Arizona Terry B. Johnson, Noel F.R. Snyder, and Helen A. Snyder Arizona Game and Fish Department (Editor's note: Restoring a rare species is sel- dents, not just occasional visitors. The sistence hunting by miners and woods- dom an easy or straightforward task, espe- fact that this parrot still breeds within men may have been a primary cause of cially if it involves reintroduction. The factors about 90 miles (150 kilometers) of the Ari- the parrot's disappearance. Habitat loss, that led to the original decline must be zona border (Lanning and Shiflett 1983) due to extensive cutting of the mountain addressed, and locating suitable, protected indicates a reasonable possibility it was forests to support the mining industry habitat can be difficult. Research into new (roof props for mine tunnels and ties for captive propagation and reintroduction tech- once a breeding species in the United niques also may be necessary. The following States. railroad tracks), also may have been a article shows, however, that hard work and factor in the extirpation of the species in patience can be rewarded. With private and Disappearance of the this country. Further, some people have Federal assistance, the State of Arizona is Thick-bills speculated that the disappearance of the achieving success in its program to reclaim a imperial woodpecker (Campephilus impe- unique part of its wildlife heritage.) Thick-billed parrots effectively disap- rialis) from these same montane forests peared from the United States early in the may have reduced the number of avail- The thick-billed parrot (Rhynchopsitta 1900's. The species does survive, al- able nesting cavities for the parrots. Natu- pachyrhyncha) is one of two species of though in dwindling numbers, in the Sierra rally occurring cavities also are probably psiltacines native to the continental Madre of western Mexico, and it is listed not as abundant as in pre-cutting days United States, and the only one that sur- there as Endangered. The cause of its because there are fewer old trees. vives. By no stretch of the imagination is disappearance from the United States is With a reduction in the human activities the thick-bill a tropical bird; it occurs in not well known. Our conversations with that may have eliminated thick-bills from temperate conifer and mixed deciduous- long-time Arizona residents indicate sub- (continued on page 4) conifer forests. Thick-bills feed primarily on conifer cones and, to a lesser extent, on acorns and juniper berries. In winter, they inhabit areas with overnight tempera- tures usually dropping far below freezing, It is an odd but accurate image: a parrot that can be seen in the snow zone. There are no historical breeding rec- ords for thick-billed parrots north of Mex- ico, but there are virtually none for Mexico either during the period when these birds still occurred in the United States. Thus, it seems logical that the absence of breed- ing records is merely an observational artifact and does not prove anything about the species' previous breeding range. None of the early naturalists visiting Ari- zona or New Mexico is known to have tried to locate their nests. Most informa- tion on (hick-bills in the wild came from incidental observations by ranchers, log- gers, and casual naturalists. Historically, thick-bills occasionally made irruptive movements (i.e., unpre- dictable movements in large numbers) into Arizona and New Mexico from Mex- ico, most notably during the extreme drought of 1917-1918. Our interviews of elderly Arizonans who had seen thick- billed parrots in the earlier part of this cen- Adult thick-billed parrots typically are about 16 inches (40 centimeters) in total length and tury indicate that in the Chiricahua Moun- have a wingspan of 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 cm). They are mostly green except for red tains of southeastern Arizona the birds patches on the foreparts of the head and wings. In flight, they show a yellow stripe on the were also once regular seasonal resi- underwings. ENDANGERED SPECIES TECHNICAL BULLETIN Vol. XIV No. 4 (1989) 1 ill! Museum. The Service hopes these plants will survive and thus supplement the pop- ulation that was partially lost due to con- struction of a Central Arizona Project canal. Volunteers from the Arizona Native Plant Society also transplanted 105 Endangered Kearney's blue-star (Am- sonia kearneyana) container-grown plants into a canyon on the east side of the Baboquivari Mountains. These plants will supplement the 38 survivors of an April 1988 transplant project at the same can- yon. The survival of the species in the wild may depend on this transplanted population; only eight plants remain in the Regional News single natural population. Regional endangered species biolo- Society transplanted about 350 Endan- The Southwestern Bald Eagle Nest gists have reported the following gered Tumamoc globe-berry (Tumamoca Watch Program began another year with news: macdougalii) plants onto a preserve near 16 nest watchers. These people observe Tucson. The transplants were started the eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Region 2 — In January and February, from seed 3 years ago and grown in con- from dawn to dusk while collecting data volunteers from the Arizona Native Plant tainers at the Arizona-Sonora Desert on nest activities and interactions with other wildlife species and humans. They U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 3, Federal Bldg., Fort Snelling, Twin also enforce the breeding area closures Washington, D.C. 20240 Cities. MN 55111 (612-725-3500); James C. Gritman, Regional Director; Gerald R. and can rescue nestlings that have acci- Susan Recce Larnson, Acting Director Lowry, Assistant Regional Director; dentally fallen from their nests. (202-343-4717} James M. Engel, Endangered Species Ralph O. Morgenweck Specialist. The Service, in cooperation with the Assistant Director for Fish Bureau of Land Management, Army and Wildlife Enhancement Region 4, Richard B. Russell Federal Bldg., Corps of Engineers, Arizona Game and (202-343-4646) 75 Spring St., S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303 Fish Department, and Arizona State William E. Knapp, Chief, (404-331-3580); James W. Pulliam, Parks, plans to open a public viewing sta- Kenneth B. Stansell, Deputy Chief, Regional Director; John I. Christian, tion at the Alamo Lake bald eagle breed- Division of Endangered Species and Deputy Assistant Regional Director; David ing area this spring. For the first time in Habitat Conservation Flemming, Endangered Species Arizona, visitors will have a place to watch (703-358-2161) Specialist. eagles from a distance that will avoid dis- Marshal P. Jones, Chief, Office of Management Authority Region 5, One Gateway Center, Suite 700, turbances to the birds. (703-358-2093) Newton Corner, MA 02158 (617-965- The Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, Clark R. Bavin, Chief, 5100); Ronald E. Lambertson, Regional Director; Ralph Pisapia, Assistant acting on behalf of the Natural Audubon Division of Law Enforcement Society and Coastal Bend Audubon (703-358-1949) Regional Director; Paul Nickerson, En- dangered Species Specialist Society, has notified the Army Corps of TECHNICAL BULLETIN Engineers of its intent to file suit unless Region 6, P.O. Box 25486, Denver Federal the Corps initiates formal Endangered Michael Bender, Editor Center; Denver, CO 80225 (303-236- Species Act/Section 7 consultation with (703-358-2166) 7920); Galen Buterbaugh. Regional Direc- the Service over planned maintenance tor; Robert E. Jacobsen, Assistant dredging of the Gulf Intracoastal Water- Regional Offices Regional Director; Larry Shanks, Endan- way. Regional 1, Lloyd 500 Bldg.. Suite 1692,500 gered Species Specialist. Of particular concern is dredging within N.E. Multnomah St.. Portland, OR 97232 (503-231-6118); Marvin Plenert, Acting Region 7,1011 E. Tudor Rd.. Anchorage, AK critical habitat of the whooping crane Regional Director: Robert P. Smith, 99503 (907-786-3542); Walter O. Slieglitz, (Grus americana). The problems that Assistant Regional Director; Jay Watson, Regional Director; Rowan Gould, Assis- need to be addressed are: 1) finding Chief, Division of Endangered Species and tant Regional Director; Ron Garrett, En- environmentally acceptable locations for Habitat Conservation. dangered Species Specialist. dredge spoil disposal; 2) preventing con- taminants in bottom sediments from Region 2, P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque, NM Region 8 (FWS Research and Development entering aquatic food chains; and 3) stop- 87103 (505-766-2321); Michael J. Spear, nationwide), Washington, D.C. 20240; ping the erosion of whooping crane hab- Regional Director; James A. Young, Richard N. Smith, Regional Director; Al (continued on next page) Assistant Regional Director; Steve Sherk, Endangered Species Specialist Chambers, Endangered Species (703-358-1710). Specialist. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regions Correction Region 1: California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Guam, and the Pacific Trust Territories. Region 2: Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Region The caption for the Mariana flying fox 3: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Region 4: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida. (Pteropus mariannus mariannus) Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin photo in BULLETIN Vol. XIV, Nos.1-2, Islands Region 5: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts. New Hampshire, should have read that the Service con- New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia. Region 6: Colorado, Kansas, Montana. Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming Region 7: Alaska. Region 8: Research and siders this bat a category 1 listing can- Development nationwide Region 9: Washington, D.C., Office. didate in the southern Mariana Islands THE ENDANGERED SPECIES TECHNICAL BULLETIN is published monthly by the U.S.