Texas Partners In Flight Flyway NEWSLETTER Spring 2001 – Spring 2002 Volume 9 Newsletter Editor – Clifford E. Shackelford <[email protected]> Partners in Flight was formed to address the conservation needs of declining bird species. Federal and state government agencies, non-governmental conservation organizations, communities and conservation-minded corporations, landowners, and other businesses, have joined together in an international effort to address these declines. Together, we are working to understand the ecology and natural history of all birds in the Western Hemisphere, while also discovering the causes of their vulnerability. Our main goal is to implement actions needed to assure that these valuable species continue to occur in healthy and productive populations into the future. PWD BR W7000-233 (3/02) Mountain Plover: A Texas Perspective By Tim Fennell, The Science Academy of Austin at the LBJ High School <[email protected]> According to the Texas Ornithological Society’s Checklist of The Mountain Plover breeds almost exclusively in the Great the Birds of Texas, the Mountain Plover is a “rare summer Plains of North America. It’s one of a few true grassland resident in the high grasslands of the Trans-Pecos and the obligates and is strongly associated with short-grass and northwest Panhandle.” Even though there are recent mixed-grass prairies. Currently, the primary breeding range breeding records for Jeff Davis and Presidio counties, and it includes portions of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New occurs as a rare migrant as far east as Delta County, most Mexico, Kansas, and the Oklahoma Panhandle. The primary Texans are probably more familiar with what the aforemen- wintering range appears to be the central valleys of tioned checklist continues to say about the species as a “rare California and they are known to occur as far south as to uncommon local winter resident on the coastal plains Sonora, Zacatecas, Coahuila, and Tamaulipas in Mexico. In and inland from south Texas through the Edwards Plateau some publications, Texas is overlooked as a wintering area. into the South Plains.” Both the common and scientific However, the overall winter distribution and habits of the names are somewhat misleading since both reference Mountain Plover are poorly known. mountains. It is not that this plover is found in mountain habitats, but rather that they inhabit high elevation grass- Like the majority of grassland birds, the Mountain Plover is lands near mountains. In such an area of Wyoming, John declining due to habitat loss. It is an endangered species in Kirk Townsend collected the first Mountain Plover known to Canada and a candidate for threatened status in the U.S. science in 1832. This plover is not what people typically Currently, the world population is estimated to be less than think of when “shorebirds” are mentioned; this one has 10,000 and, based on 30 years of Breeding Bird Survey data, been observed in water only a few times. Flyway Newsletter 1 Mountain Plover: A Texas Perspective (cont’d) Integrated Migratory Bird Management in East Texas By Carl Frentress <[email protected]>, and Kevin Kraai <[email protected]> has declined by at least 50 percent since 1966. Their Killdeer are common throughout the area at any season). Texas Parks and Wildlife, Athens population has declined 3% or more per year since the Confusion with winter-plumaged American Golden-Plover 1970s. Excessive (unregulated) market hunting in the is a common problem; the same can also occur along the 1800s was an early pressure on the species. However, the Texas Gulf Coast as well. alteration of its preferred prairie-breeding habitat due to agricultural practices has probably been the major cause for Finding the Mountain Plover in the Granger Lake area can their decline. This alteration includes the destruction of be a frustrating experience at times. Despite regular Owners and managers of East Texas land can expect manmade wetlands and associated uplands. According to prairie dog towns that provide ideal habitat for the plover. reports of sightings in a particular field for a week or more at increased opportunities for technical guidance and cost- project documents, “Project objectives will be The effects of agricultural practices, if any, on their wintering a time, an observer can often show up along the roadside at sharing support for improvement of migratory bird habitat. accomplished utilizing the following management grounds are poorly understood. the designated site only to stare into a big, empty field. One The Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) and Ducks Unlimited practices: hydro-period restoration, reforestation, plant of the few, if not only, studies of the species’ habits in winter (DU) have developed an agreement to co-sponsor the East propagation, vegetation management, site preparation, The largest, regularly occurring wintering population in might shed some light on this phenomenon. In California, Texas Wetland Project (ETWP). Until recently, TPW fencing to control grazing, and conservation easements.” Texas is probably the one that occurs in eastern Williamson Fritz Knopf and Jeff Rupert conducted radio-telemetry personnel in East Texas had limited access to funds that Additionally, project personnel state that: “Wetland habitat and Bell counties in the vicinity of Granger Lake (northeast studies during the winters of 1992-1993 and 1993-1994 and could be provided to landowners for projects to improve types will include forested wetlands, moist soil areas, of Austin). This area is former blackland prairie heavily documented an average movement for the transmittered habitat. DU had no program of this type focused on East harvested croplands, or waterfowl food plots to increase utilized for farming and ranching. Mountain Plovers arrive plovers of 1.17 km/day. They moved more than 55 km Texas. This will change with implementation of the ETWP. biodiversity for waterfowl, other migratory birds in this area during the first half of October and depart during during a one-week period on seven different occasions, (including shorebirds, wading birds, and neotropical the last half of March. They prefer large, flat plowed fields with a maximum movement recorded of 127 km over a Within DU, the ETWP is a component of Texas CARE migratory land birds), and other wetland wildlife.” (the larger and flatter, the better!) with at least some corn or mountain range! It is not surprising then that they can be (Conservation of Agriculture, Resources, and the sorghum stubble lying on the ground. Their cryptic color- hard to find in winter. However, the effort to find this Environment). The CARE program is a recent DU initiative The notable change brought by the ETWP is the increased ation often renders them almost invisible in such fields. fascinating species can be worth it, especially if you catch to establish partnerships through fund-raising and funding potential. For years, wetland professionals in East these “wind birds” in flight as they weave and dance across a conservation delivery that includes private lands projects. Texas met an ever-growing demand from owners and Although there are references to their use of overgrazed field on a crisp, clear winter’s morning. In Texas, fund-raising will be through traditional managers of wetlands primarily by providing technical pastures in winter, I have only seen them in plowed fields sponsorships as well as the sale of special automobile guidance on habitat improvement. Until recently, during more than 70 observations of the species in the REFERENCES USED license plates portraying the DU theme (see restricted funds and limited eligibility of applicants Granger Lake area. I typically find them in flocks of up to 30 www.texasducks.org). These plates now can be obtained hindered distribution of cost-sharing monies. The ETWP birds, foraging for insects and other invertebrates in the Knopf, F.L. 1996. Mountain Plover (Charadrius through county tax appraiser offices. relaxes these restricted conditions. most distant parts of large fields. However, I have seen them montanus). In: The Birds of North America, No. 211 in the middle of dirt roads and elsewhere in flocks as large as (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural However, the ETWP will not be an exclusive TPW/DU The ETWP became operational in mid-2001. Persons 186 birds. Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American endeavor. It is anticipated that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife interested in obtaining more information or making Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. Service and the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation application for assistance may contact one of the following: January and February are usually the best months to find Matthiessen, Peter. 1994. The Wind Birds: Shorebirds of Service will join with this partnership. Other agencies and Mountain Plovers in the Granger area. The plowed fields North America. Shelburne, Vermont: Chapters conservation organizations are also expected to Bill Bartush north and east of Granger Lake are the most productive Publishing. participate. This alliance approach is a key factor in Regional Biologist areas to search and there are a lot of these fields. Two of the Oberholser, Harry C. 1974. The Bird Life of Texas. achieving the project objectives. Ducks Unlimited, Inc. more reliable locations include the field bounded by Austin: University of Texas Press. 11942 FM 848 Alligator Road on the north, CR 352 on the east and CR 353 Texas Ornithological Society. 1995. Checklist of the Birds The purpose of the ETWP is to provide assistance and Tyler, Texas 75707 on the south and the fields centered on the CR 346/CR 347 of Texas. 3rd ed. Austin, TX: Capital Printing, Inc. incentives to create, restore, and enhance natural and Phone: (903) 566-1626 intersection. Special care should be taken with identifica- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1999. Mountain Plover: E-mail: [email protected] tion if searching for them during migration as both Black- Proposal to List the Mountain Plover as a Threatened bellied Plovers and American Golden-Plovers can frequent Species (Fact Sheet).