Wildlife Known To Use California riCelands Prepared for: California Rice Commission www.calrice.org Prepared by: ICF Jones & Stokes 630 K street suite 400 sacramento, Ca 95814 916.737.3000 Principal Authors: John Sterling President Central Valley Bird Club and sterling wildlife Biology Paul Buttner environmental affairs Manager California rice Commission Third edition, 2011 Contents Section 1 Loggerhead.Shrike.(Lanius ludovicianus)........................... 18 Introduction.................................................................................................... 3 Tricolored.Blackbird.(Agelaius tricolor)................................ 18 Wildlife.Use.Of.Cultivated.Ricelands........................................... 3 Yellow-headed.Blackbird.. (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus).......................................... 19 Section 2 Section 3 Special-Status.Wildlife.Species.Use.Of.Ricelands........... 6 Shorebird.Use.Of.Ricelands........................................................... 21 Special-Status.Wildlife.Known.to.Use.. California.Ricelands.During.their.Annual.Cycle................... 6 Figure.1:.Special.Shorebird.Habitat.Area............................. 22 .......................... Reptiles............................................................................................................. 7 Black-bellied.Plover.(Pluvialis squatarola) 23 .................................................... Western.Pond.Turtle (Actinemys marmorata)...................... 7 Killdeer.(Charadrius vociferus) 23 ..................... Giant.Garter.Snake.(Thamnophis gigas)................................ 7 Black-necked.Stilt.(Himantopus mexicanus) 24 American.Avocet.(Recurvirostra americana)..................... 24 Birds.................................................................................................................... 9 Greater.Yellowlegs.(Tringa melanoleuca)............................ 25 Fulvous.Whistling-Duck.(Dendrocygna bicolor)................ 9 Tule.Greater.White-fronted.Goose.. Western.Sandpiper.(Calidris mauri)....................................... 25 (Anser albifrons elgasi).................................................................... 9 Least.Sandpiper.(Calidris minutilla)........................................ 25 Redhead.(Aythya americana)....................................................... 10 Dunlin.(Calidris alpina)..................................................................... 26 American.White.Pelican.. Long-billed.Dowitcher.. (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)..................................................... 10 (Limnodromus scolopaceus)..................................................... 26 Least.Bittern.(Ixobrychus exilis)................................................. 10 Wilson’s.Snipe.(Gallinago delicata)......................................... 27 White-tailed.Kite.(Elanus leucurus)......................................... 10 Wilson’s.Phalarope.(Steganopus tricolor)........................... 27 Bald.Eagle.(Haliaeetus leucocephalus)................................... 11 Northern.Harrier.(Circus cyaneus)............................................ 11 Section 4 Swainson’s.Hawk.(Buteo swainsoni)..................................... 12 Wading.Bird.Use.Of.Ricelands..................................................... 29 Golden.Eagle.(Aquila chrysaetos)............................................ 12 American.Bittern.(Botaurus lentiginosus)............................ 30 Prairie.Falcon.(Falco mexicanus).............................................. 12 Great.Blue.Heron.(Ardea herodius)........................................ 31 Peregrine.Falcon.(Falco peregrinus)...................................... 13 Great.Egret.(Ardea alba)................................................................ 31 Lesser.Sandhill.Crane.(Grus canadensis Snowy.Egret.(Egretta thula)......................................................... 31 canadensis).and.Greater.Sandhill.Crane. Green.Heron.(Butorides virescens)......................................... 31 (Grus canadensis tabida)............................................................. 13 Black-crowned.Night-Heron.. Snowy.Plover.(Charadrius alexandrinus).............................. 14 (Nycticorax nycticorax)................................................................. 32 Mountain.Plover.(Charadrius montanus).............................. 14 White-faced.Ibis.(Plegadis chihi)............................................. 32 Whimbrel.(Numenius phaeopus)............................................... 15 Long-billed.Curlew.(Numenius americanus)..................... 15 Section 5 Marbled.Godwit.(Limosa fedoa)............................................... 15 Literature.Cited......................................................................................... 35 Short-billed.Dowitcher.(Limnodromus griseus).............. 16 Black.Tern.(Chlidonias niger)....................................................... 16 Section 6 Burrowing.Owl.(Athene cunicularia)........................................17 Appendix:.Wildlife.Known.to.Use.. Long-eared.Owl.(Asio otus).........................................................17 California.Ricelands.............................................................................. 46 Short-eared.Owl.(Asio flammeus)............................................17 Bank.Swallow.(Riparia riparia)................................................... 18 ion 1 Introduction ct e s California ricelands have become important “surrogate” wetland habitats for many wildlife species. In fact, nearly 230 species are known In.the.mid-nineteenth.century,.the.landscape.of.the. to use California ricelands. Central.Valley.began.to.undergo.a.gradual.conversion. With the extensive loss of about 95 percent to.one.dominated.by.intensively.managed.agricultural. lands,.finally.becoming.one.of.the.most.productive. of the native wetland habitats in the Central agricultural.regions.in.the.world..This.loss.of.habitat. Valley, riceland habitats have become essential resulted.in.substantial.declines.in.the.estimated.40. to the management of certain wildlife, such as million.waterfowl,.and.other.waterbird.populations.that. waterfowl and shorebirds. Moreover, many historically.used.the.Central.Valley.(Elphick.and.Oring. special-status species have also successfully 2003)..Despite.this.enormous.habitat.loss,.three.million. adapted to cultivated ricelands. For some to.six.million.ducks,.geese,.and.swans.continue.to.win- wetland-dependent species, ricelands provide ter.in.California..During.their.annual.cycles,.large. numbers.of.shorebirds,.pelicans,.egrets,.herons,. essential wetland-like habitat that has contrib- ibises,.songbirds,.and.raptors.use.the.Central.Valley. uted to the stability of populations. In some wetlands..The.total.annual.waterbird.count.(including. cases, habitat provided by ricelands has helped migrants).in.the.region.has.been.estimated.as.high.as. to support population increases. 10.to.12.million.(Gilmer.et.al..1982).. This report discusses the general values that With.the.gradual.loss.of.wetlands.in.the.Central. California ricelands provide for wildlife. It also Valley,.wildlife.has.become.increasingly.dependent.on. examines, in greater detail, the use of ricelands suitable.agricultural.lands.for.food.and.cover..Certain. by special-status wildlife species and several types.of.agriculture—chiefly.rice.cultivation—help.to. sustain.remaining.populations.by.creating.valuable. other species that depend on the specially-desig- habitat.that.provides.functions.similar.to.native.valley. nated shorebird habitat provided by ricelands. habitats..Rice.cultivation.has.provided.surrogate.wetland. habitats.that.serve.as.essential.breeding.and.wintering. Wildlife USe of habitat.for.waterfowl,.shorebirds,.wading.birds,.and. Cultivated RicelandS other.wildlife.(Elphick.and.Oring.1998)..These.habitats. Early.in.the.nineteenth.century,.the.Central.Valley.. also.provide.food.and.cover.for.some.reptiles,.amphib- was.characterized.by.large.numbers.of.small.creeks,. ians,.and.mammals.. sloughs,.oxbows.and.major.rivers.that.were.subject.. Each.year,.approximately.500,000.acres.of.land,. to.periodic.flooding..The.scouring.associated.with. mainly.in.the.Sacramento.Valley,.are.planted.in.rice. seasonal.flooding.created.a.mosaic.of.channels,. (Buttner.2004,.personal.communication)..Rice.fields.are. depressions,.lowland.swamps,.marshes,.and.hum- flooded.during.the.summer.growing.season,.and.as.a. mocks.across.wide.expanses.of.the.Central.Valley. result.of.straw.burning.legislation.to.improve.air.quality. (Scott.and.Marquiss.1984)..An.estimated.four.million. (Rice.Straw.Burning.Act,.1991),.many.rice.fields.are.also. acres.of.wetlands,.together.with.extensive.grasslands,. flooded.following.harvest.in.an.effort.to.decompose.rice. riparian.forests,.and.valley.oak.woodlands,.formed.a. straw.(Brouder.and.Hill.1995)..In.total,.many.of.these. complex.mosaic.of.habitats.that.supported.enormous. fields.are.flooded.for.up.to.eight.months.of.the.year,. flocks.of.ducks,.geese,.swans,.cranes,.shorebirds,. during.which.time.the.rice.fields.become.temporary. various.wading.birds.and.other.species.. wetlands.with.enormous.significance.to.bird.popula- Wildlife Known To Use California Ricelands 3 Section 1: Introduction s s e e ct ct ion 1 ion 1 tions.wintering.and.breeding.in.the.Central.Valley..In. enormous.role.in.sustaining.the.populations.of.the.. addition.to.the.surrogate.wetland.values.they.offer,.rice. 3.to.6.million.waterfowl.that.continue.to.use.the.Central. fields.also.provide.a.high-value.food.source.from.the.