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Chapter 6: Waterbirds

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Chapter 6: Waterbirds Chapter Six Waterbirds Principal Authors: Tara Zimmerman, Gary Ivey, and Josh Vest Photo by Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Inside this Chapter Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 6.3 Waterbirds & The Intermountain West Region ...................................................................... 6.6 Overview of Planning Approach ........................................................................................... 6.9 Waterbird Population Status & Trends ................................................................................ 6.10 • Eared Grebe .................................................................................................................. 6.12 • Double-Crested Cormorant ............................................................................................ 6.12 Waterbirds • White-faced Ibis ............................................................................................................ 6.13 • Sandhill Cranes ............................................................................................................. 6.13 • Caspian Tern ................................................................................................................. 6.15 Threats & Limiting Factors ................................................................................................. 6.16 • Loss and Degradation of Wetland Habitat ....................................................................... 6.16 • Water Supply and Security ............................................................................................. 6.16 • Water Quality ................................................................................................................. 6.18 • Loss of Foraging Habitat ................................................................................................ 6.18 • Climate Change ............................................................................................................. 6.18 Population Estimates & Objectives .................................................................................... 6.20 Focal Species ..................................................................................................................... 6.21 • Focal Species Approach ................................................................................................ 6.21 • Focal Species and Conservation Planning ...................................................................... 6.24 • Focal Species Profiles .................................................................................................... 6.25 Population Inventory & Monitoring ..................................................................................... 6.28 • Western Colonial Waterbird Survey, 2009–2011 .............................................................. 6.28 • North American Marsh Bird Monitoring ........................................................................... 6.28 • Continental Marsh Bird Monitoring Pilot Study ................................................................ 6.29 • Periodic or Annual Waterbird Surveys ............................................................................. 6.29 • Species-Specific Surveys ............................................................................................... 6.30 Next Steps .......................................................................................................................... 6.32 Literature Cited .................................................................................................................. 6.33 Appendix A. Waterbird Science Team Members ................................................................. 6.39 Appendix B. Double-Crested Cormorant Breeding Pairs in the Intermountain West ......... 6.40 Appendix C. Caspian Tern Breeding Pairs in the Intermountain West ................................ 6.41 Appendix D. White-faced Ibis Breeding Pairs in the Intermountain West........................... 6.43 Appendix E. Focal Area Profiles – Descriptions & Threats ................................................. 6.46 Appendix F. Literature Cited in Appendices ....................................................................... 6.64 6.2 Intermountain West Joint Venture | Conserving Habitat Through Partnerships | www.iwjv.org INTRODUCTION Photo by Rio de la Vista The goal of the Waterbird chapter is to build upon the species assessments provide a common framework to IWJV 2005 Coordinated Bird Conservation Plan (2005 facilitate coordinated waterbird conservation across North Implementation Plan) by identifying priority waterbird America. species within the Intermountain West region and a The Intermountain West Waterbird Conservation suite of waterbird focal species from which to develop Plan (IWWCP; Ivey and Herziger 2006; http://www. a regional science-based framework for waterbird waterbirdconservation.org/intermountain_west.html ) conservation. Regional waterbird abundance and serves as the biological foundation for IWJV waterbird distribution data were updated with the most recent and conservation. Thirty-eight species of waterbirds available data which will inform the future derivation of representing nine families regularly utilize the IWJV area population objectives to support conservation planning. as year-round or seasonal habitat (Table 1). The IWWCP For the purposes of this chapter, waterbirds are defined as plan provides a foundation for biological planning for wetland dependent colonial, semi-colonial, and solitary these waterbirds. It prioritizes breeding and migrant nesting species such as loons, grebes, bitterns, herons, waterbird species at the regional scale; provides data on egrets, cranes, rails, gulls and terns. waterbird distribution and abundance; sets preliminary The framework for this chapter is established in waterbird population objectives by Bird Conservation continental and regional waterbird conservation plans. Region (BCR) and state; identifies important waterbird Recognizing that conservation is most effective when habitats in the region; and provides site-specific planned and implemented at the regional and local information on nine key waterbird sites with critical scales, The North American Waterbird Conservation conservation needs. The IWJV encompasses nearly all Plan (NAWCP; Kushlan et. al. 2002) delineated 16 of the Intermountain West Regional Waterbird Planning regional waterbird conservation planning areas within Area. North America. The NAWCP also provides conservation The IWJV’s 2013 Implementation Plan represents an assessments, population estimates, and identifies colonial- important, incremental step toward strategic conservation nesting waterbird species of conservation concern at planning for waterbirds as it provides the foundation continental and hemispheric scales. A 2006 supplement for biological planning. However, actions recommended to the NAWCP: the Conservation Status Assessment and to conserve important key sites and Bird Habitat Categories of Concern for Solitary-Nesting Waterbirds Conservation Areas (BHCA) identified in the 2005 (www.waterbirdconservation.org/assessment.html) Implementation Plan and IWWCP (Ivey and Herziger assesses and prioritizes the conservation status of 43 2006) will continue to benefit migratory bird populations species of solitary-nesting waterbirds. The NAWCP and in the Intermountain West. 6.3 Intermountain West Joint Venture | Conserving Habitat Through Partnerships | www.iwjv.org INTRODUCTION Table 1 Waterbird Seasonal occurrence, relative abundance1 and nesting strategy2 in the Intermountain West Joint Venture listed by Bird Conservation Region (BCR). SPECIES Great Basin Great BCR 9 No. Rockies BCR 10 So. Rockies -Colorado Plateau BCR 16 Sonoran - Mohave Deserts BCR 33 Sierra Madre Occidental BCR 34 Chihuahuan Desert BCR 35 Nesting Strategy Pacific Loon m, w m, w m m, w m,w m, w S Common Loon b, m, w b, m m,w m, w m,w m,w S Pied-billed Grebe b, m, w b, m, w b, m, w b, m, w b, m, w b, m, w S Horned Grebe b, m m b, m m, w - m, w S Red-necked Grebe b, m b, m - - - - SC Eared Grebe b, M b, m b, m, w m, w b, m, w m, w C Western Grebe B, m, w b, m, w b, m m, w b, m b, m, w C Clark’s Grebe B, m, w b, m, w b, m b, m, w b, m b, m, w C American White Pelican B, M b, m b, m m, w m, w m, w C Neotropic Cormorant - - m - - b, m, w C Double-crested Cormorant b, m, w b, m b, m b, m, w b, m, w m, w C American Bittern b, m, w b, m b, m m, w m m, w S Least Bittern b, m - - b, m b, m b, m S Great Blue Heron b, m, w b, m, w b, m, w b, m, w b, m, w b, m, w C Great Egret b, m, w m m m b, m, w C Snowy Egret b, m b b, m m m b, m C Cattle Egret b, m b b, m m m b, m C Green Heron b ,m - b, m b, m b, m b, m, w SC Black-crowned Night Heron B, m b b, m, w b, m, w b, m, w b, m, w C White-faced Ibis B, m b, m B, m m m m C Yuma Clapper Rail3 - - - b - - S Yellow Rail B, m, w - - - - - S Black Rail4 - - - b3 - - S Virginia Rail b, m, w b, m b, m, w b, m, w b, m b, m, w S Sora b, m w b, m b, m, w b, m, w b, m b, m, w S Common Moorhen b - b, m b, m - b, m, w S American Coot b, m, w b, m b, m, w b, m, w b, m, w b, m, w S Greater Sandhill Crane – LCRVP5 B, M b - - S Greater Sandhill Crane – CVP5 B, M b - - S Greater Sandhill Crane – RMP5 B B b, M - m, w M, W S Lesser Sandhill Crane – PFP6 M, w m m - S Lesser Sandhill Crane - MCP6 m - m, w M, W S Franklin’s Gull b, m b, m b, m m m w C Bonaparte’s Gull m,
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