Some of the Utilizing Pinyon/ in Central NM By Hart Schwarz

The Pinyon/Juniper woodlands across NM host one of the richest avifauna of any habitat category in NM–and that of course includes juniper savannah (from 5000 œ 6000 feet), as well as pinyon/juniper woodland (about 6500 -7500 feet). have not always been tolerated very well by humans, primarily because it was thought that they were encroaching on grassland and thus diminishing pasture for cattle. While in the past, much effort has been expended to remove the juniper in order to expand grazing opportunities, today‘s paradigm has given rise to a more complex rationale for cutting and burning the juniper. Nowadays, junipers are thought to deplete water resources and that therefore they are ecologically parasitic. The idea that fire was important in the ponderosa ecosystem is now seen to apply to P/J woodlands as well, even though P/J fires appeared to have been a relatively rare event in the prehistoric past. When people claim that junipers are too thick because of the exclusion of fire, and say that the landscape was much more open in the past, they often forget how much juniper was harvested by Indians and early pioneers for firewood, posts, mining operations, and a host of other uses. And recently a proposed biomass plant for the Estancia Valley plans to harvest junipers and pinyons to fuel its operation. However, in the process of finding ever new ways to subdue the juniper, literature emphasizing the unique value of the P/J for birds is hard to come by. But it does exist! One such publication, with the title Sharing the Land with Pinyon-Juniper Birds and authored by Scott W. Gillihan of the Rocky Mountain Observatory, gives important advice on managing this unique landscape. Of particularly interest to me was the discussion of the biological soil crust (or cryptogams) often found there, which is very fragile but binds the soil, as well as adding nutrients and moisture. Cattle and fire must surely impact these valuable formations. The importance of mature stands was also stressed, as these support the greatest variety and number of birds, and yet these are, unfortunately, relatively rare. But the entire P/J spectrum from low to high has immense possibilities for birds. In the juniper savannah, for instance, one can find the state endangered Gray Vireo, as well as the beautiful Scott‘s Oriole, while in the woodlands higher up, especially in a near-climax forest such as that in Otero Canyon in the Manzanitas, the Black-throated Gray Warbler‘s song is never out of earshot; in fact, this species is the most abundant bird on the Otero BBS transect–a remarkable fact for a bird typically uncommon at best.

The breeding bird list below, though by no means exhaustive, represents a good sampling of what one may find in our P/J woodlands and savannas. Experiencing the birds here during the nesting season in summer when singing is at its best, can be a very enriching experience; however winters can be equally intense when feeding flocks are often enormous, and the trees on which they feed can spell the difference between life and death for many birds.

SUMMER BREEDING BIRDS SUMMER BREEDING BIRDS 01. Scaled Quail 27. Canyon Towhee 02. Mourning Dove 28. Chipping Sparrow 03. Great 29. Lark Sparrow 04. W. Screech Owl. 30. Scott‘s Oriole 05. Common Nighthawk 31. House Finch 06. Black-chinned Hummingbird 32. Lesser Goldfinch 07. Ladder-backed Woodpecker 08. Gray Flycatcher FALL & WINTER BERRY EATERS 09. Ash-throated Flycatcher 01. 10. Cassin‘s Kingbird 02. Western Bluebird 11. Gray Vireo (very local) 03. Mountain Bluebird 12. Loggerhead Shrike 04. Townsend‘s Solitaire 13. Pinyon 05. Hermit Thrush 14. Western Scrub-Jay 06. American Robin 15. Juniper Titmouse 07. Sage Thrasher 16. Bushtit 08. Cedar Waxwing 17.White-breasted Nuthatch 09. Evening Grosbeak 18. Rock Wren (needs sandbanks or cliffs also) 19. Bewick‘s Wren FALL AND WINTER SEED EATERS 20. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 01. Pinyon Jay 21. Western Bluebird 02. Clark‘s 22. Black-throat. Gray Warbler (above 7000‘) 03. Red-breasted Nuthatch 23. Virginia‘s Warbler 04. Cassin‘s Finch 24. Northern Mockingbird 05. Red Crossbill 25. Hepatic Tanager 06. Siskin 26. Spotted Towhee 07. Evening Grosbeak