Birds of Northern Black Mesa, Navajo County, Arizona

Great Basin Naturalist

Volume 54 Number 1 Article 1

2-25-1994

Birds of northern Black Mesa, Navajo County, Arizona

Charles T. LaRue Kayenta, Arizona

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Recommended Citation LaRue, Charles T. (1994) "Birds of northern Black Mesa, Navajo County, Arizona," Great Basin Naturalist: Vol. 54 : No. 1 , Article 1. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbn/vol54/iss1/1

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Western North American Naturalist Publications at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Great Basin Naturalist by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. the great basin naturalist PUBLISHED AT PROVO UTAH BY BRIGHAM YOUNG university

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VOLUME 54 31 JANUARY 1994 nolnonoi I1 great basin naturalist 541 0 1994 appp I1 xx

BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA NAVAJO COUNTY ARIZONA

charles T laruel

you should see the glorious color when the first light of dawn spreads on the golden cliff tops and the blue grey pinyon clad slopes

everett ruess chilchinbito arizona may 5 1934

ABSTRACT two hundred forty one species of birds have been identified from noinorthernthern black mesa arizona this region s avifauna was poorly known until the late 1970s when large scale coal mining began vegetation of the region is predominantly great basin desert scrub pinyon lumperjuniperjumper woodland and mixed conifer woodland the latter vegetation type suppsupportsoitsorts an assemblage of isolated montane bird species unique to the region numerous environmental changes have recently affected the bird life of black mesa these include largelaige scaleseale type conversions pinyon juniper clearing and surface mining pond construction and establishment of exotic vegetation

key words arizona black mesa navajo reservation hopi reservation avifauna survey bird habitat relationships bird density species listing breeding birds coal iningminingin

black mesa covers a remote expanse of of arizona birds monson and phillips 1981 850000 ha 21212.1 million ac of uplands on the show a large blank spot centered on black navajo and hopi indian reservations in north- mesa eastern arizona fig 1 the physical isolation the casual traveler driving highway 160 of this region has made detailed and extensive through kayettakayenta or visiting monument valley biological surveys difficult to conduct in some might notice the paucity of life in the area but areas no such surveys have been done infor- would be unaware of the diverse environment mation on bird life is particularly scant behind the nearby scarp of black mesa hidden phillips et al 1964 refer to a severe lack of in the rugged complex of canyons and valleys data for the birds of northeastern arizona along the highest northern portions of black maps of the most recent annotated checklist mesa is a diverse assemblage of vegetative

I1 box 1802 KayenkiyentakayentdKiyentatd arizona 86033 2 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

r0 D 0 IR juaojuan veil saosooson 0 f0vellveli akeage fa NAVAJO 0 MT MONUMENT Z VALLEY page 2 CD cree una UJ 2 1199ilagliag Z amentaayenta cl M

xM 0 tuba city X grandgnand xiii M canyon kongoomongoo chinlechicle 0

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fig 1 northern alizonaarizona and the black mesa region communities these communities some of ered in this report were to be moved just a which aiealeare typical of the higher mountains of few kilometers north to laguna creek at the Coloiacoloradodo plateau support a surprising kayettakayenta jacobs 1986 personal records number of bird species in a single 260 ha the purpose of this report is to present 640 ac block near lolotailolomai point 45 species what is currently known of the birds of north- aiaree known to breed if one searched further in ern black mesa and to discuss some ecologi- this same block or doubled its size an addi- cal factors affecting them this includes tional 21 species could probably be found reporting the status of all bird species record- breeding A total of 241 bird species included on northern black mesa in the late 1970s ing those in the archaeological record are and the 1980s reporting the avian assem- known flom northern black mesa another 40 blages associated with each habitat found in species all migrants would be included in this area discussing possible causes and this list if the boundary of the study area cov effects of environmental changes that impact 199419941 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 3 bird communities of the area and providing a hoffmeister 1986 to arizona s mammalian sound base for future work on the bird life of fauna because of the variety of techniques the mesa used to determine bird densities in the lease area and the lack of density data for habitats METHODS outside the lease area the usual techniques employed to determine similarity values for A review of historical accounts and other bird data were not used these resemblance publications was conducted to determine the factors are based on the number of species extent of previous explorations and studies on shared in common between habitats and pro- northern black mesa results of this search vide adequate comparisons of the degree of and discussions with gale monson revealed similarity between the breeding bird compo- the poor state of knowledge of the areaareas s avi- sition of the habitats across the entire study fauna prior to the 1970s area variable width transects emlen 1971 classification sequence and common and 1977 were used to derive bird densities in latin names follow the american ornitholo different habitats on the peabody coal com- fistsgists union 1983 1985 1987 1989 latin pany leasehold as part of the federally names of birds are presented only in the required baseline wildlife surveys each tran- species accounts common and latin names sect was usually about 1500 m long and was of plants in general follow mcdougall 1973 traversed three times each season common names of birds are capitalized fol- spot mapping grids were established in lowing the opinion of potter 1984 geo- three pinyon juniper stands to census breed- graphic place names and spellings are from ing bird densities in 1983 and 1984 spot map US geological survey 75 minute topograph- censuses were also conducted in mixed shrub ic quadrangles additional names are my own habitat from 1984 to 1986 and in three creation eg eastcast middle and west forks reclaimed mine spoil sites in 1985 these of coal mine wash fig 2 the upper mid- results are reported as number of pairs40pairs 40 ha dle and lower portions of washes refer to when presenting population density data the upper third middle third and lower third from the literature I1 have converted all values respectively of those portions of each wash to number of individuals or number of pairs within the study area other names are those per 40 ha if this was not done by the authors used by peabody coal company figure 2 waterfowl and shorebirdsshorebirds were counted at presents locality names used in this report ponds during migratory periods in 1982 and the periods of the month are as follows 1983 each spring from 1982 until present a early ist loth mid lithbilthllthilth 20th late survey for nesting raptorsraptores within the peabody 21st end plumage terminology follows that lease was conducted nest sites located in any of humphrey and parkes 1959 terms of previous year were checked for use and subjective abundance follow monson and searches for new nesting sites were conduct- phillips 1981 abundant in large numbers ed common always to be seen but not in large the area north of the peabody coal com- numbers fairly common very small num- pany lease and the area below the rim of the bers or not always seen uncommon seldom mesa are unaffected by the surface mining seen but not a surprise sparse always a sur- control and reclamation act SMCRA and prise but not out of normal range casual therefore were not baseline surveyed I1 visit- out of usual range to be expected every 20 50 ed these areas on over 250 occasions from years and accidental far from normal range december 1981 through 1993 covering over and not to be expected again the term area 1770 km 1100 miles by foot on these visits I1 refers to the study area of this report the tried to determine the presence and status of term region refers to all of black mesa those bird species that utilize this area many kayettakayenta valley eastern shonto plateau and observations from throughout the area are tsegitsegai canyons lease means the peabody coal incidental company leasehold proof or confirmation of the faunal resemblance index see table breeding consists of the following nests with 12 used to compare the breeding bird com- young andor eggs fledglings with or without position of each habitat is that applied by adults and remains of fledglings breeding is 4 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

Xs 00410e 1 5 kilklikiiordornorneterseters lolotailolonai point

TEFS ll11 0 teks SPA point SPRING

ROCK fo P

BLACK MESA buncjuncnoke 0 nioN 10 RC

N 7 RCA N 2 RCA wash

N 1 RCA 0 PEABODY N 14 RCA N 5 lenseLEASE ineofficeslneINE OFFICES N 6 RCA marmappap J 16 RCA 0 0eae J 28

C J 1 9 J 21

Trl peakpeek vmvmoliousolious NAVAJO SERVATION 0.0iff J 7 pond P resewanonREsE wAnoNmanon J 7 RCA 7 1 J 8 J 1 0 TEES YAH TOH r SPRING

fig 2 locality names of the study area used in text

suspected when territorial or singing adults four seasons A summer resident is a species have been found frequently in the proper that is present in the study area primarily in habitat in two or more breeding seasons summer certain summer residents arrive the seasons are defined as winter however in winter and leave in the fall like- december through february spring march wise some summer residents may be more through may summer june through august numerous as fall or spring migrants winter and fall september through november residents are species that spend the winter early mid and late seasonal references refer period andor portions of fall and spring but to the first second and third months of each do not remain to breed migrants are species season respectively A permanent resident is a that pass through the area but do not over- species that is present in the study area in all winter or breed transient is generally 199419941 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 5 synonymous with migrant but refers to the earliest mention of specific birds species or individuals that wander infrequent- observed on black mesa is that of theodore ly through the study area roosevelt roosevelt 1913 when he ascend- subspecies are dealt with primarily in ref- ed the mesa after leaving john wetherill s erence to species known or suspected to trading post at kayettakayenta on 17 august 1912 breed in the study area the only specimens roosevelt s route undoubtedly took him collected on black mesa or nearby consist of through rock gap at the head of Moenmoenkopikopi few individuals of few species these were wash he wrote collected in the 1930s during the rainbow bridge monument valley expedition wood- our first day s march took us tipup this the northern of mesa we led saddle bury and russell 1945 to my knowledge no escarpment black the horses and drove the pack animals up a very rough recent specimens have been collected in the navajo trail which zigzagged to the top through a area subspecies that breed in the area are partial break in the continuous rock wall on determined from monson and phillips 1981 the summit we were once more among pines and behle et al 1985 woodbury and russell we saw again the beautiful wild flowers and budsbirds we had left on Buckskin mountain kaibab 1945 and 1985 several behle in species plateau I1 saw a louisiana tanager western the races present on black mesa or north- tanager the pinyon jays were everywhere eastern arizona are unknown questionable lavensravens true birds of the wilderness croaked hoarse- or transitional salvage collecting these ly from the cliff crest we traveled south in areas to be mined would help through a wild and picturesque pass the table species land was rugged and mountainous but it sloped resolve these questions gradually to the south and the mountains changed to rounded hills HISTORY OF BLACK MESA STUDIES extensive coal deposits helped to end the northern black mesa remained biological- isolation of black mesa long before modern ly unexplored until the 1930s spanish mexi- exploitation prehistoric peoples utilized this can and united states penetrations into this coal for ornaments firing pottery and heating area were military operations undertaken with the hopi made extensive use of coal on the extreme difficulty mcnitt 1962 1972 possi- southern edge of black mesa hack 1942 bly the first white man to see northern black during at least AD 600 1050 the anasazi mesa was colonel don francisco salazar who used coal on northern black mesa gummer- crossed the almost impassible wilderness of man 1984 the first automobile road built black mesa in august 1823 mcnitt 1972 over the northern rim of black mesa was captain john G walker probably passed apparently constructed for the development directly through the study area of this report of coal mines on yellow water wash in the when he crossed the high broken ground of early 1900s johnston 1932 it was this road black mesa in september 1859 mcnitt that allowed access by biologists to the high 1972 lieutenant H PE kingsbury of troop K country of the mesa to record the only system- ath6th cavalry crossed 117 kinkmkiuklu 73 miles of atic bird observations prior to the 1970s most 11 viciously rough wooded terrainterralirair of the unin- of these records concerning less than 40 habited wastes of black mesamesadmesa7 on 19 20 august species were from a series of trips by H N 1884 mcnitt 1962 apparently no reports russell and A M woodbury participants in dealing with the natural history of black mesa the rainbow bridge monument valley expe- were made following these expeditions dition in june and july 1938 and in august the series of united states government 1935 and 1937 woodbury and russell 1945 surveys that traversed the little colorado approximately 24 specimens of 11 species river valley or skirted the southern fringe of were collected on trips made on 11 and 16 black mesa in the late 1800s probably never july 1938 and 17 august 1939 brotherson et reached northern black mesa woodbury and al 1981 studied the bird community compo- russell 1945 since no major trading posts sition in Betabetatakintakin canyon an area similar to were established on northern black mesa sci- the rim region of black mesa at nearby nava- entists who frequently visited such outposts jo national monument bradfield 1974 also never reached the area woodbury and reported on the birds of southern black mesa russell 1945 mcnitt 1962 in the vicinity of oraibi jacobs 1986 recently 6 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54 compiled an annotated list of birds from the rise gradually to the rim which breaks off in a navaonavajo and hopi reservations that includes stairstepstair step escarpment 150 610 m 500 2000 ft observations from and around black mesa high where the large washes exit the mesa peabody coal company studies from 1981 elevations may be near 1680 m 5500 ft and to the present and records that form the core the rim rises to above 2440 m 8000 ft most of this report were initiated to meet surface of the mesa is approximately 1830 2070 m mining regulations mining activities were 6000 6800 ft in elevation underway on black mesa by 1971 but it was black mesa is underlain by a regionally not until 1977 with the passage of the federal downwarpeddown warped seriesserles of jurassic triassic and surface mining control and reclamation act older sedimentary formations the topograph- SMCRA that detailed studies began ically elevated portion of the mesa itself is SMCRA quireslerequireslequires baseline wildlife censcensusingcensuringcensusmgcensususingmg composed of a seriesserles of sedimentary beds as part of the federal mine permitting process deposited during a period of transgressing peabody coal company hired espey huston and regressing seas in the late cretaceous and associates to conduct the initial surveys Repennrepenningmg and page 1956 the jurassic cow in the western portion of the 25900 ha 100 springs and morrisonmornson formations and the sqaq mile lease in 1979 80 the results were dakota sandstone are the oldest deposits to presented in 1981 peabody coal company outcrop on the mesa flanks at the northern biologists censcensusedcensusesused the remainder of the lease base the mancos shale forms broad slopes at area in two units in 1981 82 and 1982 83 the foot of the mesa and underlies the broad results were presented in 1982 and 1983 valleys where the major washes leave the respectively waterfowl raptorrapton and small bird mesa most of the rocks exposed on black censuses have been conducted from 1982 to mesa are of the toreva and cepowepo formations the present I1 have made several hundred the former is composed of cliff forming pale trips north of the lease area into the highest sandstones that cap small mesas and canyons and of black mesa from moiemolemore remote portions the cepowepo is a complex of sand silt and mud 1982 through 1993 recording the birds found stones that contain significant coal deposits there therefoiethereforeTherefoieeeleemle virtually all bird censcensuringcensusingcensuscensusmgusingmg the lollingrolling baked clinker hills of the black from 1982 to 1993 was conducted by me mesa interior are cepowepo the highest portion of black mesa along the impressive northern BLACK MESA environment scarp is capped by the yale point formation physiography and geology this pale crossbeddedcross bedded sandstone is dissected black mesa encompasses a large expanse of into a seriesserles of short deep canyons recent uplands on the navajo and hopi indian reser- alluvium is deposited in virtually every valley mesa vations in northeastnortheasterneinern arizona fig 1 the floor throughout black aeolian deposits mesa is roughly circular and 88 113 km are more extensive on southern black mesa 55 70 miles across and covers nearly than in the northern portions cooley et al 518000 ha 2000 sqaq miles the mesa itself 1969 is in the center of a large structural basin the area covered in this report is the Reperrepenningming and page 1956 as a result the northernmost portion of black mesa south of interior is lower than the rim on the east the town of kayettakayenta fig 1 this area lies north and west sides A network of five large between 364230 and 362230n latitude parallel flowing washes drains black mesa to and 11010 and 11030w longitude includ- the southwest and empties into the little col- ed here is the upper 16 24 km 10 15 miles orado river these washes previously called of Moenmoenkopikopi and dinnebitoDinnebito washes and their the tusayan washes are east to west Jedjedditodito tributariestributaries it includes the mesa rim from near polacca oraibi dinnebitoDin nebito and Moenmoenkopikopi black mesa trading post northeast to lolotailolomai pinyon and forrest lake are the only relative- point and southeast to the head of assayiiassayn ly large communities in the interior of black wash it covers the mesa foot from upper mesa the larger communities of the region long house valley to upper owl spring valley are situated in the valleys surrounding the and the upper basin of assayiiassayn wash fig 2 mesa the 25900 ha 64000 ac peabody coal com- most of black mesa consists of low mesas pany lease is located in the southern portion rollingroiling hills and shallow valleys elevations of the study area the study area encompasses 199419941 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 7 approximately 106200 ha 232573 ac A few habitats and associated birds bird records reported herein come from out- fourteen habitat types have been identi- side this specific study area fied for this report and are mapped in figure elevations range from 1768 5800 ft at in 3 designation of a particular habitat is based the mesa foot to 2490 8168 ft the high- in at on one or more of the following perennial est point on the rim where Moenmoenkopikopi wash plant species composition vegetative physiog- leaves the study area the elevation is about is nomy topographic uniqueness and distinc- 1829 6000 ft is in the southern portion is typi- tivenesstiveness of the associated breeding bird fied by woodland covered pinyon juniper species composition the sequence of the pre- hills and shrub filled valleys to the northeast sentationsen tation of the habitats follows increasing the land rises gradually and becomes incised rises breeding bird species richness which is con- by 152 ft canyons up to in 500 deep from sidered here to be an approximation of breed- the the mesa breaks off a spectacular rim in ing bird species diversity see ralph 1985 escarpment of cliffs and slopes to grasslands brotherson et al 1981 wiens and rotenberry 610 in 2000 ft below 1981 tables are also arranged by this climate sequence habitats inm the study aleaarea may be sharply demarcated as in ponds riparian climate of the study is semiarid the site is areas or cliff scalpsscarps As a rule however there and as is characteristic of typified is the region is much interspersion between them by daily and seasonal temperature extremes breeding bird communities of nornorthernthein temperatures of 34c 30f and 40c black mesa comprise a complex of species 104f have been recorded on southern derived principally from the sonoran and mesa al black thornthwaite et 1942 excel- boreal faunal areas utilizing a series of plant lent detailed descriptions of the regional cli- communities of great basin origins faunal matic patterns directly applicable to black derivations of native terrestrial breeding birds mesa are those of hack 1942 thornthwaite of northern black mesa follow behle 198519851 et al 1942 lowe 1964 and sellers and hill the upland nature of the study site may 1974 the mean annual temperature of sur- explain the high number of boreal species rounding sites ranges from 116c11 6cac 53f530f at 44 while the geographic position of the kayettakayenta elevation 1737 in 5700 ft to 98c9 8cac area in the southwestern united states proba- 4970f49 7faf at navajo national monument eleva- bly accounts for the similar proportion of tion 2220 in 7285 ft mean annual precipita- sonoran derivatives predominant habitats on tion in northeastern arizona is relatively low northern black mesa are pinyon juniper for the moderate elevations typical of the woodland and sagebrush saltbush and region sellers and hill 1974 and for this rea- greasewood shrublandsshrublands fig 3 which are pri- son the area has been called a rainfall sink marily great basin derived plant communi- brown 1982 mean annual precipitation at ties brown 1982 however only 9 birds of kayettakayenta is a scant 198 mm 7787787.787 78 in and at great basin origins are present on black mesa navajo national monument it is 291 mm because the great basin is characterized by 114611.4611 46 in mean annual precipitation of seven few endemic bird species behle 1985 near- sites mean elevation 2054 in 6740 ft on the ly 38 of boreal species and 57 of sonoran peabody lease is 260 minmm 1022102210.2210 22 in this pre- species breed in these great basin type habi- cipitation is bimodal with nearly 46 falling tats half of the 10 breeding species designat- as convectional showers in july august and ed as typical of the pinyon juniper woodland september the remainder falls throughout are derived from the great basin the year as cyclonic rainram and snow january and june are the driest months the dry cli- montane scrub mate allows only intermittent perennial the montane scrub on black mesa is best stream flow ephemeral flows may result from developed on slopes of the outer mesa escarp- thunderstorms and melting snow prevailing ment where conifers have not yet invaded winds are southwesterly may and june fre- rockrockfallsrockfalusfalls slides and slumps fig 4 because quently have warm dry winds that add to the of this montane scrub habitat may often be a approximately 1015 minmm 40 in annual evapo- seraiseral stage of succession its establishment in ration rate an old burn of several hectares in mixed 8 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

BONN-

pinyon juniper woodland grasslands &juniper savanna

chained pinyon juniper woodland shrublandsShrublands SCALE ind sage saksan grassweed & ryfixed shrubs mixed conifer HM tamarisk filled channels 5 kilonailon eters

reclaimed mine spoilspoll & majormajon cliff scalpsscarps active mining areas largerlanger aspen stands

fig 3 vegetative communities of northern black mesa conifer woodland in upper moenkopiMoenkopi wash species of this habitat include gambel oak indicates such a condition it occurs from 2133 quercus gambehigambeliigambgambelinehiehleliieill snowberry symphoricar- to 2470 m 7000 to 8100 ft and is distributed pos sp cliff fendler bush fendleraFendlera tupirupirupicolacoldcoid extensively east of the study site along the wax currant ribes cereuecereumcereum utah serviceberry northern face of black mesa the dominant amelanchier utahensis wild rose rosa 199419941 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 9

kli

jiw

157

fig 4 montane scrub5157below Lolorlolotailolomailolornainainal point august 1987 arizonicaarizonica and skunkbush sumac rhus trilo bouteloua gracigracilisgracifisfishis and squirreltailsquirrel tail sitanionSitanion bata A deciduous shrubland has developed hystrix and a variety ofot forbs fig 5 pure extensively in chained pinyon juniper wood- sagebrush covers the deeper alluvial soils of land on lolotailolomai point the large valleys such as whitehousewhite house valley five bird species dominated by ground fig 5 reed valley and coal mine wash nesting and foliage gleaning forms are known and canyons and basins at elevations of to breed in montane scrub in the study area 1920 2377 m 6300 7800 ft tables 1 2 scrub jay orange crowned war- wintering and migrant bird species arearc bler Virginvirginiaidss warbler macgillivray s war- characteristically sparse all breeding species bler and rufous sided towhee no breeding are ground feeders most of which are sum- densities have been determined in this habitat mer residents tables 1 2 bushtitsBushtits forage on black mesa in gambel oak mountain frequently in sagebrush in winter and mahogany and scrub oak mountain mahogany bewick s wrens move into this habitat in late scrub in colorado the number of species per summer breeding species are the horned plot varied from 9 to 18 with breeding densi- lark sage thrasher green tailedtalled towhee ties of 53 116 individualsindividuals4040 ha american restricted to lolotailolomai point brewer s spar- birds 1982 1983 rufous sided towhees and row and sage sparrow all of which are typi- scrub jays were present in both habitats in cal of sagebrush shrublandsshrublands rotenberry and both years brown 1982 considers the vir- wiens 1980 wiens and rotenberry 1981 ginia s warbler and rufous sided towhee to overall spring densities are about 75 mdividindividinvivid be characteristic ofthisorthisof this habitat uals40 ha late summer densities may reach 100 mdividuals40individuals4040 ha table 3 rotenberry sagebrush shrubland individuals and wiens 1980 report breeding densities in the sagebrush shrubland is dominated by artemisia dominated shrubsteppeshrubsteppe of 56 1823182.3182 3 big sage artemisia dentatatritridentatatridentate to densities of individualsmdividuals40individuals4040 ha three to five species were approximately 10870 shrubshashrubshrupshasha 4400ac4400 ac found breeding on each plot two sagebrush understory associates include blue grama plots in california supported six breeding 10 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

tabiIABITABLE 1 1 bleedingbreeding budbird community structure nest site habitats on northern black mesa arizona restingnesting substrate Numbelumbernumber of proportionpropolprobol tion of site proportionprop01 tion of speciesspe utihzirutilizing bi cedingbreeding permanent ciescleseles habitat species residents ground foliage cavity ledge Diversitydiver sityesity1a montane selubscrub 5 040 080 020 0501 sagebrush 5 020 040 060 0673 saltbush 5 020 040 060 0673 gi sewoodeaeasewoodcasewoodgreasewood 6 017 017 083 0456 reclaimed mine spoil 7 029 057 043 0683 juniper savanna 8 025 025 075 0347 riparianripal ianlan habitats 9 022 022 078 0527 ponds 9 011 089 011 0563 chained pinyonpinyonjuniperpryonpmyonjuniperunipci 11 045 036 028 036 1092 mixed shrub 12 025 025 058 017 0964 aspen glovesgroves 14 036 036 036 021 007 1238 cliffs talus banks 20 050 005 04010.40104011 055 0845 pinyon junipcijuniper 42 055 007 049 034 010 11331 133 mixed conifer 59 058 012 045 029 014 1247 iiversitydiversityit vilm s derived using proportions ofot species utilizing wellmeitich nesting substratesubitisubsti ite inin shannonsh inrenr i wiener diversitydivciitytoimulmiaithuiformula macarthur ind macarthurM icalICAI thinthun 1961 icavitiess in thistins situatiollsitu itionaition to nitineallocalnie in bokhokholeshoies s in cliffs 01or washw ishisb hanisbankshanks1 inks ratheri thanth in inin trees

11 L 2 breedingbleeding budbildbird community structurestructuietule boibolforagingfoi aging guilds on northern black mesa arizona foiforforagingaging substratemodesubstrate mode plopioproportionportion of species

noN0 bleedingbreeding ground aquatic foliage bark nectar Predpredatoratoiatol habitat species feeding feeding gleaning gleaning feeding sallying aerial scavenger Diversitya1 montane scrub 5 020 080 0501 sagebrush 5 100 0000 saisaltbushbalbaisaitSalt busilhuslithush 5 100 0000 casewoodgreasewoodCi 6 083 017 0456 re claimedreclaimed mine spoil 7 100 0000 juniper savanna 8 075 012 013 0686 riparianripailipai ianlan habitats 9 078 olioiioil0110.11 oilolioii0110.11 0680 ponds 9 044 056 0735 chained pinyon juniper 11 056 018 018 008 11451.1451 145 mixed shtubslirubshaub 12 083 008 008 0559 aspen grovesgi oves 14 014 057 014 014 11451 145 cliffs talus banks 20 015 010 005 010 020 040 1583 pinyonjuniperpinsonpinyon juniperunipeiuniped 42 019 031 007 002 010 007 024 1702 mixed conifer 59 014 041 012 005 008 003 017 1653

dividiversityisittisity values derived using piopoitionsproportions ofspeciesofot species inin eachcach f6ragingforagingtolfoifol igingaging guild inin shannonsh innon wiener diversity formulai macalmacarthurMacAi thutthui and MacArmacarthurmacanthuirhulnhul 1961

species at total densities of 47 and 17 individinvivid sarcobatus vermiculatusverrmculatus cheatgrassCheatgrass bromus uals40 ha american birds 1979 smith et al tectoriumtectorumtectorum and stickseed lappula re dowski 1984 reported breeding bird densities of frequently dominate the understory saltbush 61261.2 and 65265.2 individualsindividuals4040 ha in sagebrush stands are well developed in the middle por- in idaho over a byear2 year period tion of yellow water wash in reed valley and in portions of dmnebitodinnebitoDinDm nebito wash fig 6 saltbush shrubland open stands grow in places at the foot of the saltbush shrubland habitat occurs as pure mesa stands of fourlingfourwingfour wing saltbush atriplex like the sagebrush shrubland the saltbush canescentcanescenscanes cens in valleys on alluvial terraces at breeding bird assemblage is composed of 1980 2070 m 6500 6800 ft these stands are ground feeding summer resident species usually upstream from stands of greasewood tables 1 2 bird densities in saltbush are 199411994 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 11

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fig 5 sagebrush shrubland white house valley june 1987 higher than those in sagebrush table 4 mid sumably atriplex canescentcanescenscanescens in california one april 1982 densities in reed valley and din supported no breeding birds the other six nebito wash were 121 and 138 individualsindividuals4040 species at 21 individualsindividuals40mdividuals4040 ha american ha the dominant breeding species is the birds 1979 A third plot in shadshadscalescale scrub brewer s sparrow four remaining breeding A conferticonfertifoliaconfertifohafolia supported five species at 30 species are the horned lark sage thrasher individualsmdividuals40individuals4040 ha american birds 1979 vesper sparrow and sage sparrow although extensive grazing pressure in saltbush the latter species is sparse in saltbush as a maintains an open understory that probably breeding species of two saltbush plots pre allows use of this habitat by horned larks in

TABLE 3 bird densities rinn two standsstanistantds of sagebrushish shrublandshrublaniand in the Jjig19 and J 21 miminingnagnmg areas1arcasaareasa bird densitdennitdensityy no40no 40 ha

springsprcpring summersum neinelmei fallfalifailF iliilliii wiwinternteranter species jigJ 19 J 21 jigJ 19 J 21 Jjig19 J 21 jigJ 19 J 21 bushtit 106 bewick s wren 61 47 115 325 blue gray gnatcatcher 94 53 western bluebird 53 mountain bluebird 56 133 82 45 35 yellow rumpedbumped warbler 46 42 brewer s sparrow 275 382 89 80 sage sparrow 412 375 293 333 124 house finch 154 44

toralTOTAL 804 714 966 999 205 122 44 study conducted by peabody 1982 83 12 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

7z7

fifig 6 saltbush shrubland Dindinnebitonebito wash june 1987 winter horned larks are the only species that extensive greasewood stands on lower moen can be considered common in saltbush kopi wash have not been censcensusedcensusesused results of such work would probably be typical of greasewood shrubland shrubsteppesbrubsteppeshrubsteppe vegetation with breeding bird greasewood shrubland dominates terraces densities around 60 180 individualsindividuals4040 ha of the larger and lower wash valleys of comprising 3 5 species rotenberry and Moenmoenkopikopi coal mine yellow water red wiens 1980 particularly those noted above peak and yucca flat washes fig 7 it is typi- bradfield 1974 found the northern mock- cally found below 1920 m 6300 ft shadscaleShadscale ingingbirdbird bendirebendere s thrasher and black throat atriplex conferticonfertifohaconfertifoliafolia alkali sacaton sporo- ed sparrow to be characteristic of greasewood bolus airoides and cheatcheatgrassgrass are common on oraibi wash at the southern edge of black understory associates mesa I1 have found sage thrashersThrashers breeding the breeding bird species community of in greasewood stands at kayettakayenta just outside greasewood is dominated by summer resiresl the study area dent foliage nesting and ground feeding reclaimed surface mine spoil forms tables 1 2 the northern mockingbird bendiiebendirebendore s thrasheithrasherthrashedThrasheisher loggerhead shrike initiation of the large scale surface coal laiklalklark sparrow brewerbi ewer s sparrow and black mining operation by peabody coal company throated sparrow are known breeding species in the 1960s saw extensive tracts of land of greasewood the greasewood stand cen undergo what is essentially a type conversion susedaused in table 5 shows significant numbers of by agreement with the navajo and hopi sage sparrows and house finchesFincinchesches but it is tribes the postminingpostmining land use of the areas not known whether they nested in this partic- proposed for coal extraction was designated as ular higher elevation 2042 m 6700 ft stand livestock raising therefore a grassland vege- the relatively large number of species record- tation type best suited for effective livestock ed for this stand may be due to the presence production is the objective sought in posteinpostmin ofot surface water in the arroyo that bisected it ing reclamation efforts 199411994 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 13

TABUTABLE 4 budbird densities ini n two standsstan is of saltbushsaltsaitbus I1 shrubland in reed valleyvaileyvailvallvaliey RV and dmnebitodinnebitoDinDmnebito washW dwiDW bird densitydensitdennit no4040 ha

springsprcpring sumisummernermer fallfalifailfaillilittl winterwiintel species RV DW RV DW RV DW RV DW say s phoebe 240 88 57 horned lark 88 503 498 414 rock wrenwi en 98 35 96 73 bewick s wren 59 57 18 sage thrasher 86 195 mountain bluebird 53 169 29 45 78 yellow rumpedbumped waiblerwarbler 266 brewer s sparrow 231 100 847 1632 vesper sparrow 275 148 sage sparrow 77 229 89 white crowned sparrow 1348 574 house finch 373 208 76 133 53

toralTOIAL 1217 1387 1105 2461 1348 1706 414 astudiastunistudies conductedond td by nahodypi ibocly 1982 83

to date about 4300 ha 10625 ac of lie above 2134 in 7000 ft and about 8900 ha regraded mine spoil has been seeded with 22000 ac will be reclaimed the mix of grasses and other range plants fig 8 land species planted for each area varies but typi- that has been reclaimed lies between 1980 cal species used are crested wheatwheatgrassgrass west- and 2072 in 6500 and 6800 ft however by ern wheatwheatgrassgrass intermediate wheatwheatgrassgrass the time mining is completed some areas may agropyron intermedium various other

fig 7 greasewood shrubland moenkopired peak valley wash confluence june 1987 14 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

7TABLEaliiailiaill I1 5 budbird densities in greasewood saltbush shrublandshiushlubland in the J 28 mining areaarean bird density no40no 40 ha species spring summer fall winter rufous hummingbird 22 northernnoi them flicker 18 27 09 graygi ay flycatcher 80 say s phoebe 89 ash throated flycatcher 67 homedI1 laillalllalilark 552 snubscrub jay 09 18 mountain chickadee 06 bushtitbuslitit 302 rock wiwrenen iiiliiiliill11111.1 09 27 bewick s wienwren 267 09 mountain bluebird 178 36 53 solitary vireovirco 44 warbler 22 chipping sparrow 156 27 brewer s sparrow 71 vesper sparrow 67 laiklark sparrow 156 blaekblack throated sparrow 89 53 sage sparrow 222 200 white ci ownedcrowned shanowspanowsparrow 36 darkdaikdalk eyedjuncoeyed junco 89 391 2489 spalsparrowi ow sp 156 36 36 mcadowlalkmeadowlarkmeadowMcadowlalklaik sp 09 cassin s finch 18 house finch 378 187 62 18 pine siskin 338 unidentified sp 188

IOIAIIIIOTAL 1834 1262 952 3379 ststinlnai1i s conduittcondulttond taitx1d lyby PphodyPL ilxxlhodybody 1981 82 wheatwheatgrassesgrasses russian wildrye elymus berry and wiens 1980 report 2 6 average junciusjunjunceusceus smooth brome bromus ermisininermisinermia 383.8 in shortgrassshortgrass prairie and 3 5 average 383.8 saltbush alfalfa medicago sasattvativa sweet in mixed grass prairie they found breeding clover melilotusMehlotusiotus officinaofficinalisofficinahshslis some blue grama densities in these types to be 81681.6 1328132.8 and bouteloua gracilisgracihs and indian ricriericegrassncncegrassegrass 40 1264126.4 individualsindividuals4040 ha respectively oryzopisoryzopsis hymehymenoideshymenotdesnoides areas reclaimed after therefore the reclaimed areas on black mesa mining contain the best developed grasslands support breeding birds at densities compara- in the study area ble to natural grasslands elsewhere in north the breeding bird community is composed america however breeding bird species entirely of ground feeding forms most of richness is lower than most grasslands this which aiealeare summer residents tables 1 2 may be related to the relative structural and horned larks are the typical birds throughout floristic simplicity of the reclaimed areas the year in such areas table 6 western macarthur 1964 karr and roth 1971 tomoff meadowlarksMeadow larks are common breeding birds 1974 willson 1974 roth 1976 within the study area only reclaimed on areas savanna where saltbush is well established mourning juniper doves sage thrashersThrashers and brewer s and juniper savanna is a predominantly over vesper sparrows have been found nesting in grazed grassland terrain at the lowest edge of reclaimed areas table 6 maximum breeding the pinyon juniper woodland figs 1 10 it is densities under such conditions have been located as a band at the foot of the mesa from found as high as 33 pairspairs4040 ha 1770 to 1860 m 5800 to 6100 ft juniper cody 1966 reported 3 4 breeding species invasion into grasslands has occurred in the to be typical of grasslands worldwide roten southwestern united states in the past 130 19941 birnsBIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 15

2 777 7

nk 7

fig 8 reclaimed mine spoil N 2 reclaimed area june 1987 years west et al 1975 trees in this habitat been done in juniper savanna in the study appearing relatively young support this area but studies in similar habitats grue vegetation is dominated by snakeweed 1977 beatty 1978 both cited in balda and galleta blue grama squirreltail mormon tea masters 1980 indicated 11 23 breeding ephedra virviridisidis narrownarrowleafleaf yucca yucca speciesspeciesplotplot at densities of 35 179 pairspairs4040 ha angustissima indian ricegrassricegrass sand dropseed since pinyon juniper woodland on black sporobolus cryptcryptandrusandrus and scattered utah mesa supports 68568.568 5 1067106.7106log 7 pairspairs4040 haba see and one seed junipersjunijuniperuspers juniperusguniperus osteosperma table 12 it seems reasonable to assume that andaandjand J monospermamonomonospermysperma breeding bird densities would be below 70 the majority of breeding species are sum pairspairs4040 ha eight bird species are known to mer resident foliage nesting and ground bleedbreed in juniper savanna in the study area feeding forms tables 1 2 no censuringcensusingcensusing has the horned lark northern mockingbird bendirebendere s thrasher loggerhead shrike chipping sparrow lark sparrow western mead- TABLE 6 spot mapped breeding bird densities in three owlark and scott s oriole reclaimed areas in 1985 no pairspairs4040 ha reclaimed area riparian habitats riparian habitats are the most restricted species nlN l1 JjinglnIN 6 J 7 habitats in the study area they are dominated mourning dove 33 by tamarisk chinesischmesischchi horned lark 192 177 163 tamarix nesismesis thickets that sagetbasherSageTsage bashermasherthrasher 33 are usually less than 464.64 6 m 15 ft tall fremont brewelbrewer s sparrow 33 cottoncottonwoodswoods populus fremonfremontiifremontiatii although vesper sparrow 33 present as a few young individuals are essen- lark sparrow western meadowlark 22 33 tially absent from the study area russian olives eleagnusEleelaeagnusagnus angustifoliaangusttfolia are actively advancing TOIALTOTAL 192 199 328 up Moenmoenkopikopi wash and are currently well presprecpresentPics entcnt but density undetermined established at about 1829 m 6000 ft dense 16 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

jaj4

fisfig 9 juniper vinnislisllsavannaSci and the northern iciipmentescarpmente owl spring valley junejimejeme 1987

tamarisk thickets grow on coal mine and crowned warbler yellow rumpedbumped warbler Moenmoenkopikopi washes fig 9 below 1920 m 6300 macgillivray s warbler wilson s warbler ft thelethere is also a thicket at the confluence of green tailed towhee brewer s sparrow Moenmoenkopikopi wash and reed valley at 1981 m chipping sparrow and white crowned spar- 6500 ft tamarisk filled wash channels aiealeare row wintering bird densities are dominated considered disclimax strand communities by by dark eyed juncos and white crowned brown 1982 during the 1980s tamarisk sparrow it is interesting that such numbers of continued to establish and spread conspicu- insectivorous foliage gleaning migrants near- ously throughout the study area this perhaps ly 68 of the total density utilize tamarisk in indicates that its invasion has not yet ended the fall while virtually no foliage gleaning budbird use of riparian habitats on black forms nest in it an increase in arthropod den- mesa like that of ponds is typified by heavy sities may occur in late summer and fall migrant use and few breeding species most attracting migrants however hunter et al breedingbleeding species are summer resident 1988 believe that insects do not limit insecti- foliage nesting and ground feeding forms vore use of tamarisk on the colorado river in tables 1 2 the only species found nesting southwestern arizona species from adjoining in tamarisk are the killdeer scrub jay habitats such as the northern mockingbird bushtitBushtit blue grosbeakGiosgrosbeak lazuli bunting indi- loggerhead shrike and black throated spar- go bunting and brewer s blackbird the row frequently forage in or near tamarisk black chinned hummingbird house finch the blue grosbeak is a characteristic breed- and lesser goldfinch are suspected brebleederseders ing species in tamarisk throughout the south- migrant densitites usually much higher in fall west bradfield 1974 jacobs 1986 hunter et than in spring table 7 averaged 666 mdividindividinvivid al 1988 dark eyed juncos and white uals40 ha from september to mid october crowned sparrows are common in tamarisk in common fall migrants include the house winter in the southern edge of black mesa wren ruby crowned kinglet orange bradfield 1974 199411994 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 17

4 J

fig 10 tamarisk thicket coal mine wash july 1987

ponds virtually all observations of the 32 species of all ponds and standing water within the waterfowl and 27 species of shorebirdsshorebirds seen black mesa have been study area over 150 are man made older on associated with ponds migrant swallows and blackbirds are stock tanks were built by the bureau of indiindaindianI1 an frequently ponds affairs and nearly all recent ponds have been noted at several species of sparrows utilize weedy pond edges while constructed within the peabody lease area as passing through during migration breeding is required by surface mining environmental pied regulations some ponds basins confirmed for seven species billed exist in on grebe pintail reclaimed mine spoils the extent of these mallard northern american coot killdeer brewer s blackbird and red ponds ranges from less than 1 ha 05050.5 ac to winged blackbird only the mallard and kill- the nearly 12 ha 30 ac J 7 pond fig 11 are frequent most are only a few hectares in size and deer nesting species spotted sandpipersSand may have nested at J 7 pond water persistence is usually temporary shore- pipers cinnamon may also line vegetation is often poorly developed teal nest all breeding residents and because of heavy livestock grazing the young species are summer most are ground forms tables 1 2 age of most ponds and fluctuating water lev- nesting els tamarisk is the most frequent shoreline chained pinyon juniperjumper woodland plant although an occasional willow salix exigiaexigua can be found emergent and aquatic mechanical elimination of pinyon juniper vegetation includes cattail typha sp tules woodlands was a widely followed type conver- scirpus sp common poolmatpoolman Zanizanichelliazannichelliachellia sion practice to boost livestock production on sego pondweed potamogeton and chara all southwestern rangelands most projects were ponds may freeze over during colder winter conducted by vailousvarious federal land use agencies periods during the 1950s and 1960s when over 121.21 2 most bird use of ponds is accounted for by million ha 3 million ac of woodland was elimi- migrant species peabody coal company 1984 nated lanner 1981 the specific technique 18 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

TABLE 7 budbird densities in tamarisk on moenkopiMoen kopi washwashawash1 bird density no40no 40 hahaly species spring summer fall winter sharpshaishal p shinnedchinned hawk 18 amerleanamerican kestielkestrelkastiel 72 killdeer 72 72 mouiningmourningMou ining dove 18 54 blackblaekbidek chinned hummingbird 36 hummingbird sp 18 red napedndpedgaped sapsucker 36 downy Woodpeckwoodpeckerei 18 noinorthernthem flicker 18 18 hammondhamHdm mond s flycatcher 18 craygray flycatcher 18 sassay s phoebe 36 54 scrub jay 36 18 bushtit 18 rock wiwrenen 36 bewick s wienwren 126 90 house wienwren 197 ruby crowned kinglet 143 blue gigrayay gnatcatcher 72 northernnoi them mockingbird 36 36 loggerhead shrike 18 18 warblingwciiblingvneovireo 18 orange ci ownedcrowned warbler 18 502 virginiaviivil gima s waiwalwarblerbleibiel 18 vennivoraVennivora sp 126 yellow lumped warbler 36 5919 macgillivray s warbler 287 common yellowthroat 18 54 wilson s warbler 484 westeinwestern tanager 18 blue grosbeak 179 lazuli bunting 18 gleencreengreen tailedtalled towhee 287 brewer s sparlowsparrow 36 spizella sparrowsspar i awsows 2260 laiklark sparrow 36 blackblaek throated sparrow 18 song sparrow 18 lincoln s spalsparrowi ow 36 white ci ownedcrowned sparrow 36 664 daikdark eyed junco 1919 biewerblewerbrewer s blackbird 179 36 brownbiownblown headedhedded cowbird 18 36 house finch 36 unidentified budbird sp 90

tmTOIAIai 593 611 11553 2063

basedB isalisnl on singlesingie tntvcrsti tvcist efaofaof 446014460 X soin50 in transectti insect isprfigspi ing 7 mayVI y 1987simiinw1987 suinincisulsuiquininci 25 june 1986 fidlfedleidit illlillii 25 september 1986 winter 21 juiuaryJ inu iryrry 1986 used varied but trees were usually uprooted done on northern black mesa the most recent by dragging naval anchor chain between two project completed in 1986 crawler tractors the area was frequently all chained pinyon juniper sites in the seeded usually with crested wheatwheatgrassgrass study area are on higher drainage divides and pinyon juniper control has now fallen out of the mesa summit from 2165 to 2470 m 7100 vogue for several reasons but primarily to 8000 ft the five sites are located as fol- because of rising costs and poor cost benefit lows 1 the mesa top where navajo route 41 ratios lanner 1981 however it is still being crosses 2 lolotailolomai point 3 the divide 1994 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 19

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w R M

fig 11 J 7 pond june 1987 between yellow water canyon and the west about half of the 11 breeding species are fork of coal mine wash 4 about 2 km west permanent residents table 1 cavity nesting of kayettakayenta point and 5 the divide between species aiealeare well presentedrepresentedle along with the east fork of coal mine wash and foliage and ground nesting forms A variety Moenmoenkopikopi wash these sites total about 3943 of foraging guilds are represented but ha 9742 ac M roth personal communica- ground feeding species comprise the majority tion to FE R vest all five areas have been table 2 typical birds of chained areas are seeded with crested and western wheatwheatgrassgrass lewis and acorn woodpeckers mountain the lolotailolomai point chaining was conducted in bluebirds rufous sided and green tailed 1972 FE vest personal communication the towheesTowhees and chipping sparrows red tailed remaining four sites were probably chained in hawks and american kestrels readily use the the late 1960s or early 1970s isolated pines as perch sites further discus- the largest single site lolotailolomai point has sion of the effects of chaining on birds is pre- been and currently continues to be rapidly sented on pages 33 and 34 invaded by gambel oak and utah serviceber- mixed shrubland ry fig 12 the remaining sites are also being invaded by these shrubs but the current den- the mixed shrubland is an ecotonal vegeta- sity and stature of the plants are below that of tive association situated in the area where the lolotailolomai point gambel oak occurs in a suc- major washes of the moenkopiMoenkopi drainage con- cesscessionalional sequence with pinyonpryonpmyon in colorado verge fig 13 here an open shrubland com- floyd 1982 although this appears to be the prising big sage black sage artemisia nova case on northern black mesa it is probably saltbush greasewood shadscaleshadscale snakeweed happening only in the elevational range of the cutlergutierrezbaGutierGutierrezgutierreziagutierreztareziata sarothraesarothrae and rabbitbrushrabbitbrush oak during removal of the woodland pon- chrysothamnus greeneigreenedgreenei C nauseosus covers derosa pines pinus ponderosa were left a landscape of hills and terraces grasses pri- standing the aspect created was that of marily blue grama galleta hilaria jamesiijamejamesiesii meadows or clearings containing scattered and needle and thread stipa camatacomatacomata are fair- large trees fig 12 ly well developed associates included in this 20 grealGREAIGREAT BASIN naturaiastNAFURAI isilsi volume 54

c4vcov alkalp

fig 12 chainedch linedtined pinyon juniperuninnunipn woodland invaded by cambelcambolgambol oak lolotailolomailolornaiLolornainal point august 1987 type are mancos shale slopes at the mesa foot reflects the shrub species composition repre- and in the area of the Moenmoenkopikopi wash coal sented in it for these reasons any particular mine wash confluence that are covered with area of mixed shrubland typically supports shadscaleshad scale and russian thistle salsola ibericaibericdiberlibericd more species of breeding birds than a mono- elevations in this area are 1829 1980 m typic shrubland tables 8 9 6000 6500 ft shadscalesbadscaleShad sealescale occasionally occurs as nearly tomoff 1974 wiens and rotenberry monotypic stands on exposures of mancos 1981 and smith et al 1984 noted that cer- shale or on the outwash fans of material tain desert scrub and shrubland bird species eroded from the same such situations appear are associated with specific shrub species to support the lowest breeding bird densities tomoff 1974 states that plant species com- and species richness of any of the native habi- position is highly significant in regulating tats on black mesa fautin 1946 smith et al breeding bird communities in desert scrub 1984 and medin 1986 1990 examined bird rotenberry 1985 in a study of grassland communities in shadschadsshadscalecalecaieeale dominated desert habitats found that over half 55 of the scrub in the great basin each study found variation in bird community composition was about three species breeding at densities of associated with floristic variation desert 39239.2 64864.8 individualsindividuals4040 ha horned larks scrub bird communities in the study area sup- were the most numerous species in each port these statements with several shrubland study typically constituting the majority of breeding birds being associated with particu- total bird density lar shrub species sage sparrows are most the mechanisms of the relationship noted numerous in sagebrush sage thrashersThrashers and above are not clearly known the tendency of brewer s sparrows prefer saltbush and black some birds to nest in certain plant species throated sparrows are typical of greasewood tomoff 1974 petersen and best 1985 helps and shadshadscalescale because the mixed shrubland explain part of the relationship species spe is a composite habitat the breeding bird com- elficelfie exploitation of arthropod faunalfaunas distinct munity composition at any particular site to each shrub species may be important 199419941 BIRDS OF NORTHERNnorlnoriNORl HERN BLACK MFSAMESA ARIZONA 21

IVItwaoma

fig 13 shadscaleShad sealescale dominated mixed shrubland Moenmoenkopikopi wash june 1987

wiens and rotenberryRotenb eiryelry 1981 rotenberry narrownarrowleafleaf cottoncottonwoodswoods populus angustifoliaangu&tifoha 1985 postulates that within similar habitat ashensaspens known from 39 sites within the study types bird speciespeciesplantsplant taxa associations area vary in stand size from a few trees to are mediated by the specific food resources stands up to 1861.861 86 ha 46464.64 6 ac each majormajol that different plant taxa provide bird wash except dinnebitoDin nebito contains aspen response to habitat physiognomy plays a key groves but most are located in drainages of role in habitat selection and utilization yellow water canyon in the vicinity of lololoio1010 macarthurMacArthuithul 1964 kankarr and roth 1971 wiens maimal point understory vegetation includes 1973 willson 1974 roth 1976 shrublandsShrub lands meadow rue thahctrumthalictrumfendlerifendlenfenbendlenjenjhndiendlen and oregon on black mesa represent a single physiog- lepresent grape berbensberberis rapensrepens poison ivy rhus radi with shrub nomic type the species compris- cans and bracken fern ptendiumpteridium aquiaquilinusaquihnumaquilinumlinum ing them all having great basin affinities are found in some areas cattle grazing has biownblownbrown 1982 it may be that the distinct bird widely opened the shrub stratum in several species associated with great basin various groves while in protected groves the under desert scrub communities evolved through in stoistolstoryy may be nearly impenetrable resource partitioning brought about by com- most of the 14 known suspected petitivepetitive interactions cody 1985 or breeding species in ashensaspens are foliage gleaning and aspen groves ground and foliage nesting summer residents 1 wrens aspen groves are found in cool moist tables 2 house and warbling vire heads of box canyons fig 14 or sheltered os breed only in this habitat no extensive ravines at elevations above 2195 in 7200 ft censuringcensusingcensusing has been conducted in ashensaspens on these groves are dominated by quaking aspen black mesa the results min table 10 suggest populus trernuloidestremuloidestremuloidesoldes box elder maple acer that rather high densities may occur an aspen negundo gambel oak chokecherry prunus stand with scattered conifers in colorado sup- virginianavirgimanavirgvirginiajavirginianaimana and red osier dogwood cornus ported 30 species at 184 individualsindividuals4040 ha stoloniferastolonifera one grove contains several large american birds 1979 22 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

tablit1abl1 8 spot mapped breeding bird densities in usually under 46 m 150 ft yale point sand- mixed shrublandshiublcind near the J 7 mining area 1984 86 no neal alea stone is the cliff former in canyons near the pailpallpairs40pairss4040 hahd in mesa imrim in the vicinity of the mine lease species 1984 1985 1986 the cepowepo formation rarely forms cliffs toreva mourningmouimngdovldove sandstone cliffs flank the valley where say s phoebe 15 21 Moenmoenkopikopi wash exits the study area eroded homedhorned laiklalklark 89 59 wash banks are present throughout the study nolnorthernNoi theinthern raven rockzienrockwienroekrockroeRoc kWienwren 15 15 12 site where wash channels have dissected allu- mountain bluebird vial fill northernnoitheinmoekingbndmockingbird 08 06 twenty bird species are known or suspect- sagesagclhrasher thrasher 30 ed to use ledges or holes in cliffs or wash loggerhead shrikeshishl ike 080 8 banks as of brewer s sparrow 30 89 74 nesting sites several these are vesper sparrow restricted to such nesting sites in the study larkLaikSlaikspanowsparrowpanow 12 area and include the prairie falcon white black throatedthioatedspaisparrowlowrow 119 59 89 throated swift cordilleran flycatcher violet sage sparrowspal row 74 30 18 blownbrownbiown headed cowbird green swallow northern rough winged swallow cliff swallow rock wren canyon IOIAI 358 193 321 wren and townsend s solitaire the majority BRLIBREEDINGDINC SPECIESSPI US biciRICHNESSRICI INEss 8 4 9 are permanent residents and aerial feeders prstt1 nstntprsmt bntclinsilbuthut mulctcm iiicd and predators predominate tables 1 2 some require special conditions around suit- cliffs talus slopes and wash banks able nesting sites ege g cordilleran flycatchers must also have mixed conifer present and cliffs talus slopes and eroded wash banks northern rough winged swallows have been are found at all elevations throughout the found nesting only in holes in wash banks study site on the outer mesa escarpment the geologic strata that form cliffs are dakota pinyon juniper woodland sandstone the toreva formation and yale pinyon juniper woodland fig 16 is one of point sandstone figs 10 15 cliff heights in the most widespread communities in the this aleaarea may be up to 107 m 350 ft but aiealeare southwestern united states occurring where

TABITABLE r 9 budblidbird densities in sagebrush mixed shrubland nealnearneav the J 7 mining areal bird density no 40ha species spring summer fall winter cooper s hawk 14 black chinned iiuminingbiidhummingbird 09 hummingbird sp 09 say s phoebe 09 ash throated flycatcher 04 hornedhomed laiklalklark 178 101 1093109.3109 3 1867186.7186 7 rock wiwrenen 47 westeinwestern bluebird 09 bluebird sp 04 noinorthernthem mockingbird 04 sage thrashertiutin asher 09 09 brewelbrewer s sparrow 27 06 vesper sparrow 09 black throated sparrow 18 sage sparrow 44 27 sparrow sp 06 westeinwestern meadowlark 18 brewelbrewer s blackbird 09 house finch 04

TOIALTOTAL 242 242 1169 1881 study11swdy tkductaoiidiickd by ellnaeliga 1979 80 using endenenlien ti insectstransects 199419941 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 23

4 k

fig 14 aspen grove Moenmoenkopikopi wash october 1986 mean annual precipitation is 250 500 mm canyons near the mesa rim manzanita arc 98gs989.89 8 19719.719 7 in brown 1982 it is the dominant tostatostaphylusphylus pungentpunpungensgens is present in the wood- plant community of black mesa fig 3 the land in a few places near the mesa rim dark aspect this woodland impartsimpal ts to the mesa the assemblage of bird species at any point when seen from a distance is said to account in the woodland is dictated by stand charac- for the name black mesa throughout black teristicste tree density tree species composi- mesa the woodland begins appearing at tion and abiotic factors such as soil slope about 1830 m 6000 ft and is found from this and exposure no single area of woodland will elevation to the mesamesas s highest reaches at over support all of the 41 known or suspected 2470 m 8100 ft breeding species several species breed in colorado pinyon pinus eduiseduliseduhs and utah higher elevation stands while others nest in juniper are the principal trees of this wood- the lower open stands scott s orioles gray land fig 16 Junijunipersjuniperuspers dominate at lower ele- eireosvireos and house finchescinches are typical low vationsvations and as elevation increases pinionspinyons stand species the hairy woodpecker moun- become dominant total tree density increases tain chickadee white breasted nuthatch and trees become larger in stature table 11 solitary vireo black throated gray warbler tree densities may exceed 400ha near the and rufous sided towhee are most common meadsmesdsmesa s northern rimrun understory is usually open in higher elevation stands eleven species are but variable in some places it is nearly bare widespread throughout the woodland and can while in others big sage may be quite dense be considered typical of it gray flycatcher cliffroseCliffrose cowaniacoramacowamaCowaniamaniamanla metimettmeximexicanamexicandmexicanocanacand and gambel oak ash throated flycatcher pinyon jay moun- are frequently found in the woodland above tain chickadee plain titmouse bushtitBush tit 2200 m 7200 ft cliff fendlerbushfendler bush and ante- bewick s wren mountain bluebird solitary lope bush purshia dentatatntritrltndentatatridentatatridentate are common vireo black throated gray warbler and chip- understory associates silverleaf buffaloberrybuffaloberry ping sparrow these species excluding the jay Shepherdshepherdiata rotundifoliarotundtfokarotundifolia is a common under- accounted for 80180.1 92892.8 of the total breed- story associate on the rocky mesa scarp and in ing bird density in the three stands censcensusedcensusesused 24 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

tableTABU 10 census results in ashensaspens on noinorthernnoithernthern black in 1983 and 1984 table 12 half of the breed- mesameso mesh ing species are foliage destersnestersnesters but cavity species no present destersnesters are also well represented tables 1 2 of the ground turkeyruirul key vulture 5 utilize nocturnal roost ten percent the species nest on 1 sharpshelishell p shmiedshinnedshmned hawk 2 pairpan with nest table in the three stands censcensusedcensusesused above red tailed hawk I1 noted overhead foliage nesting pairs constitute 42942.942 9 of the broad tailedtalled hummingbird 4 total nesting pairs in the highest tree density foragingfoibbr white throated swift aging above canopy stand foliage nesting pairs make up nearly downy Woodpeckwoodpeckerci 1 50 each of lairyhairyhalryI1 Woodpeckwoodpeckerei 4 in the other two stands nearly noinorthernthem flicker 3 87 of foliage nests and 87 of all cavity dusky flycatcher 2 nests located in black mesa woodland have cordilleran flycatcher 2 been in utah junijuniperuspers violet green swallow foragingfoifol above junipers gleen aging canopy balda and masters 1980 found that stellersteilerstelier s jay 2 breed- scrubseiscisel ul jay 2 ing bird density increases with increasing tree mountain chickadee 4 density on black mesa an average breeding pygmy nuthatch I1 density of 6676666.77 pairspairs4040 ha 1983 and 1984 creeper 1 blownbiownbrown I used a stand containing 150 treeshatretreeshyesha tables lousehousenouseI1 wienwren 1 11 12 treeshy americanamerleanameiamer leanican robin 2 in a stand of 283 treeshatreesha an average solitary vireoviivil eo I1 of 93493.493 4 pairspairs4040 ha was found for the same waiblingwarbling vireo 4 years A density of 105 pairspairs4040 ha was deter- orangeoi an gecigc ci ownedcrowned waibleiwaiblerwarbler 3 mined for a stand of 380 treeshatretreeshyesha total breed- viiginiavirginiavieginiaVi s warbler 1 iginia bird density showed a strong cor- wilson s waibleiwaiblerwarbler I1 ing positive black headed gigrosbeakosbeakosbeck 4 relation with total tree density r 99 addi- northernnoi them onoleoriole I1 tiotionallynally pinyon density was positively correlated with densities of gray flycatchers IOIAITOTAL smail10rmsSMALL FORMS 44 mountain chickadees and black throated 10snciisiis andwndloiidiictnltd ililiiin111 the njadlnjddlinicklk foktoikfoik ofcoalt C 0 iai1 mimmine wabonwashbabon on 252625 26 may 1986 gray warblersWarblers these results reflect those sisix traitrawrstrawh ivi rsis s countcountingalllonntiiisingall1 mclividuindivichials ilsilktik detclk tootedted appiapplapproxiiiiately0x1111 itclv 2 hah censccnsuscdcensusedcensusesused

fig 15 cliffs at the noinorthernnor them rimnm september 1986 199411994 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 25

fig 16 pinyon juniper woodland white house valley june 1987 reported by balda and masters 1980 who along the mesa rim fig 3 occurs at also found hairy woodpeckers and white 2070 2470 m 6800 8100 ft it dominates the breasted thatchesnuthatchesNu to be absent from stands upper reaches of yellow water coal mine and with a pinyon to juniper ratio below 111 1 sedg- Moenmoenkopikopi washes and shallow drainages on the wick 1987 further quantified avianavlan habitat mesa summit near the rim fig 17 A small relationships in pinyon juniper woodland isolated stand occurs below the confluence of results from black mesa are comparable to reed valley and Moenmoenkopikopi wash character- those of balda and masters 1980 they found istic trees are douglas fir pseudotsuga men that number of species per plot or study area ziesiizieziesigsii ponderosa pine and a pinyonpryonpmyon juniperjumper from several studies varied from 12 to 24 18 woodland component of colorado pinyon to 21 on black mesa breeding densities utah juniper and rocky mountain juniper ranged from 30 to 190 pairspairs4040 ha and aver- iunilunifuniJumfuniperusjumperusjuniperusperus scopulorum an isolated stand of aged around 95 pairspairs4040 ha the average for white fir abies concolor is present on lololoio1010 black mesa plots is 88 pairspairs4040 ha they noted maimal point understory vegetation in mixed that there may be large annual variations in conifer woodland is varied but typically overall breeding densities the percentage of includes gambel oak snowberry cliff fendler permanent residents appeared to be positively bush mountain mahogany Cercocercocarpuscarpus intriintrzinariintro correlated with the proportion of pinyon pines catus and wax currant Muttonmuttongrassgrass poa and ranged from 35 to 53 large concentra- fendlerianafendleriana western wheatwheatgrassgrass agropyron tions of robins solitairessolitaires and bluebirds that smitsmithiismithiahii pine dropseed blepharoneuron tri- they report occurring frequently during win-win cholepsischolepsis and mountain muhly muhlenber- ter in central arizona woodlands have not gia montana are common understory grasses been observed on northern black mesa the rainfall sink situation of this region brown 1982 is reflected in the distribution of mixed conifer association mixed conifer and pinyon juniper woodland the mixed conifer association found in the habitats on the highest elevations of black upper canyons and at sheltered cliff bases mesa vegetative communities at similar 26 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

TABLETABLL 11 density and canopy cover of three stands ofofpinyonpinyon juniper woodland on the black mesa leasehold site

jioJ 10 J 20 J 21 elevation 2012 rn 6600 ft 2103 mrn 6900 ft 2164 rn 7100 ft total tree density 14935ha14935149 35haha 28280ha28280282 sohaha 37998ha37998379 98haha absolute density pinyon 4854ha48 54ha 14140ha14140141 40haha 24224ha24224242 24haha absolute density juniperunipeiuniped 10081ha10081100 81haha 14140ha14140141 40haha 13774ha13774137 74haha proportionPioploportion pinyon 033 050 064 proportion juniper 067 050 036 canopy covelcover 1061 1337 2616 relative canopy covelcover pinyon 3190 4915 6907 relative canopy cover juniper 6810 5085 3093 mean tree height 402402mrn 366m3663.66 rn 500soosoom5.00 m mean height pinyon 393.939mm 352m3523.52 rn 493m493 m mean height juniper 404404mrn 385m3853.85 rn sigsigm516 rn elevations to the south and west where rainfall warbler and dark eyed junco townsend s is greater on the mogollon kaibab and coco- warbler along with macgillivray s wllWilwilsonsorss nino plateaus are well developed ponderosa and orange crowned warblersWarblers are common pine or ponderosa pine douglas fir forest migrants the golden crowned kinglet is a brown 1982 mixed conifer habitats occur typical winter resident that red breasted on northern black mesa in specific areas Nuthatches may be common some winters is where local abiotic conditions favor its devel- probably related to conifer cone crop irrup- opment these conditions all increase avail- tions widerlechner and dragula 1984 able moisture and are 1 deep sheltered and no bird density data have been collected shaded canyons 2 north facing slopes 3 in mixed conifer woodland on black mesa joint traces and cracks where runoff is con- breeding bird densities no doubt greatly centcentratedcentiaratedted by bare exposures of yale point exceed that of the pinyon juniper woodland A sandstone and 4 small shallow drainages ponderosa pine stand on san francisco moun- above 2255 m 7400 ft wheree runoff is also tain arizona supported 23 species at 232 concentrated the pinyon juniper woodland is pairs40pairs 40 ha and a nearby mixed conifer stand still the dominant vegetation type on the supported 27 species at 253 pairs40pairs 40 ha broad mesa top see fig 15 at elevations haldeman et al 1973 A spruce fir stand in above 2440 m 8000 ft indicating that the the white mountains arizona supported 16 mesameadsmesdss highest elevations probably receive no species at 1697169.7 pairs40pairs 40 ha and 17 species at more than about 356 mm 15 in mean annual 1865186.5 pairs40pairs 40 ha in two different years rainfall this is less than the 470 540 mm carothers et al 1973 franzreb 1977 18518518.518 5 21321.321 3 in reported for the above men reported mid to late breeding season bird tionedtinned uplands brown 1982 and approxi- densities of 6329632.9 and 8659865.9 individualsindividuals4040 ha mates the isohyet estimate for northern black 31 and 40 species respectively in two con- mesa by cooley et al 1969 secutive years in unlogged white mountain the mixed conifer association supports the mixed conifer forest A logged stand support- greatest richness of breeding bird species of ed 32 and 41 species at 5440544.0 and 7580758.0 indi all habitats present in the study area fifty viduals40 ha respectively in the same two nine species are known or suspected to breed years brotherson et al 1981 reported an in mixed conifer habitats table 1 of these early july density of 280 individualsindividuals4040 ha 26 nearly half are permanent residents foliage species in an aspen mixed conifer woodland and cavity nesting forms predominate in nearby Betabetatakintakin canyon although a variety of other nesting substrates the mixed conifer association and its bird are utilized by the remaining species table species make northern black mesa unique 1 common characteristic breeding species most of the navajo and hopi reservations are include the broad tailed hummingbird dominated by andaridanidannd deserts and semiarid grass- dusky and cordilleran flycatchers steller s lands shrublandsshrublands and pinyon juniper wood- jay pygmy nuthatch hermit thrush grace s land there are few montane islands rising 199419941 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 27

TABLE 12 breeding bird densidensitiestiesa of three pinyon juniper woodland stands on the black mesa leasehold no pairspairs4040 ha

Jjio10 J 20 J 30 species 1983 1984 1983 1984 1983 1984 american kestrel mourning dove 38 common nighthawk black chinned hummingbird 4 hauthanthairyhalry woodpecker 19 38 gray flycatcher 76 76 76 115 115 95 ash throated flycatcher 76 57 38 38 38 38 scrub jay 38 19 38 19 pmyonjaypinyon jay mountain chickadee 38 38 76 76 115 95 plain titmouse 76 115 76 76 76 115 bushtit 38 57 38 38 white breasted nuthatch 76 38 115 57 rock wren bewick sswienwren 115 115 191 153 115 191 blue gray gnatcatcher 38 38 38 western bluebird 38 38 mountain bluebird 38 19 38 76 38 hermit thrush solitary vireo 38 19 76 38 38 38 black thioatedgraywarbleithroated craygray warbler 76 115 115 153 153 rufous sided towhee 38 chipping spansparrowspaw ow 76 76 76 115 115 76 black throated sparrow brown headed cowbird house finch 38 38 38

TOTALtoialdensiiDENSITYY 685 648 914 954 1032 1067 toralTOTALTOFAL NUMBER orOF SPECIES 21 19 21 18 19 20 spot m appedippcclappedu 1983 84 plesentpiesplesPickpresententcnt but density undetermined because of insufficient datadelta out of the dry lowlands in the vast region a mean of 37 species from a series of 31 mon- bordered by the little colorado colorado tane islands in the great basin the mean and san juan rivers and the new mexico state number of permanent resident species was line only defiance plateau navajo mountain 7397.39 behle 1978 in a similar analysis of 14 and the carrizo lukachukai chuskacbuska moun- montane islands in utah had a mean of 42742.7 tain chain rise high enough to support exten- species per island 17017017.0 permanent residents sive montane coniferous forests the mixed all of those designated as widespread species conifer woodland on black mesa is restricted occurring on all islands in both studies are and isolated but is sufficient to allow such known or suspected breeding species on montane species as clark s nutcrackers black mesa both authors found the number brown creepers hermit thrushes and yellow of breeding species to be positively and signif- rumpedbumped warblersWarblers to breed within a few kilo- icantly correlated with habitat diversity meters of the andaridarndannd flats of monument valley the remarkable breeding bird species richness on northern black mesa is related to the additional discussion number and types of habitats occurring in the the highest portions of northern black area A well documented concept in ecology mesa support a rich association of montane states that increasing structural diversity of a breeding birds compared to other insular plant community allows bird species diversity montane habitats in the great basin and col- to increase macarthur and macarthur 1961 orado plateau the mixed conifer woodland macarthur 1964 karr and roth 1971 willson alone supports 59 species 32 of which are 1974 roth 1976 if it is allowed that breed- permanent residents johnson 1975 reported ing bird species richness of a given habitat 28 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54 eownow 1 W 7 e

av1v

4404 4 A V

A J

fig 17 mixed conifer woodland lolotailolomailolornaiLolornainal point august 1987 eoneconecorrespondssponds to the bleedingbreeding bird species factors responsible for this include the young diversity of that habitat then a pronounced age of the ponds small size isolated nature of habitat complexity breeding bird species both types heavy livestock grazing in both diversity gradient is well illustrated on black types and apparent inability of riparian mesa tables 1 2 the structural simplicity of breeding bird species to utilize the principal the selubscrub habitats allows utilization of them riparian plant species in the area the exotic by fewelfewer than 12 bleedingbreeding bird species with a tamarisk in pure montane scrub only 5 given site generally supporting 3 4 species species are known to breed in the relatively the pinyonpryonpmyon juniperjumper woodland bird diversity is complex aspen groves 14 species are known faifar greater than the next nearest habitats to breed the small extent and isolated nature mixed conifer woodland supports the greatest of the latter habitat probably prevent utiliza- diversity of breeding species for several rea- tion of more species the montane scrub sons greater stature and complexity inclusion although appearing more complex than the of the pinyonpryonpmyon juniperjumper woodland component great basin shrublandsshrublands is essentially a shrub- and the relatively pristine decadent old land of restricted regional occurrence again growth nature of portions of the habitat isolation may prevent use by more species reclaimed mine spoil juniper savanna faunal resemblance factors table 13 show chained pinyon juniperjumper and mixed shrub limited overlap between breeding bird associ- habitats have higher species richness values ations in the study area half of the pairs of than monotypic shrublandsshrub lands because each habitats in table 13 show no faunal resem- includes characteristics andor plants species blance ege g sharenoshare no species approximately of other habitats half of those pairs sharing species have factors species richness of breeding bird associa- below 0210.210 21 the greatest resemblance factor is tions of several habitats is surprisingly depau- between sagebrush and saltbush shrublandsshrublands perate riparian habitats and ponds that are 0800800.800 80 which probably reflects bird response typically used by many bird species support to the very similar growth form of the two only 7 and 9 breeding species respectively shrubs greasewood shrubland and juniper 199419941 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 29

TABLE 13 faunal semblanceresemblancele factors of the breeding bird communities of northern black mesa arizona

Q j 3 c 0 in i 3 c ci Q g h a wa ni c 2 u & w 8 S 5 g 3 H S c az7z ul febego 7 S I1 g 1 i J i 4sass j 1 g S 1 7s M 3 g a & 5 a cs a 0 S 0 rt P jU S7 S SU a montane scrub 5 12 38 32 09 13 sagebrush 5 80 18 50 31 25 47 saltbush 4 5 18 67 15 25 47 greasewood 1 1 6 31 57 12 67 reclaimed spoil 3 4 2 7 40 22 53 04 03 juniper savanna 2 1 4 3 8 11 60 08 03 riparian I1 9 22 10 16 06 ponds 2 9 chained pinyon lumperjuniper 3 2 2 1 2 1 1 11 18 08 13 19 14 mixed shrub 4 4 6 5 6 1 12 13 04 aspen glovesgroves 3 I1 14 06 11 30 cliffs talus banks 2 2 1 20 29 20 pinyon juniper 2 1 2 4 5 1 3 9 42 61 mixed conifer 4 1 1 2 5 11 10 31 59 ammircscmblnblaoceIIKL facto lightright of diagonal follows iiotfinlistci11offincister 1986 andincunc isi didd i d by doublingbyloublig the niiiiililiberher of species in common left ofliagonalof h igoiul andmclmcimoi dividing jyby the tetiltot il numbciniber ofspeciesof species inin eache icilleli community diagonaldi igon tl savanna have a semblanceresemblancele factor of 0570.570 57 in their foliage growth form and geographical this relatively high value is also probably origins the montane scrub is a high elevation related to bird lesresresponseponse to structurally similar cold climate derivative brown 1982 of habitats principal plants in these habitats are broad leaved deciduous shrubs while the larger densely foliaged shrubs and small great basin desert scrub communities are trees respectively the relatively high faunal lower elevation desert derived associations of resemblance factors of the juniper savanna sclerophyllous often evergreen shrubs and mixed shrub 060ogo0600.600 60 saltbush and brown 1982 these differences are no doubt reclaimed mine spoil 0670670.670 67 greasewood and associated with the different avifaunalavifaunas associ- mixed shrubland 0670670.670 67 and pinyon jumperjuniper ated with each indeed foliage cleanersgleanersgleaners com- and mixed conifer woodlands 0610610.610 61 are all prise 80 of the breeding species in the mon- related to similar habitat structurestrucstruetuietule andor tane scrub and ground feeding species com- flonfloristicstic composition prise 78 100 of the species in the desert A few low faunal resemblance factors and scrub habitats table 2 ponds and riparian their possible explanations are noteworthy areas show a faunal resemblance only to each pinyon juniper and chained pinyon juniper other indicating a regional uniqueness of the woodland have a resemblance factor of 0190.190 19 associated breeding birds reflecting the strong response of the breeding with increasing habitat diveisitydiversity and bird species composition to a pronounced accompanying breeding budbird species diversity physiognomic change furthermore the value there is also an increase in the number of dif- is this high because of four species that char- ferent nesting site substrate and foraging sub acterizeacterize the woodland edge and therefore stratemodestrate mode guilds tables 1 2 ground and utilize the openings created by chaining foliage nesting species are found in nearly all montane scrub shows no faunal resemblance habitats cavity destersnestersnesters which utilize tree with any of the great basin desert shrublandsshrublands cavities appear in tree dominated habitats sagebrush saltbush greasewood and mixed ledge destersnenesterssters logically are dominant in cliffs shrublandsshrublands although structurally similar the talus slopes and wash banks ground feeding lack of any faunal resemblance between these species are found in all habitat types and com- two shrubland types may be due to differences prise the principal guild in open low statured 30 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54 habitats foliage cleanersgleanersgleaners are prominent in been extensively dissected any riparian vege- the habitats composed of trees tation particularly old cottonwood and willow growth was probably drastically altered if not environmental CHANGES eliminated during this time ON BLACK MESAMFSA the previous occurrence of native riparian habitats in the study area is conjectural three environmental changes during the past cottonwood posts identified from a large 2000 years on the colorado plateau and on anasazi site on Moenmoenkopikopi wash are associated black mesa in particular have been well stud- with a structure dating to about ADA D 869 876 ied and documented these changes have sink et al 1983 virtually no cottoncottonwoodswoods undoubtedly affected the avifauna of black are present in the upper 39 km 24 miles of mesa in many ways the exact effect of many moenkopiMoenkopi wash today it is possible that a such changes on the budbird life of the mesa cottonwood willow association was present in however must remain conjectural A brief dis- the vicinity of the coal mine and Moenmoenkopikopi cussion of several broad categories of change washes confluence where there are short is presented below along with comments on reaches of perennial stream flow and dense the effects such changes may have had on the well developed tamarisk thickets any cotton- birds of black mesa wood snags that may have existed after the the have climatic changes cutting of arroyo disappeared karlstrom 1983 presents evidence that a seriesserlessenes of climatic changes speculated to be related small ponds occurred in yellow water canyon pnmaiprimarilyilyliy to changes in rainfall amounts at about 2073 m 6800 ft elevation small modes or distribution have been studied ponds may have existed elsewhere again par- extensively in the southwest euler et al ticulticularlyarly along coal mine and Moenmoenkopikopi 1979 howeverHowevei distribution of plant commu- washes in 1896 richard wetherill reported nities in the black mesa region has been minimini- ponds in the tsegitsegai canyons similar to what mally affected by such changes in the past may have occurred on a smaller scale in yel- 2500 deaisyeaisyears dean 1989 the principal effect low water canyon the canyon had two of precipitation change has been in levels of lagoons from cliff to cliff about one mile alluvial water tables karlstrom 1983 euler apart and each one a mile long and about 300 et al 1979 postulate that a 550 year cycle of yards wide ducks are plenty on these lakes rainfall changes and the accompanying water R wetherill unpublished report on file at the table fluctuations are responsible for repeated american museum of natural history aggradation and degradation of alluvial budbird species affected by the reduction or deposits along wash courses throughout the elimination of riparian habitats would include southwestern united states they believe all species closely associated with these habi- degradation or arroyo cutting and gullying tats throughout northeastern arizona see follows lowered water tables during periods of woodbury and russell 1945 monson and low relative precipitation channels then refill phillips 1981 and hunter et al 1987 among with sediment as water tables rise during wet- these are the western kingbird yellow war- ter periods bler blue grosbeak lazuli bunting yellow dean 1989 states that significant arroyo breasted chat and northern oriole the dis- cutting episodes occurred on black mesa appearance of ponds would also have elimi- around ADA D 225 250 750 775 and 1275 1300 nated shorebirdsshorebirds and waterfowl and affected cutting of the present widespread gully net- species characteristic of emergent vegetation work began around 1880 90 thornthwaite et such as the marsh wren common yel- al 1942 and by 1915 had reached current lowthroatlowthroat and red winged blackbird brad- conditions in the polacca wash drainage of field 1974 discussed severe impacts of gully- eastern black mesa laguna creek in neigh- ing on shorebirdsshorebirds and waterfowl on southern boring tsegitsegai canyon had gullied by at least black mesa at oraibi wash it is possible that 1918 J wetherill unpublished letter to talbot the black billed magpie which disappeared hyde on file at american museum of natural from most of northeastern arizona in the late history thus in a period of only 25 35 years 1800s woodbury and russell 1945 was elim- water tables lowered and alluvial valleys had inated by alteration of riparian areas due to 199411994 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 31 the current arroyo cutting episode that began as a group galliformes are so well represent- about the time of the bird s disappearance ed the wild turkey was obviously extensive- where this species does currently occur in ly utilized for a long period and overuse by extreme northeastern arizona it is associated the anasazi may have eliminated it from the with well developed riparian growth jacobs area if it was not brought in as a domesticated 1986 indicating a dependence on such areas species the scaled quail may have been several bird species typical of rock talus recently extirpated from the area by overgraz- cliffs and ledges have moved to the exposed ing see below but there are apparently no dirt banks along arroyos which exhibit atten- recent records of it for the region pat ryan dant holes caves and crevices say s Phophoebesphoebeaebes personal communication however states northern rough winged swallows and rock that scaled quail are still present south of wrens are characteristic of wash banks amer- black mesa in the northern hopi buttes area ican kestrels great horned owls northern the bobwhite may be a misidentificationmisidentifimisidentify cationcatlon Flickers violet green swallows and moun- raptorsraptores as a group are also well represent- tain bluebirds have been found to a lesser ed the symbolism accorded raptorsraptores and their extent nesting in wash banks use by the anasazi were probably similar to those by both present day hopi and navajo exploitation by prehistoric man rea nd indicates the broken and healed left bird species identified from remains exca- radius and ulna of an immature prairie falcon vated from anasazi archaeological sites are from site azd798 are strong evidence that presented in table 14 excavation of these the bird was taken as a nestling and held in sites was conducted during the black mesa captivity several raptor species are currently archaeological project 1968 83 as part of taken from nests in the region by the hopi clearance procedures preliminary to mining personal observation raptorsraptores have probably operations by peabody coal company six been used by native americans in this region 39 of the species identified were not found nearly continuously for at least the last 1900 during this study table 14 it is striking that years periods of especially intensive use may

TABLE 14 budbird remains from anasazi sites excavated during the black mesa archaeological project 1968 831 species no sites approximate ages cooper s hawk 2 AD 100 300800 1090 red tailed hawk 3 ADA D 800 1090 1100 850 11501115011 buteo sp 4 ADA D 600 11008501100 850 9751100975 1100 eagle sp aqilaaquilaaqmla or haliaeetus 3 ADA D 600 1100 800 1030 1070 1150 american kestrel 2 ADA D 800 10308501030 850 975 prairie falcon 1 ad850AD 850 975 wild turkey 20 AD 100 300300800800 1150 northern Bobbobwhitewhitecwhitee I1 AD 1100 scaled quailquallqualiquailequalie I1 ad1100AD 1100 1150 gambel s quaiqualquaill I1 AD 800 1090 quail sp c I1 AD 800 1030 sandhill crane I1 AD 800 1090 mourningMonrmourning dove I1 AD 800 900 screech owl sp 2 AD 100 3001100300 1100 otus sp I1 ad800AD 800 1090 great horned owl 3 ADA D 600 1100800 103011001030 1100 burrowing owleowie I1 AD 800 1030 northern flicker 3 ADA D 600 1100 1100 one undated horned lark I1 ad100AD loo100 300 scrub jay 2 AD 100 300600 1100 pinyon jay 5 ad600A D 600goo 750600750 600goo 11008501100 850 975850 1150600 1100 american crow I1 AD 850 975 clark s Nutcracknutcrackerei I1 AD 600 1100 common raven 2 AD 850 9751100975 1100

amedbased on the following reports olsenoisenol&cn 1972 redreanea ndn d beezley 1974 semeserne 1980 seineseme andndhurisl982harrishavris 1982 smiley ctet alil 1983 nichols mdand smiley 1984 christen son and perry 1985 and leonaldleonard 1989 1anasiadanasiaianasazi occupation ofot northern blickbilekblackblwck mesa ceased ADA D ilsoliso11501150gummeiiimginnniernian 1984 not foundhoundbound on black mesa during this studysiudy 1979 93 32 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54 have lowered the densities of some desirable or grasslands during the past century west et al readily available species ege g red tailed hawk 1975 grazing may cause changes in bird and golden eagle the ferruginous hawk species composition with little change in over- was probablypioprobablybabiy eliminated from the region by all bird density wiens 1973 medin 1986 human exploitation hall et al 1988 reduce bird species richness and density monson 1941 wiens 1973 taylor 1986 or livestock grazing even cause increases in density bock et al with their arrivalan ival in 1540 the spanish intro- 1984 monson 1941 found that elimination duced livestock to the southwest however of grazing and initiation of revegetation efforts extensive use of livestock did not develop in in a grasslandshrublandgrassland shrubland site caused bird den- the black mesa area until after 1868 thornth- sity to nearly double horned lark densities waite 1942 excessive overgrazing had by increased on grazed grassland and shrubland the 1930s become such a severe problem on sites wiens 1973 bock and webb 1984 the navajo reservation that a livestock reduc- medin 1986 western meadowlark densities tion program was initiated by collier in are reduced by grazing monson 1941 wiens 1934 37 philp 1977 overgrazing has 1973 bock and webb 1984 and bock et al broughtbi ought about widespread changes in the bird 1984 found mourning doves horned larks life of arizonaanzona phillips et al 1964 thorn mockingbirdsMockingbirds and lark sparrows to be sig- waite et al 1942 have cited it as a cause of nificantlynificantly more numerous on a grazed grass- excessive eiosionerosion and gullying in northeastern land site than on an ungrazed site the contin- aializonaarizonaizona uous yearyearlonglong grazing by up to five species while euiel et al 1979 believe arroyo of livestock typically practiced in the black cutting is a cyclic natural phenomenon associ-associassoni mesa region has no doubt reduced prey ated with precipitation cycles thornthwaite species populations to the detriment of sever- et al 1942 may be correct in concluding that al species of raptorsraptores kochert et al 1988 initiated the current arroyo cut overgrazing introduction of exotic vegetation ting episode under the influence of continued heavy yeaiyealyearlongyear longiong grazing and the succes- plant species not native to the southwest- sive i eplacementeplareplacementemplacementcement and supplanting of the rela- ern united states or north america are pres- tively well developed root systems of perenni- ent in the black mesa region some arrived als with the shallow systems of weedy annu- accidentally while others were introduced for als legregionalionallonallonai erosion will continue As long as a variety of reasons species both plant and this situation remains the cycle of alluvial animal when introduced into a new region aggradation and degradation may likely be frequently increase rapidly in the absence of eclipsed in its current state controlling factors with which they evolved in crazinggrazing can have a significant impact on their native regions great disruptions in the the plant community in which it occurs and in numbers and composition of native flora and tuinturn can affect the community s birds wiens fauna can result where exotic species achieve 1973 bock and webb 1984 wiens 1973 dominance the most conspicuous exoticaexotics found that across a seriesserlessenes of grassland types within the study site are tamarisk tamanytamenytamarix grazing caused a uniform directional change chinenchinensissis russian thistle salsola tretiberibericatoarcaroa towards dominance by plant species charac and cheatcheatgrassgrass bromus tectoriumtectectorumtorum othelother risticristleristieteristicveristicteteiter ofot drier climates in addition to floris- species include russian olive eleagnusEleelaeagnusagnus tic changes in the community grazing may angustifoliaangusttfoha siberian elm ulmus pupumilapumliamiiamilo produce maikelmaikedmarked physiognomic changes filaretfilaree erodium cicutariumcicutanumcicutanum chonehonchorisporachonsporachorisporaspora cho wiens 1973 such as reducing shrubs in risporansporanapora tenella and summer cypress kochia ripariannpanan habitats taylor 1986 and increasing scopariascoparinscoparia shrubs in grasslands phillips et al 1964 the greatest impact of exoticsexotica on the bird grazing can cause changes in the arthropod life of the mesa probably occurs in riparian fauna of grasslands smith 1940 which could habitats and in grasslands it is in such habi- in tuinturn cause a change in bird species compo- tats that exoticsexotica are most conspicuous and sition wiens and rotenberry 1981 rotenber- dominant tamarisk is widely established ry 1985 grazing has contributed to the along nearly all major washes in the region spread of pinyon juniper woodlands into most stands have spread and grown up 199419941 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 33 through natural dispersal but in some places particularly following storms when these the species was planted by man as at keams plants are the only abundant food source pro- canyon G monson personal communica- truding above the snow tion preferential grazing of young cotton woods and willows by livestock helps con- pinyon juniper type conversions tribute to the monotypic tamarisk stands typi- the purpose methods results and areas of cal of the study area on black mesa it is well pinyon juniper control on the study site were developed along lower reaches of the major discussed previously in any type conversion washes see above the effect on wildlife must be considered radi- in this region few breeding birds of native cal impacts are especially pronounced when cottonwood willow riparian stands breed in a woodland physiognomy is converted to that tamarisk migrant species forage extensively of a grassland or simple shrubland in the case in tamarisk and a few species especially of birds a nearly complete change in the com- dark eyed juncos winter in it russian olive position of species occurs in any particular also planted extensively in nearby areas is converted site most woodland obligates are dispersing rapidly in riparian habitats in the eliminated and grassland and shrubland species intermountain west knopf and olson 1984 invade the newly created openings A few russian olives are currently well established species absent or sparse in surrounding habi- and advancing up Moenmoenkopikopi wash below the tats may find favorable conditions in convert- confluence with coal mine wash breeding ed areas and experience population increases bird use of mature russian olive stands is lim- bird species typically eliminated from ited but winter use of fruits is extensive B woodland stands that have been converted on jacobs personal communication concerning the study site include the hairy woodpecker stands in the chinie valley and personal gray flycatcher mountain chickadee plain observation at keams canyon unpublished titmouse white breasted nuthatch bewick s black mesa data tamarisk dominated ripari- wren blue gray gnatcatcher solitary vireo an strands in the study site support few ripari- and black throated gray warbler the majori- an breeding obligates eg western king ty of the above species are inhabitants of high birds yellow breasted chats orioles and er elevation woodland stands where most buntingsbuntings but are intensively used by insectiv- conversion projects were conducted virtually orous migrants As the russian olive grove on all cavity nesting species are eliminated the Moenmoenkopikopi wash matured during the 1980s effect of chaining on the spotted owl may be numerous species appeared during winter especially severe particularly in the lolotailolomai relying on the fruit as a food source these point area where the woodland was eliminat- species included downy woodpeckers flick ed on the mesa tops adjacent to numerous ers ravens mountain bluebirds robins star- small mixed conifer filled canyons lings cedar waxwingsWaxwings yellow rumpedbumped war several species characteristic of grasslands biers white crowned sparrows and evening and shrublandsshrublands and of woodland edge invade Grosgrosbeaksbeaks or increase as a result of woodland conver- grassland habitats and disturbed sites in sions chipping and vesper sparrows have the study area are frequently composed of invaded several chained sites in the study several exotic plant species effects on bird life area mountain bluebirds are common in in the study area are poorly known it can be chained sites especially on lolotailolomai and assumed however that there have been alter- kayettakayenta points this open area species proba- ations in numbers kinds and distributions of bly increased in these areas while western grassland birds as a result cheatgrassCheatgrass is bluebirds a species typical of higher dense prevalent in juniper savanna at the mesa foot stands was reduced in numbers in older and especially in saltbush stands russian chained areas where gambel oak is estab- thistle occurs abundantly on disturbed sites lished see fig 12 rufous sided towhees and is frequent on mancos shale slopes sum- have increased the green tailed towhee mer cypress is abundant early in the reclama- breeds in the study area primarily where tion process horned larks and dark eyed invading oaks are established on lolotailolomai juncos may feed extensively on russian this- point this area has also been colonized by tle and summer cypress during the winter Virginvirginiaidss warblersWarb lers which are found naturally 34 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54 in montane scrub mountain parklike areas tion the opening of the first road over the with scattered ponderosa pines are the only northern rim of the mesa was associated with areas where acorn woodpeckers have been development of small underground mines found and where lewis woodpeckers breed johnston 1932 peabody coal company in the study area these species may have began actual surface mining operations on its been present beforebemmie the clearings were made 25900 ha 64000 ac lease in 1971 after sev- but have certainly increased since these eral years of legal negotiations and prepara- parklike areas are also readily hunted by red tion currently about 243 ha 600 ac is mined tailed hawks which aiealeare infrequent in the annually neighboring dense woodland the rock reclamation practices like woodland elim- wren surprisingly is frequently observed in ination function ecologically as a habitat type cleared woodland areas where dead trees are conversion areas where native woodlands left scattered the physiognomy of chained and shrubshrublandslands stood before mining are plant- areas must bear enough resemblance to the ed to grasslands this grasgrasslandslandaland dominated open talus slopes this wren inhabits to allow it range is developed to meet the primary desig- to occasionally utilize them the rock wren nated postpostminmgpostminingmining land use of livestock raising has not however been found nesting in areas reclaimed as such are structurally simsim- cleared woodland on black mesa ridgway ple homogeneous communities and therefore observed this species in timber slash piles in do not support avifaunalavifaunas as rich as the neigh- california and nevada in the late 1800s in boring woodlands and shrublandsshrublands such dras- ryser 1985 sedgwick and ryder 1987 tic geological hall 1983 and ecological report rock wrens breeding in chained changes in any surface mined tract will woodland in colorado markedly alter faunal assemblages found in sedgwick and ryder 1987 quantified the them impacts on birds caused by chaining pinyon pinyon juniper woodland sagebrush juniper woodland in northwestern colorado shrubland and saltbush shrubland are the pri- thentheir results support my qualitative evalua- mary vegetation communities affected by tion discussed above and can probably be mining leasewideLeasewide the areas mined or to be applied to black mesa their study revealed mined are covered by about 65 pinyon that chaining caused an alteration in bird jumperjuniper woodland 30 sagebrush shrubland species composition and declines in overall and 5 saltbush shrubland the total area bird use density species richnessnchness and species reclaimed to grassland and grass shrubland diversity they noted that species which were will be somewhat less than the total overall cavity or foliage destersnenesterssters foliage and bark disturbance acreage since some roads ponds cleanersgleanersglea ners and aerial feeders underwent and facilities will be retained after mining at declines on a chained woodland plot specific the end of mining in about 2011 approximate- species that declined in abundance due to ly 9771 ha 24144 ac will have been dis- chaining included the hairy woodpecker turbed of which about 8931 ha 22069 ac gray flycatcher mountain chickadee plain will be reclaimed the total area of each habi- titmouse white breasted nuthatch solitary tat disturbed will be about 6238 ha 15414 ac vireo and black throated daymaygray warbler the ofofpmyonpinyon juniperjumper woodland 3241 ha 8009 ac mountain bluebirds and chipping sparrows of sagebrush shrubland and 292 ha 721 ac of that utilized the chained plot accounted for saltbush shrubland until 1986 about 4295 ha 48 peipercentcent of the avifauna they found the 10613 ac had been disturbed rock wienwren breeding on the chained plot and bird species richness and density generally said it was a commoncommcommoiiolioii breeder even in chain decrease from native habitats to reclaimed ings largerlargel than 500 ha 1236 ac in addition areas however where shrubs are reestab- species that foraged andor nested on the lished to sufficient densities at about 2720ha ground were less affected by the chaining 1100ac1100 ac or higher breeding bird richness process than other groups and density may approach that of the shrubland habitats particularly the mixed shrub- surface mining activities land see tables 1 7 extensive deposits of subsurface coal made several studies have dealt with avian com- northernnoinol thern black mesa attractive for coal extrac munimunitiesties on reclaimed mine spoil apparently 199411994 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 35 few dealing with western sites have been pub- the common raven european starling lished wray et al 1982 found that sparrow and house sparrow have all increased on productivity on a reclaimed site in west vir- northeinnorthernnorthein black mesa as a result of surface ginia was insufficient to maintain their popu- mining activities the raven exploits garbage lations karr 1968 reported that the presence and may feed extensively on seed heads of of water and diverse topography in the form grasses in reclaimed areas the latter two of ungraded spoil banks greatly increased species are present at mine shops and other avian diversity on an abandoned mine site in support facilities illinois krementz and sauer 1982 compared a reclaimed site to an undisturbed desert THE FUTURE scrub site in wyoming and found that bird diversity was lower on the reclaimed site in As the previous discussion noted both the all 12 species in 6 foraging guilds used the status and distribution of birds on black mesa reclaimed site while 37 species in 11 guilds are constantly changing the last two decades occurred on the native site ground gleaning were a period of unprecedented changes the guilds were predominant on the former most pronounced of which were associated horned larks dominated the reclaimed site with habitat alterations resulting from mining and were the only species breeding in it and type conversions the increase inm water- their reclaimed area was dominated by fowl and shoreshorebirdsbirds utilizing the lease as a halogeton halogeton glomgiomglomeratus910glogioglomercituseratusmercitus a weedy result of pond construction while not great annual differences in avian communities on compared to major wetlands may be greater their sites were attributed to habitat structure than at any time in the past several thousand hickey and mikol 1979 surveyed breeding years common ravens are certainly more birds on mine spoil in montana and wyoming abundant now than ever before starlings and and compared them to native grasslands and house sparrows most likely arriving min num- shrubshrublandslands their reclaimed area bird densi- bers only since 1970 have joined the brown ties were lower than native sites with one headed cowbird as recent emigrants the exception and supported 424.2 species per site great tailed grackle may join these as well as compared to 404.0 and 808.0so species per site in for unknown reasons the cliff swallow has grassland and sagebrush respectively apparently been recently lost as a breeding A major change associated with mining species the chaining of nearly 3600 ha activities on northern black mesa is the con- 10000 ac and mining and reclaiming of sev- structionst of numerous over 150 currently eral thousand more hectares of woodland have water impoundment and sedimentation struc- allowed open country species to increase and tures virtually all observations of shorebirdsshore birds woodland species to be locally eliminated and waterfowl in the study area are a result of tamarisk whether one likes it or not con- these man made water impoundments red tinues to spread and is now the single most winged blackbirds nest only at these ponds important riparian vegetation type in the only a few observations of great blue heron region it is here to stay roads have penetrat- black crowned night heron mallard cinna- ed farther into the upper canyons and the mon teal kiilKilikilldeerdeer solitary sandpiper and clearing of pinyon juniper woodland and common snipe have been recorded away sagebrush continues russian olive groves on from the ponds in perennial reaches of coal lower moenkopiMoen kopi wash matured in a 7 year mine and moenkopiMoenkopi washes the largest period to the point where a variety of winter- impoundment created in 1973 is J 7 pond on ing birds are now feeding on the abundant red peak valley wash two other large dams fruit and buntingsbuntings were noted breeding in are located in reed valley and in wild ram 1992 valley very few impoundments are over 15 these recent trends will continue the rate years old thus only recently have waterfowl of increase in the number of ponds will and shorebirdsshorebirds become frequent visitors on become slower and eventually stop As mining northern black mesa although in numbers comes to an end the number will begin to much lower than at ponds in the neighboring decrease as ponds are reclaimed consequently klethlaKlethla kayettakayentaKayenta and chiclechinle valleys personal numbers of ducks and shorebirdsshorebirds will decline observation the land reclaimed at the end of mining will 36 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54 form aci complex of large grasslands open forms were extracted from the seriesserles of country raptorsraptores such as northern harriersbarriersHarri ers peabody reports listed in the literature cited ferruginous hawks rough legged hawks section and berlinsMermerlinslins as well as northern shrikesshaikesShrikes will likely increase as migrants andor winter resireslresi- order gaviiformes dents utilizing the reclaimed landscape with FAMILY GAVIIDAE the continued spread of tamarisk and russian common loon gavia immer A fairly common olive some species such as northern orioles migrant that has been observed only at J 7 pond may begin breeding along the washes robins most observations have been of single birds in yellow rumpedbumped warblersWarblers and white crowned alternate plumage from early april to early may A sparrows will continue to increase as winter single basic plumaged bird was present at J 7 pond residents in these areas the number of kill- 8 june 5 october 1984 four were seen on 3 april deer breeding on the larger washes may 1986 and 12 on 14 april 1987 fall records include 6 9 and 12 november 1986 and 30 decline if tamarisk to choke one on one on continues main october 1987 channel beds As grazing pressure mounts inm the upper canyons the understory of aspen order podicipediformes groves and mixed conifer woodlands will FAMILY podicipedidae degrade further with possible declines in pied grebe scrub and ground dwelling species ege g billed podilymbus podiceps A common migrant at J 7 pond and other larger macgillivray s warbler many species such impoundments spring migrants appear in mid as the noinorthernthem goshawk spotted owl andan maichmalchmalehmarch and are mostly gone by mid may it is com- other owls may be adversely affected if the mon during the fall and into early winter until the last large remote tracts of pinyon juniperjumper ponds freeze an adult with two young was interspersed among the canyons of upper observed on 18 june 1990 at pond n14 F coal mine wash are cleared many other horned grebe podiceps auritusauretus A sparse changes to the bird life on black mesa will migrant one was observed on 4 april 1982 anoth- occur although the majority of species in the er on 13 december 1982 both at J 7 pond grebe podiceps nigrinigricolliscollis A study area will exist in perpetuity with some eared common declining and others the likely to abundant migrant at J 7 pond spring migrants increasing appear from mid march to late may with numbers trend as human environmental pressures rise peaking in mid april small numbers have been is a decline in overall abundance and diversity seen in late summer fall birds appear min mid sep and the loss of some species as breeding resi- tember and have been recorded until mid decem dents I1 hope this report will help serve as a ber benchmark from which to gauge these coming western grebe aechmophorus occidentoccidentalisoccidentalistalis A changes both on black mesa and in the region fairly common migrant observed only at J 7 pond as a whole spring migration records are from april only fall migration is from july to november and peaks in october no clark s brebesgrebes A clarclarkiiclarkiakii have been SPECIESSPFCIES ACCOUNTS observed the 241 bird species identified from noinorth-nor th- order pelecaniformes emern black mesa are treated individually in this FAMILY pelecanidae section six species are known only from pelican pelecanus brytheryth archaeological remains ninety seven species american white rorhynchos A sparse migrant four individuals are confirmed as breeding in the area an in were observed at a pond in J 3 reclaimed area on 12 10 additional are suspected breedersbleedersbreeders of 18 october 1984 flocks observed at J 7 pond which almost certainly do nest in the area include 30 on 15 april 1986 by B moreo I1 on 8 forty two families in 17 orders are represent- october 1986 215 on 13 october 1986 27 on 5 ed status period of occurrence and habitat october 1989 and 7 on 6 august 1990 preferences are discussed subspecies desig- nations are from monson and plumpsphillips 1981 FAMILY piialacrocoracidaeplialacrocoracidae and behle 1985 where these authors are in double crested cormorant phalacrocorax agreement no citation is given where there auritusauretus A sparse transient an immature individ- is disagreement differences are noted ual was observed at a freshwater storage pond ranges of densities presented for smaller 17 24 august 1990 199411994 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 37

order ciconiiformes bossross goose chen rossiirossai A sparse transient FAMILY ARDEIDAE an adult was seen at pond n14 D on 9 november 1989 and two were at J 7 pond on 10 april 1992 great blue heron ardea herodias A common canada goose branta canadensis primarily a migrant at J 7 pond and other impoundments fairly common migrant but 15 wintered at J 7 pond throughout the lease rarely observed along the in 1983 84 the largest group recorded was a major washes spring migrants are seen from mid northbound flock of 60 birds on 15 february 1991 march through may fall birds begin appearing in most records are from november and december early july and are seen until the ponds freeze in small flocks have been seen feeding on wheatgrass december one wintered at the old kayettakayenta mine es in reclaimed areas and resting on nearby ponds freshwater pond in 1984 85 most birds seen are presumably B c moffitmoffittimoffitteti but a great egret casmerodiusCasmer odius albus A sparse much smaller forms is frequently seen with the transient one was seen at J 7 pond 25 septem- typical size birds ber 1 october 1990 wood duck aix sconsasponsa A sparse migrant A snowy egret egretta thula A common female was seen at J 7 pond on 6 decemberDecem beibel 1985 migrant at J 7 and other ponds throughout the green winged teal anas crecca the most lease most are observed in april and may august common migrant duck at ponds throughout the and september spring migrants have been seen lease flocks of over 100 birds have been observed until mid june and fall birds have been observed at J 7 pond most spring migrants pass through as early as late july from mid february to mid april but some are seen cattle egret bubulcusBubulcus ibis A sparse migrant until mid june males are most numerous early in this period and especially late february and one was reported by ehdaeh&a consultants on I1 may in early march fall primarily in august 1980 one was seen at J 7 pond on 19 october migration is in and and is drawn than 1984 three were seen at N 2 reclaimed area on 28 september is more out spring A flock of nearly 100 birds was at 7 pond on april 1988 two were at pond CWACW A on 22 august seen J 6 december 1985 when males were in alternate 1990 one was at N 1 reclaimed area on 23 april nll plumage 1991 and three were at J 7 pond on 24 april 1992 mallard anas platyrhynchosplatyrhynchous A common per- crowned heron black night nycticorax nycti- manent resident at ponds throughout the lease A fairly often at corax common migrant most seen spring numbers peak min mid march twenty nest 7 pond although an adult was seen in tamarisk on J in ings at 12 ponds were noted from 1986 through Moenmoenkopikopi wash 9 june and 27 august 1987 A 1992 male mallards were at the coal mine dead immature in pre basic molt was found on moenkopiMoenkopi wash confluence on 20 december 1988 may coal mine wash at navajo rt 41 on 7 1985 and 15 november 1989 the mallard s occurrence most records fall in may and from late august to on the leasehold increased during the 1980s prob- mid september A lone immature was seen in N 2 ably due to increasing numbers of sediment ponds reclaimed area on 24 july 1992 northern pintail anas abutaacuta an uncommon migrant an unsuccessful nesting occurred at nlN l1 FAMILY tiireskiornithidaetlireskiornithidae reclaimed area in may and june 1985 pintails are more numerous as basic plumaged late summer white faced ibis plegadis chihichahi A common and early fall migrants in the spring they are quite migrant at ponds throughout the area most are sparse but most frequent during mid march on 11 observed in april may august and september october 1985 15 alternate plumaged males were with smaller numbers noted in june and july as seen at J 7 pond singles and in small flocks however 60 were at J 7 blue winged teal anas discorsdidiscordscors A fairly com- pond on 29 august 1986 183 were at nlN l1 mon spring migrant from mid march to early may reclaimed area on 3 may 1989 100 were seen its fall status is unknown but it may be more fre- soaring over nlN l1 reclaimed area on 16 april 1991 quent then than in spring jacobs 1986 A pair of and 70 were at J 7 pond on 22 april 1992 adults was seen in nlN l1 reclaimed area on 17 june 1992 order anseriformes cinnamon teal anas cyanoptera A common FAMILY ANATIDAE spring migrant from mid february to early may numbers peak in mid april A common fall snow goose chen caerulescens A sparse migrant from july to october five birds were seen migrant one was present at the reclamation barn on Moenmoenkopikopi wash on 10 april 1992 occasionally on 17 and 18 november 1982 a second bird was small numbers may summer but breeding has not seen in N 6 reclaimed area on 18 november 1982 been documented and a blue morph individual was seen in N 14 northern shoveler anas clypeateclypeatdclypeataclypeata A common reclaimed area on 24 february 1992 by C salt and migrant throughout the lease lingering into S begay december at J 7 pond spring numbers peak in 38 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54 mid april eleven were at reed valley dam on I1 through winter most birds pass through as singles june 1988 or in groups of two to six individuals from march to gadwall anas strepera A common migrant in mid april most fall records are from late october small numbers at ponds throughout the lease seen and early november from mid february to early may and from late july hooded merganser mergus cucullacucullatuseucullatusfustus A to mid december spring observations peak sparse migrant and winter resident A male was maimalmarkedlykedly in early april on 19 june 1989 13 were seen on 17 november 1982 and a female on 3 seen at reed valley dam two individuals winteiwinteewintereded november 1986 both at J 7 pond on 20 march in 1990 91 in 1989 one male and three females were at J 7 pond eurasian digeonwigeon anas penelope possibly a A female wintered at a freshwater storage pond spaisesparse migrant alternate plumaged males in mixed december 1989 february 1990 another female anasanus sp flocks have been 7 5 seen at J pond was at J 7 pond on 7 november 1990 march 1982 and 17 march 1992 valley reed dam common merganser mergus merganser A 19 october 1988 and at ponds in the N lI and N 2 nlNI fairly common spring migrant at J 7 pond from leclaimedreclaimed aleasareas 10 27 november 1988 another mid february to late april fall records include male possibly the same individual seen november four females on 15 november 1982 females 1988 was observed at several ponds leaseleasewidewide 20 seven 3 october 5 decemberDecembeibel 1989 on november 1986 and a single female 28 november I1 1988 females american digeonwigeon anas americana A fairly december lone were at reed valley pond on 19 june 1989 and 7 pond common springspi ing and fall migrant generally in small J numnumbersbeisbels throughout the lease most fall occur- on 9 june 1993 rences aieare fromflom late october to early december red breasted merganser mergus serradorserratorserrator an two individuals wintered in 1990 91 uncommon spring migrant at J 7 pond with nearly canvasback aythya valisineriavalisineria an uncom- all records from april seen twice in fall a single mon migrant as singles or01 pairs at J 7 pond and at female at J 7 pond on 17 november 1986 and six the old kayettakayenta mine freshwater pond it has been females there on 29 october 1987 observed blom october through april no february ruddy duck oxyura jamaicensis A fairly recordsieeiccleeoidsolds one malemaie was seen 5 august 1984 common to common spring migrant from february redhead aythya americana A common to early may it is less numerous in the fall and migrant at J 7 and other larger ponds most birds early winter most observations consist of five or pass through inm march and april infrequent in the fewer individuals seen occasionally at J 7 pond fall when most aiaree seen in november single males during the summer weiewelewere seen on 26 june 1986 and 6 july 1987 ring necked duck aythya collariscolcollaraslaris A com- order falconiformes mon migrant in small numbers seen most frequent- FAMILY cathartidae ly at J 7 pond most records are from mid march to turkey vulture A eailyeallyearly may notable concentiationsconcentrations include 60 at J 7 cathartes aura common summer throughout pond on 2 december 1987 up to 40 that wintered resident seen the area however numbers seem to have declined during in 1989 90 and 60 that wintered in 1990 91 the 1980s greater scaup aythya marila A sparse this species appears regularly in the fustfirst week migrant A pair was seen at J 7 pond on 2 april of april the earliest being 23 march 1993 1982 and the last are seen in early october the latest lesser scaup aythya affinis A common was one seen on dinnebitoDinnebito wash on 8 october migrant seen most frequently at J 7 pond this is 1982 breeding is unconfirmed but this species the most numerous of the diving ducks found on probably uses numerous caves in the upper the lease most spring migrants pass through from canyons as nest sites an anasazi granary in early maichmarchmalchmaleh to early may it is less numerous in the Moenmoenkopikopi wash appears to have been used as a fall when most records aiealeare from october and nest site prior to 1987 in early july 1985 evidence novemberNovem beibel was found of a small roost in an aspen grove in coal white winged scoter melanittaMelanitta fusca A mine wash this roost was in use in late may 1986 sparsespal se fall transient A female was seen at J 7 pond although occasionally seen feeding on small road on 30 october 1989 killed animals most feeding observed has been on common goldeneye bucephala clangula A dead livestock which is probably the primary food sparse spring migrant recorded primarily during source of turkey vultures throughout the region march there are five records two females on I1 the breeding form min northeastern arizona is not march 1984 three males and two females on 19 well known see monson and phillips 1981 march 1984 single females on 8 and 20 march 1989 and a female pond N 2 seen at a in reclaimed FAMILY accipitridae ateaarea 4 march 4 april 1991 bufflehead bucephala albeola A fairly com- osprey pandion haliahaliaetushaliaeetusetus A fairly common mon spring and fall migrant seen uncommonly migrant observed widely throughout the area 199411994 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 39 about half of all records are from J 7 pond where with territorial individuals being noted from mid they have been observed feeding on green sunfish april to mid may aerial courtship displays have lepomis cyancyanellusellus and largemouth bass been seen from late april to june eggs are appar- micropterus salmoidessalmoides seen three times on the ently laid in mid to late may and hatch in mid to mesa rim kayettakayenta point on 2 may 1985 lolotailolomai late june fledging takes place in mid to late july point on 15 april 1987 and I1 april 1989 most and possibly into early august for late clutches spring records are from april with extreme dates fledglings are conspicuous in or near breeding of 25 march 1993 and 18 may 1988 most fall sites in august migrants are common from late occurrences are from september but records range august through october remains are reported from 9 august 1990 to 15 october 1992 from anasazi sites excavated on the lease table bald eagle haliaeetus leucocephalus A 14 sparse early winter transient A single adult was northern goshawk accipiter gentilis A fairly observed in coal mine wash on 16 december common winter resident inm wooded sites through- 1982 an immature bird was seen over lower yellow out the area more numerous in the 1983 84 win-win water canyon on 4 december 1984 and an imma- ter two nests were found in mixed conifer wood- ture was seen over lower moenkopiMoenkopi wash on 20 land one with two young on 5 july 1987 and anoth- december 1988 B moreo saw two adults at J 7 er on 20 june 1989 nested in dense pinyon pond in january of 1985 one was seen over dindm juniper woodland in white house valley in 1993 nebito wash on 16 march 1993 leonard 1989 the breeding form is A g atricapillusatncapillus reports aqmlahahaeetusaquilalhaliaeetus remains from anasazi swainson s hawk buteo swainsoniswainswainsonasoni A sparse sites excavated on the lease table 13 migrant with four records one seen at J 7 pond on northern harrier circus cyaneuscycyaneousaneus A fairly 16 april 1984 one over the mesa rim on 19 june common migrant and uncommon winter resident 1985 an immature over N 2 reclaimed area on 30 in open grasslands and shrublandsshrublands throughout the october 1990 and one over reed valley on 23 sep- area records range from 15 august 1991 to I1 tember 1991 may 1990 on 6 january 1982 one was observed red tailed hawk buteo jamaicensis A com- feeding on a juneojunco min the jigJ 16 mine plan area mon permanent residentlesres ident throughout the area sharp shinnedchinned hawk accipiter striatusstristriatumatus A cliffs are preferred for nest sites where they are fairly common permanent resident As a breeding available however pinionspinyons are preferentially bird it is found in mixed conifer and aspen oak selected over junijunipersjuniperuspers in cliffless areas of the pin habitats in the upper canyons seven of nine nests yon juniperjumper woodland larger taller trees such as ellis personal communication found a nest in ponderosa pine and douglas fir that occur in pinyonpryonpmyon juniper woodland in 1982 this nest held mixed coniferpinyon juniper woodland ecotone three eggs on 4 june and two young ready to fledge are selected for nest sites in areas where suitable on 23 july two active nests were found in late may cliffs are unavailable an estimated 12 18 pairs 1986 one in a gambel oak fringing an aspen grove nested in or near the lease from 1982 to 1984 and and one with three eggs on 26 may in rocky again in 1992 perhaps 75 pairs may nest in the mountain juniper in dense mixed conifer three study area during peak prey years egg laying other vocal birds were found in early june 1986 it occurs from late march to early may and in one may be observed anywhere throughout the rest of exceptional case early march cottontailsCottontails sylvila the year as a migrant but particularly in septem- gus sp are the principal prey species comprising ber and april late spring migrants have been seen 63 of prey taken based on nest remains and to mid may bluebirds stahasialia sp accounted for observed kills A nearly complete lack of nesting 37 of the prey remains found below two perch attempts in 1985 and the simultaneous reduction in sites in 1985 and 1986 eight other prey species number of adults observed from 1985 through 1988 were identified from these remains the breeding particularly inm winter may be related to very low form is A s velox cottontail numbers preceding and during this peri- cooper s hawk accipiter coopericoocooperiaperi A fairly od all breeding attempts during this period appar- common to common permanent resident through- ently failed low prey densities may have forced an out the area but quite sparse in winter migrant adult to feed repeatedly on carrion a road killed individuals may be seen anywhere breeding pairs dog 7 9 february 1987 A harlansHargarlanslans form was ob- are widespread and restricted to higher elevation served in white house valley on 31 march 1983 pinyon juniper where junijunipersjuniperuspers appear to be select- the majority of breeding birds are light morphsmorphe ed for nest sites and mixed conifer woodland only two dark morphsmorphe have been observed as where it is common but inconspicuous several breeding birds dark birds are more frequently winters have no records the first spring migrants observed as migrants three adults were observed may appear as early as late january and the latest at a nest containing young inm late june 1984 indi- pass through in early may however the majority cating a possible helper role for one of them see arrive in mid march and are frequently seen into santana et al 1986 collecting of young by native april resident birds arrive during this period americans accounts for some nesting mortality in 40 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

the area remains have been identified from cos appear to be important winter prey species A anasazi sites inm the lease table 14 B j caluruscalumus is female caught a violet green swallow in flight over the breeding form J 7 pond on 18 september 1985 another adult ferruginous hawk buteo regalis an uncom- female was seen feeding on a horned lark at nlN l1 mon migrant one was seen in tipperupper reed valley reclaimed area on 2 august 1989 other verte- on 30 march 1983 single birds seen 27 29 sep- brates known to have been taken include a fledg- tember 1983 at dugout valley J 3 reclaimed area ling sage sparrow several mexican voles microtus and over lower coal mine wash may have been the mexicanusmexicanus horned lizards phrynosonaphrynosoma douglassidouglassi same individual one was seen over coal mine and sceloporus sp lizards FE s sparspaysparveriussparvenusspverlusveriusarvenus is the wash on 19 april 1985 immaturesimmaturedImmatures were seen at breeding form J 27 reclaimed area on 10 september 1987 and at merlin falco columbariuscolumbcolumbariumarius A fairly common nlN l1 reclaimed area on 12 september 1988 only winter resident in open habitats throughout the one summer record an immature seen over area the 31 records to date most of which are Moenmoenkopikopi wash at navajo rt 41 on 2 august 1988 from reclaimed areas span from 24 october 1984 A darkdaikdalk morph adult was seen hunting over N lnIN 2 to 26 april 1991 horned larks probably form a reclaimed areas several times from 23 october staple of the winter diet and hunting flights direct- 1988 to 3 january 1989 an immature was seen at ed at this abundant winter reclaimed area species nlNIN lI reclaimed area on 2 may 1989 possibly more have occasionally been seen berlinsmerlins have been common previously observed feeding on horned larks near J 3 rough legged hawk buteo lagopus usually a reclaimed area 7 january 1983 and Jjig16 reclaimed sparse winter resident and spring transient one area 2 january 1989 another was feeding on a was observed by C klingkimg of manahmariahmarlah inc consul- spizella sparrow at N 2 reclaimed area on 21 april tants at nlN l1 reclaimed area on 4 december 1984 1988 most birds appear to be FE c richardnchardsomrichardsonirichardsonbsoni one was seen over nlN l1 reclaimed area on 30 peregrine falcon falco peregrinus A sparse march 1987 A male wintered at the nlN l1 and N 2 transient on the leasehold two were seen hunting reclaimed aleasareas in 1987 88 perhaps as many as 12 horned larks at nlNIN lI reclaimed area on 20 june different individuals mostly maturesimimmaturesimmatured wintered 1984 another pursued two baird s sandpipersSandpipers at at the N 7nan 8 nlN l1 N 2 N 14 Jjingln 6 Jjig16 N 14 N 2 on 3 august 1987 an immature female was and J 21 reclaimed areas in 1988 89 the first seen chasing a mourning dove in long house val- birds were seen on 23 october and the last on 7 ley on 17 Septemseptemberbeiber 1985 ellis 1982 reports a april 1989 during november one was observed substantial breeding population from throughout feeding on small rodents disturbed and exposed by arizona a bulldozerbullbuilbulidoer and reclamation seeding drill operating prairie falcon falco mexicanusmexic anus an uncom- in N 7nan 8 reclaimed area mon migrant and winter resident reported from a golden eagle aquila chrysaetos A sparse single anasazi site table 14 by rea ndn d sparse peipelpermanentmanent resident informants report current col- as a breeding species with only two nesting sites lecting of this species in the regionlegion by hopischopis prob- known from the study area ably reduced in numbers from former times due to considerable use for religious and other practices order galliformes by native americans however reduction of prey FAMILY phasianidae populations related to overgrazing may also play a role in low eagle densities in the region koekochertkoebertKochertbert et chukar alectoris chukar A sparse introduced al 1988 species birds released at J 7 reclaimed area in the fall of 1982 three seen 22 september have appar- FAWLYFAMILY falconidae ently not survived chukarschudars were heard and tracks were found in talus at the mesa foot south of owl american kestrel falco sparveriussparverius A com- spring valley on 13 19 27 october 1985 and 3 mon summer lesiesresidentident throughout the area the may 1989 three birds were seen at the same area uncommon november to mid march wintering on 5 september 1989 they are probably descen- population is composed almost exclusively of dants of transplants made near chilchmbitochilchinbito by FE males this species may be abundant during peak taber in 1958 ryan personal communication migration periods in early april and late septem- wild turkey meleagris gallopavogallopavo reports of ber early october nests have been found in cavi- introductions near the mesa rim in the 1981 mine ties of junijunipersjuniperuspers douglas firs and ponderosa pines permit application are apparently unsubstantiated and in holes in alluvial banks and cliffs eggs and no recent evidence of their occurrence in the downy young have been seen in mid june fledgl- study area has been found this is the most fre- ings have been seen from late june to early august quently reported bird from excavated anasazi sites with most seen in mid july during the fall migra- that date almost continuously from ADA D 100 to tion kestrels feed extensively on grasshoppers in 1150 table 14 suggesting its previous occurrence reclaimed areas horned larks and dark eyed jun in the area probably in the mixed conifer habitats 199411994 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 41 near the rimnm hargrave 1970 and mckusick 1986 15 april 1983 five were seen there on 6 may and think that feral domesticated turkeys established three more on 20 may 1983 on 27 june 1983 populations in the southwestern united states three were seen at a pond in the nlN l1 reclaimed northern bobwhite colinus virginianusvirgin ianus area A flock of 23 was seen at J 7 pond on 16 may known from a single 12th century anasazi site 1986 table 14 if not a misidentification this may have american avocet recurvirostra americana been C v ridgway masked bobwhite perhaps an uncommon migrant six of the 10 records are brought in by prehistoric trading activities from april two from august and one each from scaled quail callipeplaCallipepla squamata known september and may usually seen in groups of five from a single 12th century anasazi site table 14 or less but 19 were seen on 9 april 1982 at J 3 gambel s quail Callicallipeplapepla gambeliigambehigambgumbgambelinehiebiebleliieill known reclaimed area by B P dunfee has been seen only from a single anasazi site A calhpeplalophortyxcallipeplallophortyx once since 1985 siostosic determination is also reported table 14 FAMILYpammy scolopacidae order gruiformes pamilyFAMILYpammy RALLIDAE greater yellowlegs tringa melanoleucamelano leuca A fairly common migrant as singles or pairs at ponds american coot fulica americana common to throughout the lease from late march to mid april abundant migrant at J 7 pond and other larger A flock of 18 was seen at kelly pond on 14 april ponds from mid march to early may and from late 1983 seen in fall from late june to late november september to november smaller numbers are pres- lesser yellowlegs tringa flavflavipesipes A common ent in summer it has nested at J 7 pond and spo- migrant more frequently seen than the preceding radically at several others infrequent in winter species most records are from late april and sep- sora porzana carolina A sparse migrant with tember but it has been observed in the region in all seven records from late july to late september one months between these periods seen in tamarisk at J 7 pond on 24 and 27 august solitary sandpiper tringa solitariasolitariosolitaria A fairly 1986 an immature flushed from weeds at a pond in common migrant from early july to late september N 2 reclaimed area on 12 september 1988 single usually seen as single individuals at ponds adults at a pond in N 2 reclaimed area and in throughout the area two were seen at the conflu- tamarisk below J 7 pond on 12 september 1991 ence of Moenmoenkopikopi and yucca flat washes on 13 one heard at a pond in nioN 10 reclaimed area one in august 1990 two spring records 23 april 1982 nlN l1 reclaimed area on 30 september 1991 and two seen and one on 19 april 1985 another there on 24 july 1992 willet catoptrophorus semipalmatus A fairly common migrant from mid april to early may and FAMILY GRUIDAE from early july through september the largest flock grusgrus seen was 34 birds at J 7 pond on 24 april sandhill crane crus canadensis known from 1992 a single 14 anasazi site table spotted sandpiper actipisactitisActitis macumacularialaria A common migrant at ponds from mid april to early june charadriiformes order and mid july to early october twenty seen at J 7 FAMILY cliaradriidaeciiaradriidae pond on 3 may 1991 were the largest recorded semipalmated plover charadrius semipalma group this species may breed at J 7 pond tus A sparse spring migrant two were seen at J 7 long billed curlew numenius americanusamericanosamericanus A pond on 9 may 1983 on 26 april 1984 five were sparse migrant A single bird was seen at a pond in N 1 seen at J 7 pond and 14 at a pond near the N 5 pit nll reclaimed area on 27 august 1985 three were killdeer charadrius vociferusvocivociferousferus A common seen on 26 april 1982 one was at N 14 reclaimed 22 may 1988 and N 1 permanent resident it winters in small numbers area on one at nll reclaimed area and may leave during cold periods migrant birds on 27 june 1989 godwit A fairly pass through from early march to late april and in marbled limosa fedoafedda com- late september breeds at ponds and along the mon spring migrant all observations are restricted lower washes where densities of 1620 m of wash to the brief period of 9 april 1982 to 27 april bed were recorded over perennial reaches of coal 1990 mine and Moenmoenkopikopi washes in late may 1986 western sandpiper calidrisCalidris mauri A com- small young have been seen from mid may to mid mon migrant at ponds throughout the area most are in late and early may early july the breeding form is C v vocivociferusvociferousferus seen in april and from july to september sandpiper calidrisCalidris minutilla A com- FAMILY recurvirostridae least mon migrant at ponds in late april and early may black necked stilt himantopus mexicanusmexicanus an and from early july to early september this species uncommon migrant two were seen at J 7 pond on is considerably more frequent and numerous 42 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

than the preceding larger flocks are seen occa- late seen as singles to flocks of 30 or more siosionallynally 18 on 18 april 1982 and 55 on 27 april although 107 were at J 7 pond on 28 march 1988 1984 an early fall individual was in long house valley baird s sandpiper calidrisCalidris bairdbairdiiii A fairly on 3 august 1989 an immature seen at J 7 pond on common fall migrant in late august mid septem 20 june 1983 was probably a late spring migrant beibelber at ponds throughout the area california gull larus californicuscalifornicus an uncom- pectoral sandpiper calidrisCalidris melanotismelanoticmelanotis A mon spring migrant with most records in march spaisesparse migrant there are five records one at J 7 and april four fall records one on 17 october leclaimedreclaimed aleaarea on 7 october 1983 one in nlN l1 1983 two at J 7 pond on 25 october 1985 three at leclaimedreclaimed aleaarea on 12 septemberSeptembei 1985 three in J 7 J 7 pond on 27 october 1986 one there on 29 leclaimedreclaimed area on 30 september 1986 one at J 7 october 1987 usually seen as singles or pairs with pond on 16 august 1990 and one in J 3 reclaimed flocks of ring billed gulls but seven were seen on aleaarea on 2 october 1991 27 march 1984 long billed dowitcher limnodromus scolopascolopax herring gull larus argentatusargentatus A sparse ceus A fairlyhanly common migrant with most records migrant one was seen at J 7 pond on 14 april in the spispringmg A large flock of 86 was seen near the 1982 N 5 pit on 25 april 1984 on 8 october 1985 11 common tern sterna hirundo A sparse weiewelewere seen at J 7 pond one was seen on 17 july migrant an adult and an immature were at J 7 1989 in nlN l1 reclaimed aleaarea pond on 9 september 1988 three were seen at J 7 common snipe gallinago gallinago A fairly pond on 4 october 1983 six on 28 march 1984 common migrant in brushy aquatic areas this and one on 20 april 1984 two adults and an imma- species has been seen three times along the major ture were seen at reed valley pond j28 G on 25 washes one at Moenmoenkopikopi wash reed valley con- august 1989 another was at pond jigjigaA on 21 fluence on 18 april 1982 one at the confluence of september 1990 coal mine wash and wild ram valley on I1 febru- forster s tern sterna forsteriforsteri A fairly com- ary 1984 and one below J 7 pond on 8 march mon spring migrant at J 7 pond with most records 1985 spring records aiealeare from eailyeallyearly february to restricted to the brief period of 26 30 april plus a late april fall birds pass through flomfrom mid august single adult on 18 may 1992 three fall records to eailyeallyearly novemberNovembeibel one was seen on 16 december one on 17 august 1983 one 9 12 september 1986 1992 and a single imimmaturematuiematule at reed valley dam on 9 wilson s phalarope Phalaphalaropusropus tricolor A september 1988 common spring migrant from late april to mid black tern chlidonias niger A sparse late may this species is a common late summer and summer migrant with four records two at J 7 pond earlyeailyeally fall migrant at ponds throughout the region on 13 august 1984 two different individuals at J 7 jacobs 1986 but only five individuals have been pond on 13 17 august 1990 and one at pond nio observed fromfroin the study aleaarea in this period A on 10 september 1991 redredneckednecked phalarope Phalaphalaropusropus lobatus an uncommon spring migrant with most seen at J 7 order columbiformes pond twelve weiewelewere seen on 12 may 1982 one on 30 FAMILY columbidae august 1982 seven on 20 may 1983 and seven on 7 may 1986 one was at a pond in J 7 reclaimed rock dove columba livia A sparse transient found 1 aleaarea on 21 septemberSeptembeibel 1989 and one was in N 2 remains were on the mesa rim on I august leclaimedreclaimed aleaarea on 24 august 1992 1983 three sight records one at the mesa rim 15 miles east of the study area on I1 september 1984 pamilyFAMIIYFAMILY LARIDAE another feeding along navajo rt 41 and hwybwy 160 on 5 9 september 1989 and another at the coal Frankfranklinfrankiinfrankilnlidss gull larus pipixcan an uncommon mine wash crossing of navajo rt 41 on 15 march spring migrant from late march to late may 1991 rock doves are present in kayettakayenta and may bonaparte s gull larus philadelphia A fairly stray into the study area common spring migrant from late march to early band tailed pigeon columba fafasciatafascianasciata proba- may at J 7 pond three fall records two at J 7 pond bly a sparse transient one seen on lolotailolomai point on 10 november 1983 one on 13 november 1986 on 22 june 1985 this species may increase in and one at reed valley pond on 2 november 1989 numbers as the oaks invading lolotailolomai point and ring billed gull larus delawarensis com- other chained areas further increase in density and mon spring migrant at ponds throughout the area stature from eailyeallyearly march through mid may adults are mourning dove zenaida macrouramacroura A com- most numerous early in this period and progres- mon summer residentlesiesident throughout the area winters sively younger budsbirds appear as the season passes sporadically in small numbers at lower elevations considerably less numerous and frequent in the it usually arrives in early april and except for fall three at J 7 pond on 28 november 1988 were stragglers is gone by late september A nest with 199411994 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 43 two eggs was found in J 7 reclaimed area on 9 may mine plan area on 9 september 1988 and an adult 1985 feathers of a fledgling were found on yellow female on navajo rt 41 near yellow water wash on water wash on 25 june 1982 A breeding density of 15 july 1992 remains were found in mixed conifer 383.83 8 pairspairs4040 ha was found in pinyon juniper at Jjio10 on coal mine wash on I1 july 1983 and one was mine plan area the breeding form is Z m mar- seen in dense pinyon juniper in coal mine wash ginella on 23 october 1984 both the J 21 bird and the navajo rt 41 bird contained arthropods six order cuculiformes jerusalem crickets stenopelmatus sp in the first FAMILY CUCULIDAE and a large centipede in the latter the wing chords of these individuals were 171 mm for the 21 bird greater geo J roadrunner Ceoceococcyxgeococcyxgeocoecyxcoccyx californi indicating a female and 176 mm foiformor the navajo rt anus probably a sparse permanent resident in 41 female making both larger than average for brushy valleys throughout the region nearly all birds reported from arizona phillips et al 1964 black mesa records fall from august to late and larger than any known from utah behle 1985 december one was reported by B hector from reported from anasazi sites as well as an otus sp yucca gilbert lower flat wash no date J saw one determination table 14 the bleedingbreeding form is 0 at black mesa junction 19 december 1984 one k aikeniaikemaikens was seen in tamarisk on moenkopiMoen kopi wash on 27 great horned owl bubo virginianusvirginianus A hanlyfairly august 1986 B clutter reported one in dugout common permanent resident throughout the area valley on 8 august 1988 M koffler reported one nests have been found in old common raven and on moenkopiMoenkopi wash on 15 septemberSeptembelbei 1988 anoth- red tailed hawk nests in trees and on ledges and was woodland 1 er seen in pinyon juniper in the jlJ l potpotholespotholedholes in cliffs in pinyon juniper woodland on mine plan area on 29 november 1988 one was yucca flat wash dinnebitoDinnebito wash and Moenmoenkopikopi seen on 41 at 3 navajo rt coal mine wash on wash nests on cliffs have been found in mixed august 1989 C reported 41 salt one on navajo rt conifer in coal mine wash middle fork and in yel- at Moenmoenkopikopi wash on 30 august 1989 was another low water canyon eggs weiewere seen on 5 april 1983 found road killed in valley 26 in long house on J ohlman personal communication half grown october 1989 only record is the spring is one seen young have been seen on I1 and 2 may 1983 two on 11 march 1993 preponderance of late the nests found in 1989 contained three young each on summer through early observations from winter 18 may black mesa birds show marked color vaivalvariavarlala- the study area and other areas of black mesa alea per- tion typical of the local race B v pallescenspallescempallescentpaliespallescemcens wing sonal observation suggests long dis that rather chord andor weights of seven individuals found tance post breeding dispersal from breed- primary road killed over 10 years are as follows male 21 ing areas may be little colorado occurring the september 1984 330 mm 875 g male 25 june river phillips et al 1964 and the lower reaches of 1990 356 mm no weight male 25 july 1990 359 the tusayan washes ege g Moenmoenkopikopi wash may be mm no weight female 24 august 1985 380 mm such breeding areas 1300 g female 23 january 1987 390 mm 1284 g female 29 june 1989 378 1063 g female 11 order strigiformes mm october 1991 380 mm 1432 g these measure- STRIGIDAE FAMILY ments especially those of females indicate that flammulated owl otus flamflammeolusmeolus anA black mesa birds if the above individuals are not uncommon summer resident one was seen in migrants are larger than B v pallescentpallescenspalles cens from near- upper reed valley on 16 october 1982 A nest by southern utah behle 1985 with young was reported from long house valley northern pygmy owl glaucidium anomagnoma an on 16 june 1936 woodbury and russell 1945 uncommon permanent resident an increase in calling birds have been heard in the east fork of observations in fall indicates a possible influx of coal mine wash in a mixed coniferoakaspen migrants most records are from mixed conifer habitat on 18 may 1986 on lolotailolomai point on 31 habitats one was heard in coal mine wash on 19 may 1988 and in upper moenkopiMoen kopi wash on 12 june 1982 another was seen on 20 june 1989 in may 1992 another was seen in a cavity in an oak in the east fork of coal mine wash two birds were the west fork on 9 june 1986 the breeding form is seen and heard calling in yellow water canyon on apparently undescnbedundescribed see monson and phillips 8 august 1987 and another was seen on 30 sep- 1981 tember 1987 remains were found in coal mine western screechowlscreech owl otus kennicottkennicottiiii an wash from a probable accipiter kill on 12 may uncommon permanent resident in pinyon juniper 1986 G g picinicolapinicolanicola is the breeding form woodland encountered primarily as road kills in burrowing owl speotyto cunicularcunicularidiaid known long house valley 3 january 1983 at the foot of only from a single anasazi site table 14 I1 have the mesa 4 miles west of kayettakayenta on 3 march 1984 seen this species just northeast of the study area so and 3 december 1984 a boltingmolting adult in the J 21 it may be a sparse transient through it 44 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

spotted owl stritstylastriastrix occidentoccidentalisoccidentalistalis at least a fairly records from the interior of the mesa are of one common summer resident in shady mixed conifer seen in middle coal mine wash on 26 april 1983 canyons and ravines there are no winter records one heard calling in mixed conifer in coal mine but it is probablypioplobablybabiy a permanent resident ganey and wash on 5 june 1986 two heard in upper balda 1989 boltedmolted feathers have been found virvir- moenkopiMoenkopi wash on 11 may 1992 and one flushed tually across the extent of suitable habitat in the from tamarisk on lower moenkopiMoenkopi wash on 23 july study area all five known nest sites are in caves in 1992 the nominate lacerace is the breeding form cliffs adjacentadacent to mixed conifer filled canyon floors laying takes place fromoiomoromgrom late march to early order apodiformes may WoodwoodratswoodiatsWoodi atsrats neotoma sp are the principal prey FAMILY APODIDAE species identified fornhornfrombomm pellets ganey 1992 S 0 lucida is the race on black mesa white throated swift aeronautesAeronautes saxasaxatalistalis lace an long eared owl asio otus sparse in pinyonpryonpmyon abundant migrant and summer resident juniper and mixed conifer the only records are of throughout the area from late march through mid one seen 29 march 1982 in J 28 mine plan area october this species breeds in cliffs along the one seen in white house valley on 19 april 1983 mesa rim and in the upper canyons A steady stream of was observed for several hours remainsi edamsemams of an adult found in a great horned owl migrants 29 1984 nest on 2 may 1983 a boltedmolted rectrix found in N 2 on august at the rim where navajo rt 41 leclaimedreclaimed area on 2 august 1989 and a fledgling crosses thousands of migrants were seen over the and adult observed on 22 june 1990 at an aban- lease area 21 25 september 1988 A s saxasaxatalissaxatahstalistails is the breeding form doned cooper s hawk nest in pinyonpryonpmyon jumperjuniper in white house valley A single bird was in mixed conifer on 18 june 1993 FAMILY trocnilidaetrochilidaetrociiilidae saw northern whet owl aegoliusAegolius acadicus black childedchinnedchinded hummingbird archilochusArchilochus prior to 1993 known only flomfrom a single feather alexandri A common summer resident in pinyonpryonpmyon identified by J T marshall found in mixed conifer in juniperjumper along the major washes and in mixed at the head of yellow water canyon on 23 june conifer from late april to september A female was 1985 maimalmarshallshallshailshali personal communication says this seen on a nest in a pinyon near the head of the species may move into an area for a few years nest middle fork of coal mine wash on 19 june 1982 S and then disappear the and in spring summer of hamilton found a nest on a greasewood root along 1993 10 were found in mixed conifer in an alluvial bank on Moenmoenkopikopi wash in august 1983 caprimulgiformes order calliope hummingbird Stellula calliope A FAMILY caprimulgidae sparse migrant one was seen among a swarm of common nighthawk chordeiles minor A rufous hummingbirds at a stand of bee plant common summer resident from early june to sep- cleome serrserrulateserrulataulata on yellow water wash on 22 tember throughout the area A nest with two eggs august 1989 an adult male was seen near the yel- was found by C salt and S begay on 15 june 1989 low water wash crossing of navajo rt 41 on 16 A nest with one egg was found in pinyon juniper july 1990 A small female hummingbird which on I1 august 1983 in the Jjio10 mine plan area two may have been this species was seen in the east downy young were found near J 7 pond on 10 july fork of coal mine wash on 20 june 1989 this date 1985 the subspecies C rn hesperis and C m hen suggests this species may breed on black mesa tytryt are reported from the area woodbury and rus- broad tailed hummingbird selasphorus sell 1945 with the latter breeding one late record platycercus A common migrant throughout the from yellow water wash on 7 october 1986 aleaarea and a common breeding resident in mixed common poorwill phalaenoptilus nuttalnuttalliinuttallialii an conifer records range from early april to mid sep uncommon summer resident in pinyon juniper tember with the last northbound males noted to this species appears to be uncharacteristically late may two females on nests with eggs were spalsparsese on northern black mesa compared with the found in douglas firs in coal mine wash on 23 and southern region of the hopi reservation personal 27 june 1983 A nest with young was found by M observation most records come from the pinyonpryonpmyon williams in a ponderosa pine on 17 june 1985 at juniperjumper covered benches on the outer mesa scarp lolotailolomai point fall migrants appear in mid july and consist of the following four to six heard call- rufous hummingbird selasphorus rufus A ing northwest of tees spa spring on 29 april 1985 common late summer migrant usually first seen in two seen below tees spa spring on 5 july 1987 mid july but may show up as earlyeailyeally as late june three heard there on 7 july 1987 one heard near this species is often abundant at stands of indian black mesa junction on 3 june 1991 and four paintbrush castilleja unanaefohalinariaefolialinariaefolia and rocky heard below rock gap on 4 june 1991 the only mountain bee plant 199419941 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 45

order coraciiformes was seen in ashensaspens in coal mine wash on 26 may FAMILY alcedinidae 1986 hairy woodpecker ficoidesPicpicoidesoides villosisvillosusvillosus A com- belted kingfisher ceryle alcyon A fairly common permanent resident in pinyon juniper and mon migrant from mid april to early may and from mixed conifer woodlands nests with young all in mid august to early october most records are the third week of june have been found in pon from J 7 pond derosas pinionspinyonspinyons and ashensaspens densities of 181.81 8 444.44 4 individualsindividuals4040 ha have been found using emlen order piciformes transects breeding densities of 191 9 and 383.83 8 pairspairs4040 FAMILY PICIDAE ha were determined with spot mapping this species was not found breeding in a woodland lewis woodpecker melanerpes lewis A fairly stand of 150 treeshatretreeshyesha black mesa birds may be common summer resident in chained woodland at intermediates between P v oriusonus the breeding lolotailolomai point seen once in a chained area on form according to monson and phillips 1981 and kayettakayenta point on 25 september 1984 young being P v leucothorectis from nearby navajo mountain fed in a ponderosa pine snag on lolotailolomailolornaiLolornainal point behle 1985 were seen on 17 june 1983 and 25 june 1986 an northern flicker colantescolaptes auauratusauranusratus A com- uncommon migrant elsewhere three in pinyon mon permanent resident in pinyon juniper and juniperjumper at DindmnebitodinnebitoDmnebito wash on 8 april 1987 one mixed conifer A nest with young was found in a above black mesa junction on 18 september 1987 gambel oak on 15 june 1984 in coal mine wash A one in pinyon jumperjuniper inm white house valley on 13 nest with young was found in an aspen on 22 june september 1988 and one foraging with pinyon 1985 in yellow water canyon also nests were jays near J 3 reclaimed area on 19 september found inm holes in alluvial banks on lower coal mine 1988 one was seen in pinyon juniperjumper on 17 and Moenmoenkopikopi washes where a nest contained five december 1992 eggs on 8 may 1987 two nests held small nestnestlingslings acorn woodpecker melanerpes formicivorusformicivorous on 6 june 1990 and another had young ready to fairly common in chained woodland areas breed- fledge on 27 june 1990 transect densities of ing is unconfirmed there are no winter records 040.40 4 353.53 5 birds40birds 40 ha have been observed this seen most frequently in the kayettakayenta and lolotailolomai species is frequent along the major washes in win-win points chained areas M f acuaculeatusleatus is the form ter reported from a 12th century anasazi site present in this area table 14 the nomenclature of the breeding form red napedcaped sapsucker sphyrapicus nunuchalischalis from this region is presently under debate see A common migrant in wooded areas including monson and phillips 1981 and behle 1985 tamarisk on the larger washes all records are from april september and october except for one on 6 order passeriformes december 1991 seen feeding on russian olive FAMILY tyrannidae fruit small numbers were noted in tamarisk in Moenmoenkopikopi wash during september october 1986 olive sided flycatcher contopusContopus borealis an williamson s sapsucker sphyrapicus thyroithyroe uncommon fall migrant in august and late deus A fairly common migrant in mixed conifer may early june in pinyon juniper and in mixed apparently resident in very small numbers A conifer one was found singing on the mesa rim on female was seen in coal mine wash on 23 febru- 17 june 1983 ary 1983 and another female inm pinyon juniper in western wood pewee Concontopustopus sordidulussordidulus A white house valley on 19 january 1984 one pair common migrant and sparse summer resident was seen in pinyon juniperjumper near lolotailolomai point on breeding in mixed conifer is unconfirmed 27 february 1986 another pair was seen feeding migrants are seen in pinyon juniper and in young in a douglas fir snag in dense mixed conifer tamarisk A transect density of 868.68 6 birds40birds 40 ha was in the east fork of coal mine wash on 23 june found on Moenmoenkopikopi wash in mid september 1985 1983 A vocal male was seen in yellow water canyon two were seen in tamarisk at the reed on 23 june 1985 one record from tamarisk a valley Moenmoenkopikopi wash confluence on 10 june female seen on moenkopiMoen kopi wash on 10 october 1986 this species seems uncharacteristically 1991 sparse as a breeding bird considering the available downy woodpecker ficoidesPicpicoidesoides pubescentpubespubescenscens A habitat sparse permanent resident more frequent in fall willow flycatcher empidonax tratraillitrailleilli A and winter seen in oaks in yellow water canyon sparse migrant in riparian areas two were seen at on 4 march 1984 in tamarisk on lower Moenmoenkopikopi the confluence of Moenmoenkopikopi and yucca flat washes wash on 6 january 1986 and inm ashensaspens on lolotailolomai on 13 august 1990 another was there on 11 sep- point on 14 october 1986 another was in the tember 1989 one was seen at J 7 pond on 6 sep- russian olive grove on Moenmoenkopikopi wash on 12 tember 1989 and one was seen on lower Moenmoenkopikopi december 1989 A single bird probably breeding on 13 august 1992 seemingly moiemotemore common as a 46 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54 transient in the larger lower valley areas through- was seen over dense pinyon juniper on the mesa out the region jacobs 1986 personal observation rim on 6 september 1986 the nominate race is the hammond s flycatcher empidonax ham breeding form mondiimondai A sparse migrant one was seen in ash throated flycatcher myiarchus cinerascinemas tamarisk on moenkopiMoenkopi wash on 7 october 1986 cens A common summer resident in pinyon and another was seen 7 may 1987 perhaps more juniper woodland throughout the area absent from common than noted the highest densest stands but present in mixed dusky flycatcher empidonax oberholseri A conifer habitats adjacent to shrub filled canyon commoncornmon summer resident in open mixed conifer floors records range from 24 april to an abrupt associations with deciduous scrub understoryundeidundei storsstory nest mid august departure spot map densities of building was observedobseived on 30 may 1990 A nest with 383.83 8 767.67 6 pairspairs4040 ha have been recorded transect fourboul eggs was found on 17 june 1985 inm a thicket of densities range from 060.6og0 6 to 12412.412 4 individualsindividuals4040 ha prunus below ashensaspens in yellow water canyon the nominate form breeds another nest with three young was found in an cassin s kingbird tyrannus vociferantvociferans A oak covered slope in the same canyon on 23 june common summer resident inm open pinyon juniper 1985 and young weiewere being fed in a nest in a doug- most numerous in the small canyons at the mesa las riifirhirbir on 28 june 1992 singing males have been foot on 19 june 1986 nests with young were found seen on 30 april birds were seen in breeding habi- on power poles at the black mesa mine office and tat as well as in tamarisk on Moenmoenkopikopi wash in late below rock gap it has been seen by 27 april august 1986 1982 most leave by early september fledglings gray flycatcher empidonax wrighwrightiiwrightiiitii A com- were seen at the mesa foot on 7 july 1985 T v mon summer residentlesiesident in all but the lowest pinyon vociferantvociferans is the breeding form juniper fromhrombrom mid april to september A nest with western kingbird tyrannus vertiverticalisverticalismcalis A fairly young was found in a juniper in white house val- common migrant and a sparse summer resident B ley by B ebbers on 22 june 1983 woodbury and ebbers found a nest near the black mesa archaeol- russell 1945 leportreport two nests also in junijunipersjuniperuspers ogical project camp on 15 june 1983 post breed adults with full sized young have been seen from ing dispersal from breeding habitats begins in mid mid june to mid july transect densities range july and migrants become common in early sep- from 181.81 8 to 19019.019igo 0 individualsmdividuals40individuals4040 haba spot map densi- tember ties of 676.76 7 11511.511 5 pairspairs4040 ha have been noted seen scissor tailed flycatcher tyrannusforficatustyrannus forflcatus as late as 24 september 1986 A sparse transient one was seen in juniper savan- cordilleran flycatcher empidonax occidenoccident na in long house valley on 24 june 1993 talis A common summer residentlesiesident inm mixed conifer eastern kingbird tyrannus tyrannus A with deciduous sciubscrubschub understory this species is sparse transient one was seen at J 3 reclaimed less numerousnume iouslous than the dusky flycatcher and area on 29 august 1988 occupies moiemolemore shaded areas containing cliffs and banks foiroiforboloor nesting nests with eggs were found on FAMILY ALAUDIDAE ledges in coal mine wash on 24 june 1983 and I1 july 1985 another with four eggs was found on 15 horned lark eremophilaEremophila alpestrisalpestris anAD abun- june 1986 five short tailed young were seen in dant permanent resident in grasslands open shrub coal mine wash on 5 august 1985 E 0 hellmayrihellrnaynhellheliheiimanrimayri lands and reclaimed areas flocks of up to 300 is the breeding form have been observed in reclaimed areas during mid- black phoebe sayornisSay ornis nigricansnigricans A sparse winter when there may be an influx of northern transient one was seen on moenkopiMoen kopi wash near birds these winter flocks begin breaking up and the confluence with yucca flat wash on 29 june males become territorial in late february nests 1990 with eggs have been found from mid april to mid say s phoebe sayornisSay ornis saya A common may fledglings and new young have been found migrant and summer resident from late februaryfeblFebi uary to in late may mixed age flocks begin forming by eailyearly november one late bird seen on 6 december early july reported from a single early anasazi site 1991 this species is distributed along larger open table 14 E a occidentoccidentalisoccidentahsoccidentalistalisails is the breeding form wash courses lockloekrockroek outcrops and near houses nests with eggs have been found as early as 20 FAMILY hirundinidae april 1989 nests with large young have been found on 28 may 1992 and 11 and 14 june 1985 purple martin progne subis A sparse and 1984 respectively fledglings have been seen migrant A female was seen over moenkopiMoenkopi wash on 29 june transect densities range from 030.30 3 to on 11 september 1986 and another was in nlN l1 24024.024 0 individualsmdividuals40individuals4040 ha summer densities are lower reclaimed area on 24 august 1992 than spring indicating a rather heavy influx of tree swallow tachycineta bicolor A common migrants one was seen on the mesa summit in migrant near ponds from late march through may chained pinyonpryonpmyon juniper on 9 august 1986 another and from july to early october 199411994 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 47

violet green swallow tachycineta thalasthalassinathalassinosina been seen from mid may to late june transect A common migrant throughout the area it is a densities inm woodland range fromhiomblom 040.40 4 to 353.53 5 invividindivid common summer resident nesting in cliffs in the uals40 ha spot map densities of 141.41 4 383.83 8 pairspairs4040 upper canyons and along the mesa rimnm and in holes ha have been found in pinyon juniperjumper woodland in dirt banks along washes in areas of pinyon remains are reported from a single anasazi site juniper seen from 23 march 1990 to late septem- table 14 monson and phillips 1981 call the ber T t lepidacepida is the breeding form budsbirds in this region A c suttonsuttonisuttom behle 1985 calls northern roughbough winged swallow stelaistelgi them A c woodhowoodhouseiusei dopterdipteryxdopteryxyx serriserripennispennis A common summer resident pinyon jay gymnorhinuscymnorhinus cyanocephalus A and migrant this swallow breeds as widely scat- common permanent resident throughout the area tered pairs in holes in alluvial banks along larger adults building nests have been seen on 8 march dissected wash courses records range from mid 1982 nests with young andor eggs have been form april to mid september the bleedingbreeding in seen in early may young fledglings have been seen northeastern arizona is not clear but may be inter- from 13 april to the surprisingly late date of 12 july mediate S s psammochrous S s between and setserr 1982 flocks of pinyon jays are occasionally seen see behle 1985 and monson and phillips ripennis feeding on wheatgrasseswheat grasses in reclaimed areas dur- 1981 ing the fall pinyon jays form the largest bird flocks swallow Ri A bank pariaripariariparial riparia common in the area on 10 september 1983 285 were seen seen frequently 7 migrant most at J pond in at the mesa foot on 23 september 1983 over 470 august and september were seen at reed valley A loose aggregation of A cliff swallow hirundo pyrrhonpyrrhonotaota com- several flocks totaling nearly 600 individuals was mon throughout the area seen from 8 migrant seen at dinnebitoDinnebito wash on 19 january 1984 april 1982 to 13 september 1982 nest site old reported from three anasazi sites table 14 foundations were found on a cliff on lower clark s nutcracker nucifragaNucifraga columbiana A Moenmoenkopikopi wash on I1 july 1986 and below J 7 pond fairly common to common permanent resident in in 1987 but no active colonies were found from in in weiewele the upper canyons it occasionally wanders widely 1979 to 1990 five vocal budsbirds were seen at the in late summer and fall to the pinyon juniper below moenkopiMoenkopi wash site on I1 july 1986 and an active the mesa limrim fledglings have been seen in the colony appeared there in 1993 this was species upper canyons from 24 may 1985 to 22 june unusually numerous throughout the study area in 1983 of a young fledgling were found in june 1989 remains in moenkopiMoen kopi wash on 13 april 1989 dates barn swallow hirundo rustica A common these indicate that laying takes place from early to migrant throughout the area from mid april to march mid may A early june and mid july to mid october breeding mixed age flock of 35 individuals was seen in mine wash on 30 may 1990 is known from a single nesting at the N 8 shop in in coal this 1992 species apparently left the mesa rim region during most of the 1985 86 winter FAMILY CORVIDAE american crow corvus brachyrhynchos A sparse migrant one was seen near J 3 reclaimed steller s jay cyanocitta stelleristelspellerileri A common area on 16 november 1987 two at the highway permanentpelpei manent resident in mixed conifer habitats A crossing of coal mine wash on 28 march 1988 and few wander in the fall to lower areas of pinyon one at N 14 on 13 november 1991 another was juniper woodland as at owl spring valley on 13 seen on 6 november 1989 known from a single october 1985 A nest with three young was found anasazi site table 14 min coal mine wash on 25 may 1986 feathers of common raven corvus corat an abundant predated maturesimimmaturesimmatured were found on 27 may 1984 permanent resident areawide the population in and on 4 july 1985 family groups have been seen the lease is probably artificially high because of on 9 june 1984 and 16 june 1982 from monson readily available food in garbage waste grain in and phillips 1981 and behle 1985 it is unclear strawsnaw mulch and other sources adults frequenting what the breeding form in this region is it may be nest sites and building nests have been seen on 15 intermediate between C s diadiadematademata and CG s january 1985 nests with eggs have been found macromacrolophalopha by early may young of all ages have been found scrub jay aphelocomaAphelocoma coerulescens A com- from late may to early july but most fledge by mon permanent resident throughout the area in mid june flocks of over 100 birds have been seen pinyonpryonpmyon juniperjumper and mixed conifer woodland mon- feeding on cured seed heads in reclaimed areas on tane scrub and tamarisk family groups inm tamarisk several occasions approximately 100 birds weiewelewere on 8 june 1992 and 27 june 1990 indicate breed- observed using russian olives for a nocturnal roost ing A nest containing four week old young was on 23 january 1992 remains are reported from found on 24 may 1990 adults with fledglings have anasazi sites table 14 48 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

FAMILY PARIDAE woodland and in mixed conifer this species does not breed in lower elevation pinyonpryonpmyon juniper where mountain chickadee parus gamgambellbeli A com- it was absent as a breeding species in a stand of 150 mon permanent resident in higher elevation in pin treeshatretreeshyesha spot map breeding densities in pinyon yon and mixed conifer throughout the area juniperjumper juniper range from 383.83 8 to 115 pairspairs4040 ha transect small numbers occupy tamarisk of the larger wash- densities range from 1.4114 4 to 14.814148 8 mdividuals40individuals4040 ha song 14 148 individuals es in fall and winter activity is frequent bbyy nests with young have been found from late may early with and eggs have march nests young been to mid june family groups have been seen from found during the first three weeks of june and mid june to mid july breeding form is S c have the fledglings been seen from mid june to mid nelsoni july transect densities in pmyon range in pinyonpryon juniper pygmy nuthatch sitta pygmaedpygmaeapygmaean A common from 1.8lsis1 8 to 32.232322 2 mdividuals40individuals4040 ha spot map densi- 18 322 individuals permanent resident in flocks in ponderosa range from 3.8338 8 to 11.511115 5 40 ha monson and ties 38 115 pairspairs40 pine dominated mixed conifer association strays phillips 1981 call birds in this FP in region 9 to adjacent pinyon juniperjumper in late summer and fall wasatchensis but behle 1985 would them assign fledglings have been seen from mid june to late to atypical P g gambehgambee july the breeding form is S p melamelanoticmelanotisnotis plain titmouse parus inornatus A common permanent resident in juniper but general- in pinyon uniper FAMILY ly absent inm the highest elevation stands fall tran- certhiidae have A sients been seen twice in tamarisk nest brown creeper certhia americana A fairly with young ready to fledge was found on 13 june common permanent resident in mixed conifer 1982 family groups have been seen from mid seen once in pinyon juniper in winter 5 january to mid july transect densities in june in pinyon 1983 in white house valley young were seen range from 1.8118 8 to 30.230302 2 mdividuals40individuals4040 ha juniperuniper 18 302 individuals being fed in a nest on a douglas fir in yellow water spot from 7.6776 6 to 40 map densities range 76 115 pairspairs40 canyon on 22 june 1985 and a family group was ha breeding form is P i ndgwayiridgwayiyi the is i ridgwa seen in coal mine wash on 2 july 1992 the breeding form is C a montana FAMILY aegitiialidaeahgitiialidae bushtit psaltriparus ininminimusimus A common per- FAMILY troglodytidae manent resident in pinyon juniper and mixed obsoletusobsoletes A conifer throughout the area A nest was found in rock wren salpinctes common tamarisk on moenkopiMoen kopi wash on 25 may 1993 summer resident of talus slopes rock outcrops flocks wander into shrublandsshrublands and tamarisk during alluvial banks and riprap of dam spillspillwaysways and road slopes birds are present on the lease from fall and winter begin to break tiplipuipup into pairs by late march and are forming again by late june B early march to early december but numbers decrease sharply early one midwinter ebbers found an active nest in june 1983 that had in october fledged young by the 15th family groups were record was 20 january 1992 numerous family noted in 1992 on 29 may and 5 june pinyon groups were noted 11 12 june 1992 on 20 june 1983 a nest with six eggs was found at yah toh juniperjumper transect densities range from 181.81 8 to 31331.331 3 six tees spring on 19 july 1984 a family group was seen individualsindividuals4040 ha spot map densities of 383.83 8 5 7 below 7 dam is frequently chained pairspairs4040 ha have been i ecordedrecorded the breeding form J it is seen in the is P in plumplumbeusplumbeousbeus pinyonpryonpmyon juniper on mesa summit the nominate race breeds canyon wren A FAMILY SITTIDAE Catcatherpesherpes mexicanusmexicanus common permanent resident in the cliffs of the upper red breasted nuthatch sitta canadensis an canyons along the dakota sandstone and in other irregularly common winter resident in mixed cliff and talus areas during fall and winter it is conifer A sparse summer resident in the same seen along alluvial banks and occasionally at small areas an adult with an immature seen at lolotailolomai rock outcrops family groups have been seen from point on 7 august 1990 may not represent local mid june to early july A nest with a fledgling was breeding however family groups seen on 28 july found on 27 july 1987 CG in consperusconsperus is the 1992 and 16 june 1993 confirm local nesting two breeding form were seen in pinyon juniper inm white house valley bewick s wren thyromanesThyromanes bewickii A com- on 10 august 1984 this species was common in mon summer resident in pinyon juniper and the tipperlipperupper canyons in the 1984 85 winter when a mixed conifer fairly common in winter when it heavy widespread douglas fir cone crop ripened wanders into shrublandsshrub lands and tamarisk males are it was absent the following winter when no cones actively singing by late february nests both in were produced junipersjunijuniperuspers with eggs were found on 2 and 11 june white breasted nuthatch sitta carolinensis 1982 family groups have been seen by 20 june A common permanent resident in pinyon juniper and 2 july transect densities in pinyon juniper 199411994 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 49 range from 181.81 8 to 28828.828 8 individualsindividuals4040 ha densities pinyon juniper and inm areas of deciduous scrub A of 11511.511 5 3253232.55 individualsindividuals4040 ha have been recorded nest with young near fledging was found in a pin- in shrubland areas in late summer spot map yon near tees spa spring on 5 july 1987 an old breeding densities range from 11511.511 5 to 19119.119igi 1 pairspairs4040 nest was found in a small pinyon in reed valley in ha in pinyon juniperjumper uncommon as a breeding december 1988 wanders into sagebrush in late bird in the densest pinyon jumperjuniper on the mesa summer seen from mid april to late october summit the breeding form is T b oberholser migrants are frequent in tamarisk transect densi- house wren troglodytes aedonabdon A common ties range from 232.32 3 to 949.49 4 individualsindividuals4040 ha all migrant along washes in tamarisk A common sum- spot map densities are 383.83 8 pairspairs4040 ha the breed- mer resident in aspen groves migrants are usually ing form is P c obscuraobscure seen inm spring in late april and early may but one western bluebird sialia meximexicanamexicandmexicanocanacand A common on 11 april 1989 was atypically early most fall permanent resident throughout the area it breeds migrants pass through from late august to mid in higher elevation pinyon juniper and mixed october with one on 31 october 1989 being late A conifer woodland pinyon juniper stands of 150 and nest with young inm an aspen was found on 15 june 182 treeshatretreeshyesha contained no nesting individuals it 1984 young fledglings were seen in the east fork of may be absent during periods of cold and deep coal mine wash on 24 june 1984 several individ- snow in midwinter nests with young have been uals were observed in slash piles in the kayettakayenta seen from mid june to late july pinyon juniper point chaining on 14 june 1986 sedgwick and transect densities range from 181.81 8 to 898 9 individuindividua ryder 1987 report this species in pinyon juniperjumper als40 ha A spot map density of 383 8 pairspairs4040 ha has slash in colorado post breeding dispersal away been found S m occidentoccioccidentalsoccidentaleoccidentalisoccodentalsalisallsails is the breeding form from aspen groves into adjoining mixed conifer mountain bluebird sialia currucoides A woodland begins in mid to late june T a park common permanent resident of pinyon juniper manimano is the breeding form throughout the area it may be absent during winter wren troglodytes troglodytes A extreme cold and heavy snow in midwinter but was spaisesparse migrant one was seen in an aspen gioveglovegrove in seen several times in winter at the russian olive the west fork of coal mine wash on 6 november grove on Moenmoenkopikopi wash it consistently appears 1983 another was seen in the same grove on 15 by late january and is common by late february november 1986 the largest flock recorded was 250 inm the russian marsh wren cistothorusCistocistophorusthorus papalustrislustris A fairly olive grove on 29 january 1992 mountain blue- common migrant at weedy or brushy pond edges birds occupy more open areas such as sage clear- one was seen by ehdaeh&a consultants on 5 october ings and chained pinyon juniperj it frequently 1979 seen at a pond in N 2 reclaimed area and inm nests in holes inm alluvial banks nestnestlingslings being fed tarnatamariskrisk at J 7 pond several times inm early septem- in such situations were seen 4 june 1991 and 12 ber 1986 one was seen at pond n14 G on 12 may 1992 and cliffs nest with eggs and young march 1989 and at N 2 reclaimed area on 12 and seen 28 may 1992 nests with young have been 28 april 1989 seen in mid and late june pinyon juniper transect densities range from 090.90og 9 to 16016.016igo 0 individualsindividuals4040 ha FAMILY muscicapidae spot map densities range from 181 8 to 767.67 6 pairspairs4040 ha golden crowned kinglet regulus satrapa A townsend s solitaire Myadmyadestesestes towntownsenditownsendiasendi A fairly common fall winter and early spring resireslresi- fairly common to common permanent resident in dent in mixed conifer of the upper canyons mixed conifer of the upper canyons it has been records range from 12 october 1988 to 4 march seen occasionally in pinyon juniper elsewhere 1984 fledglings have been seen from early july to early ruby crowned kinglet regulus calendula A august an old nest was found in a hole in a boul- common migrant in wooded areas throughout the der in coal mine wash on 6 september 1986 M t area A fairly common summer resident in mixed towntownsenditownsendiasendi is the breeding form conifer in the upper canyons breeding is uncon- hermit thrush catharusCacantharustharus guttatusgustatusguttatus A fairly firmed one was seen in russian olives on 9 common migrant throughout the area A common december 1992 singing males have been record- summer resident in mixed conifer of the upper ed throughout june in all of the upper canyons canyons singing has been heard in late april including five on 16 june 1982 in the middle fork stubby tailed fledglings have been seen on 27 june of coal mine wash transect densities of migrants 1983 1985 in coal mine wash and yellow water range from 181.81 8 to 10610.610log 6 individualsindividuals4040 ha monson canyon respectively the breeding form is C g and phillips 1981 call arizona breeding birds R c auduboni occasionally heard singing in summer in calendula but behlebehie would assign birds of this area dense pinyon juniper as at white house valley on to R c cineraceuscineraceous 17 june 1983 and 20 june 1984 blue gray gnatcatcher polioptila caeruleacaerulea A american robin turdus migratormigratoriusmigratoriesius A com- common summer resident in higher elevation mon migrant throughout the area and a fairly 50 GREAT BASIN naturalist Vovolumelurne 54 common summer resident in mixed conifer of the numbers in october usually seen in small groups upper canyons nested in pinyon juniper in 1993 but a flock of 41 was seen on 12 april 1989 inm nlN l1 adults with fledgling seen 26 june uncommon reclaimed area and over 200 were seen there on 26 and irregularly seen in winter until about 1990 april 1991 when up to 70 began wintering in russian olives an incubating adult was seen in oaks fringing an FAMILY bombycillidae aspen grove in yellow water canyon on 15 june 1986 woodbury and russell 1945 report breed- bohemian waxwing bombycilla garrulus two ing from black mesa T m propinquuspropinquous is the records a flock of 29 was seen in pinyonpryonpmyon juniperjumper in breeding form white house valley on 13 april 1982 and a single varied thrush ixoreusIxoreus naenaeviusvius A sparse fall bird in russian olives on 12 november 1992 transient one record an adult male was seen with cedar waxwing bombycilla cedrorumcedrorum A robins in russian olives on Moenmoenkopikopi wash on 12 sparse fall migrant with records as follows six seen november 1992 in DindmnebitodinnebitoDmnebito wash on 16 november 1982 seven in mixed conifer in coal mine wash on 22 october FAMILY MIMIDAE 1983 one over Moenmoenkopikopi wash on 10 october 1986 two near kelly pond on 12 september 1991 one northern mockingbird mimus polyglotpolyglottospolyglottoustos A in russian olives on 15 november 1990 and eight common summer resident in juniper savanna at the there on 29 january 1992 mesa foot and in greasewood and tamarisk on lower washes and in smaller drainages in mixed shrub FAMILY lan11daeLANIIDAE lands one seen 14 march 1989 was exceptionally early by six weeks seen in oaks in the lolotailolomai northern shrike laniuslanitis excubitor an uncom- point chaining on 14 july 1984 A nest in grease- mon to fairly common winter resident in open wood contained four eggs on 6 june 1990 A fledg- pinyonpryonpmyon juniperjumper from mid october to late march A ling was seen in juniper savanna on 3 july 1985 A large invasion occurred in 1988 89 with more transect density from Moenmoenkopikopi wash is 535.3 indi birds seen during this period than in the previous viduals40 haba the nominate race is the breeding seven winters combined form loggerhead shrike lanius ludovicianusludovicianus A sage thrasher oreoscoptes montanus A com- fairly common to common permanent resident in mon summer resident in greasewood and saltbush juniper savanna and greasewood in the major in the middle to lower reaches of the major washes washes seen less frequently in other open shrub- it is less numerous in sagebrush the first spring land the 1984 spot map density in mixed shrub appearance is usually in early april A nest in salt- habitat was 080.80 8 pairspairs4040 ha fledglings and family bush in a mixed shrub habitat contained three groups have been noted from early june to early young on 19 june 1986 fledglings were seen in july the breeding form is L I1 excubitondesexcubitorides see reed valley on 21 july 1982 sage thrashersThrashers are monson and philipsphillips 1981 common in J 7 reclaimed area where saltbush is well developed 33333.3 pairs40pairs 40 ha transect densities FAMILY STURNIDAE range from 090.9og to 959.5gs pairs40pairs 40 ha bendirebendere s thrasher toxostoma bendireibendirei A european starling sturnus vulgaris A com- fairly common summer resident in open grease- mon permanent resident that is local in the study wood in lower washes and in juniper savanna at the area starlings frequent the reclamation barn and mesa foot small numbers are found in open salt- the area near the mine facilities this species was bush in mixed shrubland records span from mid probably absent from the area prior to the mine april to august A nest with three small young was development inm the late 1960s the largest group found in a juniper at the mesa foot on 18 june seen was a flock of 350 in russian olives on 1986 A transect density of 181.8 individualsindividuals4040 ha Moenmoenkopikopi wash on 15 november 1990 this was recorded on moenkopiMoenkopi wash in 1980 by species appears to be widely dispersed throughout ehna consultants the region during winter

FAMILY motacillidae FAMILY vlreonidaevireonidae american pipit anthnsanthusantansantaus rubescentrubesrubescenscens A common gray vireo vireo vicinivicinioror A fairly common migrant at ponds and reclaimed areas throughout summer resident from 23 april 1992 to 10 septem- the area sparse in winter at unfrozen ponds ber 1983 most observations are from open pin spring migrants peak in april and have been seen yon juniper covered slopes and small canyons that from mid february to early may with a single bird support a scattered growth of utah serviceberry A seen 3 june 1991 being late fall migrants are seen nest with two small young was found in a small from mid august to early december with peak pinyon above tees yah toh spring on 20 june 1986 199411994 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 51

solitary vireo vireo solitariussolitarius A common canyon on 5 may 1987 one in pinyon juniperjumper on 6 migrant and summer resident in pinyonpryonpmyon juniper may 1987 one at J 28 settling ponds on 20 may woodland and in mixed conifer of the upper 1990 and a singing male in russian olives on 8 canyons records span from 22 april 1983 to 7 june 1992 A nonbreeding singing male was seen october 1982 the migrant formhoimboim V s cassicassiniicassiniacassznnniinil has in tamarisk on Moenmoenkopikopi wash on 26 june 1990 been seen in the fall A nest with young was found see monson and phillips 1981 concerning the on 21 june 1983 in lower reed valley and in white complex of races migrating through the region house valley an adult with a full sized fledgling yellow rumpedbumped warbler dendroica coronata was seen in white house valley on 27 july 1982 A A common to abundant migrant throughout the flock of 10 was seen on the nmrim of yellow water aleaarea up to 713 per 40 ha were recorded in canyon on 11 may 1984 transect densities range tamarisk on Moenmoenkopikopi wash 26 september 1986 from 040.40 4 to 12412.412 4 individualsmdividuals40individuals4040 ha spot map densi- A fairly common summer resident in mixed conifer ties range from 191.9lgig1 9 to 767.67 6 pairspairs4040 ha the breeding of the upper canyons spring migration peaks in form is V s plumplumbeusplumbeousbeus late april early may and fall migration peaks in warbling vireo vireo glidus A common sum- late september mid october records of migrants mer resident of aspen groves in the upper canyons span from 13 april to 8 december by 1990 this A common migrant in tamarisk from early august species was wintering in small numbers in russian to mid october the breeding form is V g brew olives on Moenmoenkopikopi wash two adults were seen steristerlsten feeding young in a ponderosa on 16 june 1984 on kayettakayenta point A fledgling was found on 14 june pamilyFAMILYpammy emberizidae 1986 an adult male in pre basic molt was seen in upper Moenmoenkopikopi wash on 30 july 1985 A male tennessee warbler vermivoraVermivora peregrina A myrtle form was seen in J 27 reclaimed area on sparse transient A single bird was seen inm tamarisk 27 april 1982 monson and phillips 1981 call the on Moenmoenkopikopi wash on 7 october 1986 breeding form D c memoramemorabhsmemorablisblishiishils but behle 1985 orange crowned warbler vermivoraVermivora celata assigns it to D c audubonaudubonii A common migrant in deciduous scrub and black throated gray warbler dendroica tamarisk throughout the area trantransectTraD sectseet densities as nigrescentnigrescens A common summer resident of pinyon high as 177 individualsindividuals4040 ha have been recorded juniper and mixed conifer woodland records span in tamarisk 1 I1 october 1986 A fairly common from 8 april 1991 to 21 september 1982 the summer resident in mixed conifer in the upper males initially seen in small groups are singing canyons breeding habitat is cambelgambel oak covered and actively defending territories by late april slopes usually adjacent to aspen groves and with a females have been observed nest building from grassy leaf littered understory A pair of adults was mid to late may A nest on 25 may contained four found with fledglings in the west fork of coal mine eggs young in nests have been found on 8 and 17 wash on 27 june 1983 records span from 1 may june fledglings have been seen 25 june 27 july 1983 to 22 october 1986 the breeding form is adults were seen feeding young brown headed V c orestera cowbirds on 19 july and 4 august 1982 transect nashville warbler vermivoraVermivora rufibufiruficapillaruftcapillacapilla A densities range from 090.90og 9 to 26626.626 6 individualsmdividuals40individuals4040 ha common to abundant fall migrant in montane scrub spot map densities langeiangerange from 767.67 6 to 15315.315 3 pairspairs4040 and tamarisk from early august to early october ha monson and phillips 1981 recognize the sub- virginia s warbler vermivoraVerm ivora virginivirginiaevirginiaaae A specific rank of D n baisei as the breeding form in common to abundant migrant areawide A common the region breeding densities correlate positively summer resident in montane scrub of the upper with pinyon density and this species appears to canyons upper mesa slopes and lolotailolomai point forage preferentially in pinpinnonspinyonspmyonsyons further study may chained area records span from mid april to early prove it to be a pinyon specialist in the black mesa october several pairs with young fleglmgsfleglingsflegfledglingslings were area found on 15 june 1986 fall migrants appear in townsend s warbler dendroica towntownsenditownsendiasendi A tamarisk along the lower washes beginning in late common fall migrant in mixed conifer of the upper june and become progressively more common canyons fairly common in ashensaspens pinyon juniper peaking in late august the breeding form is V v and tamarisk records range from 21 august 1992 virginivirginiaauirgimaevirginiaeae to 22 october 1986 lucy s warbler vermivoraVermivora luciae A sparse hermit warbler dendroica occidentoccidentalisoccidentalistalis A transient a singing male was seen in tamarisk on sparse fall migrant an immature female was seen Moenmoenkopikopi wash elevation 1768 m on 11 april in tamarisk on Moenmoenkopikopi wash on 29 september 1992 1989 yellow warbler dendroica letechiapepetechiatechia A com- grace s warbler dendroica gracigraciaegraciakae A common fall migrant in tamarisk along the major wash- mon summer lesiesresidentident in ponderosa pine dominates from early august to early october apparently ed mixed conifer woodland adults with fledglings sparse in spring one in ashensaspens in yellow water were seen on 16 june and 13 july 1984 in the west 52 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54 fork of coal mine wash woodbury and russell migrants are seen away from the breeding habitat 1945 report collecting two adults and an imma- beginning inm mid july ture in july 1938 records range from 18 april black headed grosbeak pheucticus melanosemelanoce 1989 to 6 september 1986 chalusphalus A common migrant and summer resident american redstart setophaga rutruticillaruthcillaicilla in aspen groves and mixed conifer of the upper remains were found near the mesa rim by D ellis canyons migrants are occasionally seen in pelspeispeisonalpersonalonal communication in 1983 probably a tamarisktamaitamal isk A pair was seen building a nest in the east spalsparsese migrant fork of coal mine wash on 24 june 1984 and three northern waterthrushWater thrush seiurus noveboracen family groups were seen on 2 july 1992 woodbury sis A sparse migrant one was seen at a pond in J and russell 1945 leportreport collecting a male the 27 leclaimedreclaimed area on 13 may 1982 one in tamarisk breeding form is P m melanocephalus on Moenmoenkopikopi wash on 12 may 1987 and another blue grosbeak Guguiracairaca caeruleacaerulea A common in mixed conifer on 7 may 1992 one was seen in summer resident in tamarisk on Moenmoenkopimoenkopilkopikoplkopil coal tamarisk on 16 september 1992 mine and red peak valley washes two fledglings kentucky warbler oporornis formosusformo sus A were seen below J 7 dam on 29 august 1985 sparse tiansienttransient an adult male was seen in mon- another was seen on 30 august 1989 this is the tane scrub at the head of the east fork of coal mine most numerous breeding bird of the tamarisk thick- wash on 7 may 1983 another adult was seen in ets along the lower washes A transect breeding tamarisk on moenkopimocnkopiMoen koplkopi wash on 17 september density of about 11 pairspairs4040 haba was determined in 1986 late june 1986 on moenkopiMoenkopi wash G c interfuseinterfusainterfusa macgillivray s warbler oporornis tolmiei A is the breeding form common migrant in montane scrub and tamarisk it lazuli bunting passerina amoena A common is most numerousnume iouslous during fall migration which fall migrant from mid august to early october in peaks in late august to mid september but it is tamarisk of the large washes less common else- seen until mid october an uncommon breeding where on 12 september 1985 19519.519 5 individualsindmduals40individuals4040 resident of montane scrub at three localities in the ha were counted on Moenmoenkopikopi wash up to five upper canyons an adult male in yellow water males and two females were present in russian canyon was seen feeding a fledgling in a dense olives on Moenmoenkopikopi wash throughout the summer tangle of oaks aspen chokecherry clematis and of 1992 A sixth singing male was at the mouth of dogwood on 23 june 1986 six adults three carry- yucca flat wash on 15 june 1992 an adult female ing food weiwelweree seen in a similar habitat on 20 june with a fledgling was seen in the olives on 14 july 1986 in the east fork of coal mine wash the 1992 bieblebreedingbleedingeding form is 0 t monticola grazing may indigo bunting passerina cyanea A sparse threatenthithl eaten this species as a bleedingbreeding bird on black transient A singing but nonbreeding adult male mesa was seen in tamarisk on Moenmoenkopikopi wash near the common yellowthroat geothlypis tritrichasdrichaschas A yucca flat wash confluence on 26 27 june 1990 A fairly common migrant in eailyeallyearly may and from late male paired with a female lazuli bunting bred suc- august to eailyeallyearly october in tamarisk on Moenmoenkopikopi cesscessfullyfully fledgling seen 29 july in russian olives wash and at weedy ponds A singing nonbreeding on Moenmoenkopikopi wash in 1992 adult male was seen on Moenmoenkopikopi wash on 27 june green tailed towhee pipilo chloruruschlorurus A com- 1990 mon migrant in tamarisk and brush along the major wilson s warbler wilsonia ausillapupusillasilla A common washes and less commonly elsewhere A common migrant in montane scrubseiscisel abub and tamarisk fall migra- summer resident inm gambel oaks in chained pin- tion peaks in late august to early septemberSeptembeibel but yon juniper on lolotailolomai and kayettakayenta points also lasts until late october A singing male was seen in found breeding on lolotailolomai point in an undisturbed chokecherry and ashensaspens in the middle fork of coal basin of big sage and wax currant bordered by mine wash on 26 may 1986 gambel oak and chokecherry spring migrants yellow breasted chat ictericicterialcterialcIcteriaterla birensvirens A sparse appear inm mid april most are gone in fall by late transient one was seen in tamarisk on moenkopiMoenkopi september nearly 80 individualsindividuals4040 haba were wash on 27 august 1990 and another in tamarisk counted on Moenmoenkopikopi wash on 12 september 25 may 8 june 1993 1985 western tanager piranga ludovicianaludoviciana A com- rufous sided towhee pipilo erythrophthal mon migrant throughout the area in pinyonpryonpmyon juniper mus A common summer resident in montane and tamarisk A common summer resident in scrub in mixed conifer of the upper canyons A mixed conifer of the upper canyons records range fairly common summer resident in high elevation from 2 may 1985 to 25 september 1986 A pair pinyon juniper with a heavy big sage understory or was seen attending a nest in yellow water canyon in areas with gambel oak small numbers winter in on 15 june 1986 another pair was feeding russian olives on moenkopiMoenkopi wash migrates widely nestnestlingslings in coal mine wash on 27 june 1989 the throughout the area A nest with four eggs was last spring migrants are seen in early june fall found at the head of the west fork of coal mine 199411994 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 53 wash on 23 may 1983 small fledglings have been lolotailolomai point chaining on 14 july 1984 and 27 seen in late june an individual in first pre basic june 1985 may not breed thelethere adults feeding two molt was seen on 2 september 1986 towhees are young still in the nest weiewelewere seen on 24 june 1988 actively singing in the upper canyons in early A fledgling was seen at the mesa foot on 19 june march A spot map density from dense pinyon 1986 flocks begin forming in late july records juniper in white house valley indicated 383.83 8 range from mid april to early september the pairspairs4040 ha the breeding formmolm is P e montanus breeding form is C g stristrigatusstrzgatusgatus american tree sparrow spizella arborea A black throated sparrow amphispiza bilineabilinear sparse winter resident one record a single bird ta A common summer resident of the lower wash- was seen on Moenmoenkopikopi wash on I1 december 1992 es in greasewood and adjacent shadscaleshadscaleseale covered chipping sparrow spizella passerina A com- tenterracesaces and in mixed shrub habitats containing mon summer resident in pinyonpryonpmyon juniperjumper and open greasewood andor shadscaleshadscale transient individuals mixed conifer areawide records span from I1 april have been seen in pinyonpryonpmyon jumper and reclaimed 1982 to 2 november 1990 nest building was areas A nest with three eggs was found in a shad observed on 31 may 1983 small young 5 7 days scale bush on lower Moenmoenkopikopi wash on 19 june were found on 19 june 1984 and 21 june 1983 and 1989 records span from early april to early sep- fledglings or full sized juveniles have been seen tember transect densities range from 181.81 8 to 12412.412 4 from 19 june 1983 to 30 july 1985 flocks begin individualsmdividuals40individuals4040 ha spot map densities in mixed forming in mid july and have been seen until mid shrub for 1984 and 1985 are 11911.911ilg 9 and 595.95 9 pairspairs4040 october pinyon juniper transect densities range ha respectively perhaps strong competitive pres- from 262.62 6 to 42742.742 7 individualsmdividuals40individuals4040 ha spot map breed- sure from large numbers of chipping brewer s ing densities in pinyonpryonpmyon juniper range fornhornfromform 767.67 6 to and vesper sparrows in late august and early sep- 115 pairspairs4040 ha the breeding form is S p arizoarlzoarizonaearizonananzonaenae tember accounts for the abrupt late summer depar- brewer s sparrow spizella breweribrebrewereweri A com- ture of this species from the area the breeding mon summer resident in sagebrush and saltbush form is A b deserticoladeserticola observed from 10 april 1984 to 17 october sage sparrow amphispiza belli A common 1985 individuals have been noted singing on 22 late winter to eailyeallyearly fall resident of sagebrush salt- april 1983 nest building has been seen on 4 may bush and mixed shrub terrains small numbers 1982 nests with eggs have been found on 26 may winter in saltbush at the mesa foot and in lower 1983 and 27 may 1985 nestnestlingslings were found on Moenmoenkopikopi wash where 12 were seen on 13 4 june 1984 and fledglings have been seen 4 27 december 1989 usually first seen on the lease in july flocks begin forming in late july and have late february when singing is frequent nest build- been seen until mid october brewer s sparrows ing was noted on 6 april 1982 nests with eggs aieare abundant in tamarisk in september on the larg- have been found from late may to late june fledg- er washes transect densities range from 040.40 4 to over lings were noted on 19 june and 23 july 1982 500 individualsindividuals4040 ha spot map breeding densities shrubland transect densities range from 272.72 7 to 22922.922 9 are 303.03 0 898.98 9 pairspairs4040 ha in mixed shrub shrubland individualsmdividuals40individuals4040 ha spot map densities for two years and 333.33 3 pairspairs4040 ha in a reclaimed area with well in mixed shrub are 747.47 4 and 303 0 pairspairs4040 ha A b developed saltbush 4700 shrubshashrubshrupshasha the nominate nevadensis is the breeding form form is the breeding bird lark bunting calamospizaCalamo spiza melanomelanocoryscorys A clay colored sparrow spizella hallidapallidapallida A sparse spring migrant A male was seen at J 3 sparse transient one was seen on Moenmoenkopikopi wash reclaimed area on 19 may 1983 on 4 september 1992 savannah sparrow Passerpasserculusculus sandwichessandwichen vesper sparrow pooecetes gragramineusgraminousmineus A com- sis A common migrant in weedy pond and stream mon migrant in open terrain throughout the area edges spring observations range from mid marchmareb less numerous as a breeding resident records 27 february 1989 being early through april one span from 9 march 1983 to mid november seen 25 may 1992 in N 2 reclaimed area was breeding is documented by nests with eggs found exceptionally late fall records are from mid july to in heavily grazed saltbush in upper reed valley on mid october 6 may 1982 and in N 2 reclaimed area on 25 may song sparrow melospiza melodia A fairly 1992 it may breed in other open shrublandsshrublands and in common migrant in tamarisk along the major wash- chained pinyon juniperjumper on the mesa summit tran- es and at weedy pond edges it winters in small sect densities range from 090 9 to 27527.527 5 individualsindividuals4040 numbers in the same areas ha monson and phillips 1981 assign the breeding lincoln s sparrow melospiza lincolniilincollincolnianii A fairly form to P g altus but behle 1985 calls it P g con common fall migrant at weedy pond edges and in finis tamarisk very few have been seen in spring lark sparrow chondestes grammacusgrammacus A swamp sparrow melospiza georgiana A common summer resident in greasewood open sparse migrant A single bird in alternate plumage mixed shrub juniper savanna and less numerously was seen in weeds at a pond in the N 2 reclaimed in open pinyon juniper lark sparrows seen in the area 25 27 april 1990 54 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

white throated sparrow zonotrichia albicol red winged blackbird agelaius phoeniceusphoeniceus lis an adult male was seen with a flock ofjuncosof juncos A common migrant at ponds throughout the area in an oak thicket in chained pinyon juniperjumper wood- small numbers nest at several ponds in the lease land on lolotailolomai point by gale monson on 4 area A flock of about 50 wintered on lower coal november 1990 another adult was on Moenmoenkopikopi mine and moenkopiMoen kopi washes in 1988 89 the washwashon24apnlon 24 april 1992 breeding race is A p fortis white crowned sparrow zonotrichia leu eastern meadowlark sturnella magna A sin- cophcophrysrys A common miglmigimigrantant in brushhi ush and tamarisk gle bird identified by call song and throat color throughout the length of the major washes also pattern was seen in J 7 reclaimed area 3 4 june common in blushybrushy chained pinyon juniper on 1991 lolotailolomai point this species became markedly more western meadowlark sturnella negneglectaneglectslecta A numerousnumeiouslous in the 1980s as a winter resident in common summer resident in reclaimed areas the tamarisk and adjacent greasewood thickets along highway right of way in long house valley the the lower washes indicative of this increase was a valley of lower moenkopiMoenkopi wash and the J 8 mine flock of 195 seen in russian olives on 9 january plan area two nests found in reclaimed areas on 16 1992 one was seen in chained pinyon juniper on may 1989 contained four and five eggs respective- lolotailolomai point on 17 june 1983 transect densities ly another found on 30 may 1989 held five eggs langeiangerange fromhiomblom 353.53 5 to 1348134.8134 8 individualsmdividuals40individuals4040 ha broods typically leave the nest in late may early harris sparrow zonotrichia gierulaguerulaguerula A june and again in late july early august A com- spaisesparse winter lesiesresidentident single individuals were mon migrant in reclaimed areas and occasionally in seen in the russian olive grove on 29 january 1992 shrublandsshrublands A sparse winter resident in reclaimed and24apnll992and 24 april 1992 areas not returning in numbers until earlyeailyeally march dark eyed junco junco hyemalishyemalis an abun- from 222.22 2 to 333.33 3 pairspairs4040 ha have been found in dant winter resident throughout the area but pri- reclaimed areas the nominate race breeds yellow maimalmarilyilyliy distributed in small flocks along washes A headed blackbird xanthocephalus xan- common summer resident in dense mixed conifer thocephalus A common migrant usually near ponds throughout of the upper canyons the forms that winteiwinterwintee in the the area most records are from aleaarea aieare plesentpresent from late september to early may april and from mid july to october A single male the arrival of fall birds appears to displace the was noted at nlN l1 reclaimed area on 24 june 1992 s Euphagus cyanocephalus flocks of chipping and brewer s sparrows in brewer blackbird eupharuseuphagus tamaitamaltamariskisk of the lower washes the local breeding A common migrant at ponds throughout the area small numbers breed at 7 and other ponds formfoifol m apparently winters in the upper canyons J also where they were segregated from wintering forms breeds in small numbers in moist tamarisk sites on on 4 malchmaichmalehmarch and 25 september 1984 26 october moenkopiMoenkopi wash A female feeding fledglings was at 7 pond 5 1985 N 2 1985 and 16 december 1989 nests with eggs seen J on july and at a pond in reclaimed on 19 A have been found from 22 may 1983 to 17 june area july 1985 pairpan feeding small young was seen on 10 1986 at a pond 1985 fledglings have been seen from 16 june june in N 2 reclaimed area 1982 to 13 july 1983 full sized maturesimimmaturesimmatured were great tailed cracklegrackle Quisquiscaluscalus mexicanusmexicanus A seen on 30 july 1985 and a budbird in pre basic molt sparse migrant three males and a female were was seen on 14 august 1984 birds seen in mid seen in J 27 reclaimed area on 23 april 1984 a sinsin- september weiewelewere all in basic plumage the breed- gle male was seen at a pond on 5 may 1989 and ing form is intermediatemtei mediate between J h dorsalis and itei J another lone male was seen on 18 june 1990 7 h janicepscanicanicepscamcamcepsceps which is typical for all that juncos brown headed cowbird molothrus ater A breed in northeastern arizonaanzona see woodbury and in common summer in small numbers russell 1945 and phillips et al 1964 resident in throughout the area the largest group being a chestnut collared calcariusCalcarius longspur orna- migrant flock of 147 birds seen on 24 april 1992 tus primarily a fall recordedlecorded only sparse migrant lecorded records span flomfrom late april to mid september from reclaimed areas recordsrecoidecoi ds include one seen by black throated gray warblersWarblers are the only host ehdaeh&a consultants on 9 october 1979 one in jlJIJ lI species noted from the area transect densities N 6 reclaimed area 2 october 1985 N 2 on one at range from 040.40 4 to 898.98 9 individualsindividuals4040 ha M a 16 1989 7 leclaimedreclaimed area on october one at J artemisiartemiartemisiaeartemistaeartemisianstahstaeae and M a obscuresobscurus overlap in northeast- claimedlereclaimed aleaarea on I1 october 1990 one at N 2 ern arizona probably sparse or absent in the study leclaimedreclaimed area on 30 october 1990 and up to 10 in area before the 1930s woodbury and russell nlN l1 reclaimed area 14 17 october 1991 the only 1945 spring occurrence is two males at N 2 reclaimed northern oriole icterus galbulagalgaibuld A common area on 30 march 1990 fall migrant in tamarisk from early august to mid bobolink dolichonyxDolichonyx oryzivorusoryzivorous A sparse september less numerous in the spring A male migrant A male in alternate plumage was seen in was seen in pinyon juniper woodland on 11 may nlN l1 reclaimed area on 17 may 1989 1982 two were seen in tamarisk on lower coal 199411994 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 55 mine wash on 27 may 1986 another was seen in low water canyon on 5 may 1992 for the complex the same area on 23 june 1986 A female was seen of races in the region see monson and phillips in ashensaspens in the middle fork of coal mine wash on 1981 26 may 1986 pine siskin carduelis pinus A common winwin- scott s oriole icterus pariparisorumsorum A common ter resident throughout the area more numerous in summer resident of juniper savanna and open pin the spring over 300 were seen feeding on dande- yon jumperjuniper records range from 23 april 1993 to lion seeds taraxacum officinaofficinalele in a side canyon of 13 august 1986 and 1992 A pair with two small moenkopiMoenkopi wash on 24 may 1985 breeding by fledglings was seen in the J 8 mine plan area on 18 birds seen fairly commonly in summer in mixed june 1986 this species possesses large territories conifer is unconfirmed seemingly more numerous four closely observed pairs including the above inm 1992 at which time it wandered widely during had territories averaging 51651.651 6 lapairhapair 127 aclairacpairac pair the summer throughout the area with birds noted in june 1986 in tamarisk on 23 and 29 july 5 august 30 weiewere seen in thistlthistleswhistleses cirsium vulgare at pond j28 G on FAMILY fringillidae 18 august if breeding occurs monson and philipsphillps 1981 would assign them to the nominate form rosy finch leucosticte arcarctodarctosarctoatoa A sparse win- behle 1985 assigns birds in the region to C p ter resident on 3 january 1984 four individuals of bagranvagran a gray crowned form were seen feeding on rus- lesser goldfinch carduelis psaltriapsaltridpsaltria A com- sianslan thistle seeds on a shadscaleshadscaleseale covered mancos mon summer resident throughout the area most shale slope on lower Moenmoenkopikopi wash are seen from late april to early december during pine grosbeak Pinicola enucleator A sparse october they feed extensively on seeds of winter resident seven were seen in mixed conifer threadleaftbreadleafthreadleaf groundsel senecio longilobuslongilobus as a flock on I1 november 1992 two females were seen feed- ofof3535 were observed doing on 4 5 october 1989 ing on quaking aspen buds at the head of yellow fledglings were seen on 13 july 1986 the nominomi- water canyon on 12 april 1985 on 4 january nate race is the breeding form and both black 1986 22 females were seen in pinyon juniperjumper and backed and green backed males are frequently douglas fir on the mesa rim at kayettakayenta point B observed mellberg reported a pair in the east folkforkmork of coal american goldfinch carduelis tritristisaristisstis irregu- mine wash on 17 december 1988 in mixed larly common from early september to mid may it conifer frequents weedy roadsides throughout the area cassin s finch carpodacus cassiniicassicassinianii A fairly these birds are most numerous from december to common to common winter resident in wooded mid may males usually undergo pre alternate molt terrain throughout the area it is absent some in april and early may before disappearing years singing and displaying males on lolotailolomai evening grosbeak coccothraustes vesperti point on 12 april 1985 singing males on 14 june nus an uncommon fall migrant with most records 1984 and 25 june 1986 and a male foraging and being from eailyeallyearly october into january spring carrying food on 23 june 1988 may indicate breed- records include two on 14 april 1985 27 on 29 ing near the rim in mixed conifer habitats april 1991 and many widespread flocks in march house finch carpodacus mexicanusmexic anus A com- april 1993 nearly 50 were seen feeding on rus- mon permanent resident throughout the area sian olive fruit on lower Moenmoenkopikopi wash on 13 retreats in winter to lower elevations fledglings decemberDecembei 1989 and four were seen there on 3 jan- have been seen on 22 july and 11 august 1982 G uary 1991 swan found a new nest under the cowling of his cessna on 3 may 1985 suggesting that the nest FAMILY passeridacpasseridaePASSERPASSERI daeinaeDACIDAE causing an exciting engine failure in J gibbs cessna four years earlier was also from this species house sparrow passer domesticusdomesticus A common transect densities range from 040.40 4 to 53353.353 3 individuindividua permanent resident at mine shops and facilities als40 ha spot map densities in pinyon juniper are this species was probably absent from the area all 383.83 8 pairspairs4040 ha C m frontafrontalishs is the breeding prior to mine development form flocks of up to 300 winter on lower moen kopi wash acknowledgments red crossbill loxia curvirostracurvirostral an irregularly common permanent resident in mixed conifer in in I1 especially thank bonnie dillon who the upper canyons frequently seen in dense pin typed many versions of the manuscript and yon woodland away from the nmrim area very I1 juniper management at peabody who allowed me young fledglings were seen in mixed conifer in the coal mine wash on 10 march 1989 several family the time to pursue this project reviews by groups were noted in upper Moenmoenkopikopi wash on 2 gale monson steve carothers david ellis may 1989 another family group was seen in yel art phillips brian maurer john spence and 56 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

richard jenkinson improved the manuscript 1985 utah birds geographic distribution and sys- immeasurably peregrine smith books gave tematicste utah museum of natural history occa- permission to the ruess sional publication no 5 university of utah salt reprint everett quote lake city from W L rusho s everett ruess A vagabond BILEBEIILEWW HEH E D sorensenandSORENSSORENSENENANDAND C M wilneWHITE 1985 for beauty judy colemann drew and provid- utah birds a revised checklist utah museum of ed the drawing of the bird petroglyph for natural history occasional publication no 4 uni- reprint covers mr pat ryan provided notes versity of utah salt lake city BOCK E AND B WEBB and records for several species bob leonard C 1984 birds as grazing indica- tor species in southeastern arizona journal of provided a summary of the faunal remains wildlife management 48 1045 1049 from the archaeological record after failing BOCK C E J H BOCK W R KENNEY AND V M several times to find an outlet for this paper I1 HAWUIORNEHAWTHORNE 1984 responses ofbirdsof birds rodents and must also thank james R barnes vegetation to livestock exclosure in a semidesert dr dr grassland site journal of range management 37 clayton white dr richard baumann and 239 242 the editorial board of the great basin natu- BRADFIELDBRADEIELD M 1974 birds of the hopi region their ralist for accepting such a long manuscript hopi names and notes on their ecology museum of and for providing clerical assistance late in the northern arizona bulletin no 48 the northern game my wife anne provided many arizona society of science and art inc flagstaff reviews good discussions broiiiersonbrotherson J DDLL A SZYSKA AND W E EVENSON criticisms and 1981 bird community composition in relation to good company as she always does many other habitat and season in Betabetatakintakin canyon navajo people contributed in many ways and I1 am national monument arizona great basin natural- grateful to all of them ist 41 298 309 this paper is dedicated to my parents who BROWN D E ED 1982 biotic communities of the american southwest united states and mexico desert many years ago stopped for an oriole plants vols 141 4 CAROTHERS S W R P BALDA AND J R HALDEMAN 1973 selection and ofbreeding CITED habitat density of breeding literature birds ofaof a coniferous forest in the white mountains arizona in S W carothers J R haldeman and AMCRKAMERICAN AN BIRDS 1979 forty second breeding bird cen- R P balda eds breeding birds of the san francis- sus american birds 34 84 95 co mountain area and the white mountains 1982 forty fifth breeding bird ari- census american zona museum of budsbirds 36 86 95 northern arizona technical series no 12 northern arizona society of sixth science 1983 forty breeding bird census american and art inc flagstaff birds 37 84 93 christensonchrlsCHRIS lensonIENSON A L AND W J PERRY EDS 1985 appen- AMERICANAMLRICAN ornithologistsorniiiiologisis UNION 1983 checklistcheck list of dix L faunal remains and bone artifacts pages noinorthth americanamerlean budsbirds ath6th ed ornitholo american 645 653 in excavations on black mesa 1983 A washington C fistsgists union DCD descriptive report center for archaeological inves- 1985 thirty fifth supplement to the american tigations research report no 46 southern illinois oimthologistsornithologists union checklistcheckcheek list of north american university at carbondale 714 appp birdsds auk 102 680 686 iiiliiili CODY M L 1966 the consistency of atraintramtra and intercon- sixth 1987 thirty supplement to the american tintinentalental grassland bird species counts american ornithologists union checklistcheckcheek list of north american naturalist 100 371 376 birds 104 591 596 buds auk 1985 an introduction to habitat selection in birds 1989 ty seventhseventbseventy thirtythil supplement to the american pages 3 56 in M L cody ed habitat selection in ornithologists union checklistcheck list of north american birds academic press inc budsbirds auk 106 532 538 COOLEY M E J W harsiibarger J P AKERS AND F W BALDA R P AND N L MASTERSMAS cbsebsCRS 1980 avian communi- HARDHARDT 1969 regional hydrogeology of the navajo ties in the pinyon juniper woodland a descriptive and hopi indian reservations arizona new mexi- analysis pages 146 169 in proceedings of a work- co and utah geological survey professional paper shop for managing nongame birds of the rocky 521 A mountains USFS technical report INT 86 DEAN J 1989 Paleopaleoenvironmentenvironment chapter 4ain4inin S powell BEEZLEY J 1974 Peispelspersonalonalonai communication on faunal and G J Gurngummermanmerman eds 10000 years on black remains in S powell ed excavations on black mesa arizona prehistoric culture change on the mesa 1971 1976 A descriptive leportreport center for colorado plateau center for archaeological investi- archaeological investigations research paper no gationsgations southern illinois university carbondale 48 southern illinois university at carbondale document submitted by peabody coal company to published 1984 the office of surface mining denver colorado beillebelileBEIILE W H 1978 avian biogeography of the great ELLIS D H 1982 the peregrine falcon in arizona basin and intermountain region pages 55 80 min habitat utilization and management recommenda- intermountain biogeography a symposium great tions institute for raptor studies report no 1 basin naturalist memoir 2 brigham young univer- EMLEN J T 1971 population densities of birds derived sity provo utah from transect counts auk 88 323 342 199419941 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 57

1977 estimating breeding bird densities from JOIINSONJOHNSON N K 1975 controls of number of bird species transect counts auk 94 455 468 on montane islands in the great basin evolution EULEREULERRR CCGG J gummekmantgummermanT N V KARLSTROM J S 2954529 545345 567 DEAN AND R H HEVLY 1979 the colorado pla- JOIINSIONJOHNSTON P 1932 black mesa phantoms touring topi- teaus cultural dynamics and paleoenvironmentpaleoenvironment sci- csiesles 2410 10 154815 48 59 ence 205 1089 iloliolioi11011011 KARR J R 1968 habitat and avianavlan diversity on strip FAUTINfautFAUI IN R W 1946 biotic communities of the northern mined land in east central illinois condor 70 desert shrub biome in western utah ecological 348157348357348 357 monographs 16 251 310 KARR J RRANDRAND R R ronirom 1971 vegetation structure FLOYD M E 1982 the interaction of pinyon pine and and avianavlan diversity in several new world areas gambel oak in plant succession near dolores col- american naturalist 105 423 435 orado southwesteinnatuiahst27southwestern naturalist 27 143 147 KARLSTROMKARLSFROM E 1983 soils and geomorphology of north- FRANZREBFKANZREB K E 1977 bird population changes after tim- ern black mesa chapter 5 in preliminary report of ber harvesting of a mixed conifer forest in arizona the 1981 archaeological field season southern illi- USDA forest service researchReseaichsearch paper RM 184 noisnols university carbondale GANEY 1992 J L food habits of mexican spotted owls KNOPF F L AND T E OLSON 1984 naturalization of in arizona wilson bulletin 104 321 326 russian olive implications to rocky mountain GANEY J L AND R P BALDA 1989 home range charac- wildlife wildlife society bulletin 12 289 298 te of teristics spotted owls in northern arizona jour- KOCIIERT M N B A MILLSAP AND K STEENIIOF 1988 nal of wildlife management 53 1159 1165 effects of livestock grazing on i actorsaptorsraptorsraptores with empha- GUMMERMAN G A mesa J 1984 view from black uni- sis on the southwestern USU S pages 325 340 R L press sis in versity ofarizonaof arizona tucson glinski et al eds proceedings of the southwest HACK J T 1942 the changing physical environment of raptor management symposium and workshop the hopi indians of arizona report no 1 reports national wildlife federation scientific and techni- of the awatovi expedition peabody museum har- cal series no 11 national wildlife federation vard university cambridge massachusetts washington DCD C HALDEMAN R BALDA S CAROTHERS J R P AND W KREMENTZ D G AND J R SAUER 1982 avian commu- 1973 breeding of a ponderosa forest birds pine and nities on partially reclaimed mine spoils in south a fir pine aspen forest in the san francisco moun- central wyoming journal of wildlife management tain area arizona in S W carothers J R halde- 4676146 761 765 eds man and R P balda breeding birds of the LANNER R M 1981 the pinon pine a natural and cul- san francisco mountain area and the white moun- tural history university of nevada press reno tains arizona museum of northern arizona tech- LEONARD R D 1989 anasazi faunal exploitation prehis- nical series no 12 northern arizona society of toric subsistence on northern black mesa arizona science and art inc flagstaff center for archaeological investigations occasional HALL G A 1983 westeinwestern virginia birds carnegie paper no 13 southern illinois university at car- museum of natural history special publication no bondale 7 pittsburgh pennsylvania LOWE C H 1964 arizona s natural environment uni- HALL R S R L GLINSKI D H ELLIS J M RAMAKKA versity of arizona press tucson AND D L BASE 1988 ferruginous hawk pages MACARTHUR R H 1964 environmental factors affecting 111 118 in R L glinski et al eds proceedings of bird species diversity american naturalist 98 the southwest raptor management symposium and 387 397 workshop national wildlife federation scientific MACARTHUR R H AND J W macarillurmacartiiur 1961 on and technical series no 11 national wildlife fed- bird species diversity ecology 42 594 598 erationeration washington DCD C MCDOUGALL W B 1973 seed plants of northern ari- HARGRAVE L L 1970 feathers from sand dune cave a zona museum of northern arizonaanzona flagstaff basketmaker cave near navajo mountain utah mckusick C R 1986 southwest indian turkeys prehis- museum of northern arizona technical series no tory and comparative osteology southwest bird 9 laboratory globe arizona HICKEY J J AND S A MIKOL 1979 estimating breed- mcnittmcnmfF 1962 the indian traders university of okla- ing bird densities on coal lands in montana and homa press norman wyoming FWSWELUT 7903 fort collins col- 1972 navajo wars military campaigns slave raids orado and reprisals university of new mexico press hoffmeister D F 1986 mammals ofarizonaof arizona univer- albuquerque sity ofarizonaof arizona press tucson 602 appp MEDIN D E 1986 grazing and passerine breeding HUMPHREY P S AND K C PARKES 1959 an approach birds in a great basin low shrub desert great basin to the study of molts and plumages auk 76 1 313 1 naturalist 46 567 572 HUNIERHUNTER W C R D OIIMARTOHMART AND B W ANDERSON 1990 birds ofaof a shadshadscalescale atriplex confetticonferticonfertifoliaconfertifohdfolia 1987 status of breedingofbreeding riparian obligate birds in habitat in eastcast central nevada great basin natural- southwestern riverine systems western birds 18 ist 50 295 298 10 18 MONSON G 1941 the effect of revegetation on the small 1988 use of exotic saltcedarsaltccdarsaltsaitcedar tamarix clinenchinenchinensischmensissis bird population in arizona journal of wildlife man- by birds in andaridarld riparian systems condor 90 agement 5 395 397 113 123 MONSON G AND A R philllpsPIIILLIPSPHILLIPS 1981 annotated check- JACOBS B 1986 birding on the navajo and hopi reserva- list of the birds of arizona and2nd ed university of tions jacobs publishing co sycamore missouri arizona press tucson 58 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

NICHOLSNIC IIOLS D L AND F B SMILEY EDS 1984 appendix romroyhROTH R R 1976 spatial heterogeneity and bird species M faunal remains fiomfromaiom excavated sites 1982 diversity ecology 57 773 782 pages 813 832 min excavations on black mesa 1982 ROOSEVELIROOSEVELT T 1913 across the navajo desert outlook A descriptive report center for archaeological magazine 105 304 317 investigations research report no 39 southern RYSER F A 1985 birds oftheodtheof the great basin a natural his- illinois university at carbondale 856 appp tory university of nevadaofnevada press reno ol01OLSENsenSLN S J 1972 unpublished black mesa archaeologi- SANIANASANTANA E C R L KNIGIIIKNIGHT AND S A TEMPLE 1986 cal project faunal analysis report for the 1971 exca- parental care at a red tailedtalled hawk nest tended by vations manuscript on file center for archaeologi- three adults condor 88 109 110 cal investigations southern illinois university car- SEDGWICK J A 1987 avian habitat relationships in pinpm bondale yon juniper woodland wilson bulletin 99 413 431 PEABODYpi ABODY COAL COMPANY 1982 vegetation and wildlife SEDGWICK J A AND R A RYDER 1987 effects ofofchainchain- resources black mesa and kayettakayenta mines 1981 ing pinyon juniper on non game wildlife in pro- report peabody coal company arizona division ceceedings pinyon juniper conference USDA forest baseline budbird surveys of the J 16 and J 28 coal service intermountain research station general resource areas technical report I1 NTINT 215915 1983 mine plan modification appendix 1 vege- SELLERS W D AND R H HILL 1974 arizona climate tation and fish and wildlife resources information 1931 1972 and2nd ed university of arizona press baseline bird surveys in the Jjig19 through J 21 coal tucson resource areas SEME M 1980 appendix VI faunal analysis of material 1984 vegetation and wildlife resources black from the 1979 field season pages 463 508 in S mesa and kayettakayenta mines 1983 report peabody powell et al eds excavation on black mesa 1979 coal company arizona division waterfowl and A descriptive report center for archaeological shorebirdshoiesholebird census report investigations research paper no 18 southern illi- 1985 vegetation and wildlife resources black nois university at carbondale 516 appp mesa and kayettakayenta mines 1984 report peabody SEME M AND A H HARRIS 1982 appendix IX 1980 coal company arizona division raptor census faunal analysis pages 321 350 in P P andrews et reportreportandand pinsonpinyon juniper spot map census report al eds excavations on black mesa 1980 A 1985 indian lands permit application package descriptive leportreport center for archaeological inves- volume 8 chapter 10 wildlife sourcesresourcesle peabody tigations researchReseaichsealch paper no 24 southern illinois coal company arizona division leasewideLeasewide base- university at carbondale 359 appp line wildlife presentation SINK C W M C TRACIIIETRACIITE L K MICIIALIK B M 1986 vegetation and wildlife resources black eslesESIESESTES T BASIWICKBASTWICK L M ANDERSON AND D JES- mesa and kayettakayenta mines 1985 report peabody SUP 1983 arizona d112068D 11 2068 in F E smiley D L coal company westeinwestern division reclaimed mine nichols and P P andrews eds excavations on spoil and mixed shrub spot map census leportreport and black mesa 1981 A descriptive report center for raptor nesting census report archaeological investigations researchResealchseaich paper no PETERSENpi llrsenILRSEN K L AND L B beslBESIBEST 1985 nest site selec- 36 southern illinois university at carbondale 537 tion by sage sparrows condor 87 217 221 PP philllpsPIIIIPHILLIPSLIPS A R J T MARSHALL AND G MONSON 1964 SMILEY F E D L NICHOLSNiniOLS AND P P ANDREWS EDS the birds of arizona university of arizona press 1983 appendix X 1981 faunal recovery frequency tucson tables pages 489 498 in F E smiley D L PIIIIPphilp K R 1977 john collier s crusade for indian nichols and P P andrewsAndiews eds excavations on reform 1920 1954 university ofarizonaof arizona press black mesa 1981 A descriptive report center for tucson archaeological investigations research paper no POTTER E F 1984 on capitalization of vernacularvernac ulaiulaluial 36 southern illinois university at carbondale 537 names of species auk 101 895 896 PP ralBALPIIRAI PIIplipil C J 1985 habitat association patterns offorestafforestof foresthorest SMIIIISMITH C C 1940 the effect of overgrazing and erosion and steppe birds of northern patagonia argentina upon the biota of the mixed grass prairie of okla- condor 87 471 483 homa ecology 21 381 397 RFAREA A M ndn d unpublished avifaunal remains identifica- SMIIIISMITH G WWNN C NYDEGGER AND D L YENSEN 1984 tion leportreport foifolforhorbor the black mesa archaeological pro passerine bird densities in shrubsteppeshrub steppe vegetation jeet manuscript on file center for archaeological journal of field ornithology 55 261 264 investigations southern illinois university car- TAYLOR D M 1986 effects ofcattleof eattlecattleeattie grazingglazing on passerine bondale birds nesting in riparian habitat journal of range REPENNINCREPENNING C A AND H G PAGE 1956 late creta- management 39 254 257 ceous stratigraphy of black mesa navajo and hopi tiiornthwaitetliornihwaite C WWCC F S SHARP AND E F DOSCIIDOSCH indian reservations arizona american association 1942 climate and accelerated erosion in the and of petipetroleumoleum geologists bulletin 40 255 294 and semisemiaridarid southwest with special reference to roienberryjrotenberry J T 1985 the role of habitat inm avianavlan com- the polacca wash drainage basin arizona USDA munity composition physiognomy or floristicsfloristics99 technical bulletin 808 oecologia 67 213 217 tomoffTOMOEE C S 1974 avian species diversity in desert rotenberry J T AND J A WIENS 1980 habitat struc- scrub ecology 55 396 304 ture patchiness and avianavlan communities in north WEST N E JR K H REA AND R J TAUSCII 1975 american steppe vegetation a multivanatemultivariate analysis basic ecologicalsynsynecologicalsynechological relationships in woodlands ecology 61 1228 1250 pages 41 53 inm G F gifford and F E busby eds 199411994 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 59

the pinyon juniperjumper ecosystem a symposium utah WOODBURY A M AND H N RUSSELL JBJR 1945 birds of state university logan the navajo country bulletin of the university of widerleciinerwidcrleciiner M P AND S K DRAGULA 1984 rela- utah vol 35 no 41 abiolbiol series vol IX no 1 tion of cone crop size to irruptions of four seed eat WRAY T II11 K A SIRAIISTRAITS IRAII AND R C WHITMORE 1982 ing birds in california american birds 38 840 846 reproductive success of grassland sparrows on a WIENS J A 1973 patterns and process in grassland bird reclaimed surface mine in west virginia auk 99 communities ecological monographs 43 237 270 157 164 WIENS J AANDJA AND J T rotenberryrotenROIEN BERRY 1981 habitat associ-associassoni ations and community structure of birds in shrub steppe environments ecological monographs 51 received 4 september 1992 21 41 accepted 13 july 1993 WILLSON M F 1974 avian community organizationoigamzation and habitat structure ecology 55 1017 1029

APPENDIX 1 bird species recorded on northern black mesa arizona relative seasonalseason al abundaabundantabundancabundancednc cl common damename and seasonal habitat breeding status 1 statusstatusilil preference spring summer fall winter common loon M P F S S pied billed grebe M P C U C C homedhorned grebe M P S S eared grebe M P C U C C western grebe M P F U F american white pelican M P S S S double crested cormorant M P S great blue heron M P C C C u great egret M P S snowy egret M P C C C cattle egret M P S S S black crowned night heron M P F F F white faced ibis M P C F C snow goose M P S S ross goose M P S S canada goose MW Pprere u S u F wood duck M P S green winged teal M P A U C C mallard P P C C C C northern pintail MS P U C F F blue winged teal M P U S cinnamon tealteaiteap M P C C C C northern shovelerShoveleileliel M P C S C u gadwall M P C C C u eurasian digeonwigeon M P S S S american digeonwigeon M P F F F canvasback M P U S U S redhead M P C S C C ring necked duck MW P C C C greater scaup M P S lesser scaup M P C C C white winged scotelscoter M P S common goldeneye M P S bufflehead M P F S C u hooded merganser M P S S S common merganser M P F S F S red breasted merganser M P U S ruddy duck M P C C C F turkey vulture S ct C C C osprey M atoptoP to F S F 60 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

APPENDIX 1 continued relative seasonseasonalal abundanciabundanceabundanced common name and seasonal habitat breeding statutastatus1statusa statusstatushstatuch preferencepreferences0 spring summer fall winter bald eagle M mcpj S S northernnoi theathem harrier W to F U F U sharpshaishal p shinnedchinned hawk P amcpj C F C U cooper s hawk P mcpja C C C u northernnoithem goshawk P mcpj F S F F swainsonswamson s hawk M Ms PC S S S red tailed hawk P ctpjmcctpjme C C C C ferruginous hawk M Ms u S u u rough legged hawk W re S S S golden eagle P ct S S S S american Kekestrelstielstrelstrei P pcctpj C C C u meihnmerlin W ismsiamsjsms S F F peregrinepelegrine falcon M rcpj S S S prairiepi alneaine falcon P ct u u u U chukar P ct S S S S wild turkey AR noinorthernthebthem bobwhite AR scaled quail AR gambel s quail AR americanamerlean coot MS P C C C F soiasora M P S S S sandhill claneglanecranegrane AR semipalmated plover M P S killdeer P pri C C C F black necked stilt M P u u american avocet M P u u u greater yellowlegs M P F u F lesserlessel yellowlegs M P C F C solitary sandpiper M P u F F willet M P F U F spotted sandpiper MS P C F C long billed curlew M P S S marbled godwit M P F western sandpiper M P C C C least sandpiper M P C C C baudbandbaird s sandpiper M P S F pectoral sandpiper M P S S long billed Dowitchdowitcherei M P F u F common snipe M pri F S F S wilson s phalarope M P C S S redredneckednecked phalarope M P U S S franklinfrankilnfrankiin s cuilscullgull M P U bonaparte s gull M P F S ring billed gull M P C F F california gull M P U U herring gull M P S common teitelternn M P S S S forsterfoisterfolster s temtern M P F S S black teintern M P S S rock dove T PJ S S band tailed pigeon T PC S mourning dove S rcpj C C C S greater roadrunner P gri S S S S flammulated owl M pjmc u u S western screechowlscreech owl P pjmc u u u u great horned owl P ctmc F F F F northern pygmy owlowlrl P me U U F F burrowing owl ar spotted owl p mcctmcca F F F F long eared owl P pjmc S S northern saw whet owl S me S S S 199411994 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 61

APPENDIX 1 continued relative seasonalseason a abundaabundantabundancabundancednc common name and seasonal habitat breeding status11 statusstatusllstatus11ll11 preference1 spring summer fall winter common nighthawk S PJ C F common PoorpoorwillpoorwilpwilP S PJ U U U white throated swift S ct C c C black chinned hummingbird S pjmc c c c calliope hummingbird M PJpi s broad tailed hummingbird S me c c rufous hummingbird M PJ c c belted kingfisher M P F F F lewis woodpecker M PC F F F S acorn woodpecker S PC U F F red napedcaped sapsucker M me F C S williamson s sapsucker M me F U F U downy woodpecker P ari S s S s hairy woodpecker P apjmc C c C c noinorthernthem flicker P ctpjmc c c c c olive sided flycatcher M PJpi U U western wood pewee MS rime c s c willow flycatcher M ri s s hammond s flycatcher M ri s s dusky flycatcher S me c c gray flycatcher S pjmc c c c cordilleran flycatcher S ctmc c c F black phoebe T ri s say s phoebe S ctmsatms c c C s ash throated flycatcher s pjmc c c cassin s kingbird s PJ c c U western kingbirdkmgbnd8 s PJpi F F c eastern kingbird M re s scissor tailed flycatcher T Js s horned lark P sgstrcjsms A A A A purple martin M Ms S S tree swallow M P C c c violet gieengheengreen swallow S ctpjmc c c c northern rough winged swallow S ct c c c bank swallow M P c c c cliff swallow M ct c U c barn swallow M P c U c steller ssjayjay 1 P memc c c c C scrub jay P spjmc c c c c pinyon jayjayajay1 P pjmc c c c c clariciariclark s nutcracker P me c c c c american crow TAR Ms s s common raven 1 P ctpjmc A A A A mountain chickadee P pjmc c c c C plain titmouse P pjmc c c c C bushtitBush tit P pjmcri c c c C red breasted nuthatch 1 WS me c U c C white breasted nuthatch P pjmc c c c C pygmy nuthatch P me c c c C brown creeper 1 P me F F F F rock wren S msctpj C C F S canyon wren P ctpjmc C C C F bewick s wren P pjmc C c C C winter wren T A S house wren MS A c c c marsh wren M P F F golden crowned kinglet W me U F F ruby crowned kinglet M me C c C S blue gray gnatcatcher S pjmc C c C western bluebird P pjmc C c C U mountain bluebird P pcpjmc C c C F 62 GREAT BASIN naturalist volume 54

APPLNDIXAPPENDIX 1 continued

relative seasonseasonalabundancesabundancedalabundancfad3d common name and seasonal habitat breeding statusstatus11 stattisllstattistatilstatussllslysiy preferprefeiencepreferencespreferenceeencee spring summer fall winter townsend s solitaireSolitane P actmc C F C C hermit thrush S abcamc C C C variedveined thrush T ri S americanamerleanamelAmei ican robin P abcamc C F C U northernnoi them mockingbird S gjsmsgjems C C sage thrasherThia sheishel S sgstrcmx C C C bendicbendncbendire s thrasherThiasheisher S gjsmsgjems F F ametamericanamerleanAmei leanican pipit w P C U C S bohemian waxwing T PJ S S cedar waxwing M PJpi S S S S noinorthernthem shrike W ajsapjsa S S F loggerhead shrike 1 P cjsmsgjsmsgjems C C C F eulEuieuropeanopean starling P Ms C C C C giayvneocraygray vireovirco S PJpi F F F solitary vireo S pjmc C C C waiblmgviieowarbling vireo MS A C C C tennessee waiwalwarblerbleibiel M ri S olangeorange ci ownedcrowned warbler MS samcsaicsame C F C nashville warbler M ri C C virginia s warblerwalWai bleibiel SM spcamc C C C lucy s warbler T ri S yellow warbler M ria S C C yellow i limpedrumpedbumped warbler MS me C F A F black throated craygray waiblerwarbler S pjmc C C C townsend s warbler M merimerl F C hermitiieimitwaiblciwarbler M ri S daceoacecracegrace s warbler S me C C F americanAmeiamer ican redstartbedRedstait T piPJ S northernnot theathem wateithmshwaterthrushWater thrush M P S S kentucky warbler T sri S S macgillivray s warblerWarblei M SA C C C common Yellowyellowthiyellowtbroatyellowthroatthithl oat M pri S F F wilson s warbler M ri C C C yellow bi eastedaastedbreasted chat M ri S S westelwesternn tanager SM me C C C black headed Cioscrosgrosbeakgrosbeak MS abcameamc C C F blue Giosglosgrosbeakbeak S ri C C C lazuli bunting MS ri F C C indigo bunting S ri S S gleengreen tailedtalled towhee MS pcsg C C C rufous sided towhee P spcpjmc C C C F amerleanamericanameiamel icanlean tree sparrowspal row W ri S chipping sparrow S jspcpjmc C C C brewer s sparrow SM sgstrcpcg C C C clayglay colored sparrow T ri S vesper spanow1sparrow MS stmcpc C C C larilaiklark sparrow S grcjsms C C C black throated sparrow S GMs C C S sage sparrow P sgstms C C C F lailarlarkk bunting M re S savannah sparrow M P C C C U song sparrow MW ri F F U lincoln s shanowspanowsparrow M ri F F swamp sparrow M ri S white throated sparrowspal row M PC S S white crowned sparrow M ris C S A C hamsharris sparrow W ri S S dark eyed junco ws abcameamc C C C A chestnut collared longspur M re S S bobolink M re S red winged blackbird M P C C C U 199411994 BIRDS OF NORTHERN BLACK MESA ARIZONA 63

APPENDIX 1 continued relative seasonseasonalal abundancfabundanceabundancedad3d common name and seasonal habitat 15 breeding statusstatus11 stastatusstatuslstatuelstatus15tusltusi preferpreferenceencee spring summer fall winter eastern meadowlark M rc S western meadowlark P rcjsms C C C U yellow headed blackbird M P C C C S brewer s blackbird S pri C F C great tailed cracklegrackle M rerc S S brown headed cowbird S PJ C C C northern oriole M ripjripa F C F scott s oriole S jspj C C rosy finch w Ms S pine grosbeak w ame S S S cassin s finch r ws meMC F u C C house finch P ripjripa C C C C red crossbill P meMC C C C C pine siskin P memc C F C C lessellesser goldfinch S ripjripa C C C S amerleanamerican goldfinch w PJ C C C evening grosbeak M mcpj u house sparrowSpairowalrowarrow P Ms C C C C 1989 breeding confirmedfinned breebrecbleedingcling sus common nainesn iniesunies follow the sequenecandsequence melmclmei spelling of the americanamerleanArneanaeannerican ornithologists union 19831985198719891983 1985 1987 coneon peetedpectedpecked IM ninigantgigantnugrmtgant S sumnler resident W winter resident P permanent residenticsident AR only in archaeologicalll11 record T transient iftwoit iwolwotwo seasonal statusst itusetus listings lieileuleare given the principal status isis given fustfirst ISS montineuontamcrubselibseuib P ponds sg sagebrush PCpe chainedch lined pinyon lumperjuniperjumper slst saltbushs Ms mixed shrub G greasewood A aspen groves re reclainiediccicelec umed mine spoil ct cliffs talus slopes wash banks js juniper savanna PJ pinyon juniper ri ripariani ipiii ianlan habitats me mixed comfeiconiforconiform is is designateddesign it bleedingiflnceding isis continued 01or suspected itif ai species isis found inin two or01 moimorinorelnore e habitathaloltbit t types the principal one is given itif it is found throughout to10 is levien itei only the breedingbleeding habitatsbablbabihablh bittatsts ueare those istedlistedii daA abundant S sparse C cocommonanonunon CCs casual rF lulydulybulyfairly common ac iccidcntalaccidental U unconanconuncommonon