BBBIIRRDDSS IINN AA SSAAGGEEBBRRUUSSHH SSEEAA MANAGING SAGEBRUSH HABITATS FOR BIRD COMMUNITIES by Christine Paige and Sharon A. Ritter Partners in Flight, Western Working Group 1999 Research and writing by: Christine Paige, Ravenworks Ecology, 612 Lolo Street, Missoula, MT 59802 Revision and editing by: Sharon A. Ritter, Idaho Partners in Flight, 142 West Hills Way, Hamilton, MT 59840 Editing and layout/design by: Pam Peterson, Nongame Program, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, P.O. Box 25, Boise, ID 83725 Project funding by: USDI Bureau of Land Management, Oregon and Idaho State Offices USDI Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1 USDA Forest Service, Regions 1 and 4 Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Nongame Program Ravenworks Ecology Acknowledgments: We would like to thank Jack Connelly, Mike Denny, David Dobkin, Randy Hill, Mabel Jankovsky-Jones, Lou Jours, Julie Kaltenecker, Steve Knick, Ron Lambeth, Peter Lessica, Paul Makela, Robert McQuivey, Chris Merker, Bob Moseley, Mike Pellant, Tim Reynolds, Terry Rich, John Rotenberry, Steve Shelly, Michael Schroeder, Chuck Trost, Helen Ulmschneider, Matthew Vander Haegen, and Brian Woodbridge for contributing information and ideas to the development of this document. We owe a special debt to our reviewers for their insightful comments and corrections on the drafts: Loren Anderson, Al Bammann, Jon Beals, Carol Beardmore, Steve Bouffard, Kathy Cheap, Mike Denny, Kim Dickerson, Kristi Dubois, Katy Duffy, Ana Egnew, Jim Hagenbarth, Neil Hedges, Gary Herron, Randy Hill, Nancy Hoffman, Gary Ivey, Bill and Nancy LaFramboise, Ron Lambeth, Tracy Lloyd, Paul Makela, Chris Merker, Alan Peterson, Joe Petzold, Charley Rains, Tim Reynolds, Terry Rich, Bill Roney, John Rotenberry, Michael Schroeder, Dan Svingen, and Helen Ulmschneider. Any errors or omissions in this report are solely the authors’. Cover photos: Sagebrush landscape -Terry Rich; sage sparrow - Matt Vander Haegen, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Please cite this publication as: Paige, C., and S. A. Ritter. 1999. Birds in a sagebrush sea: managing sagebrush habitats for bird commu- nities. Partners in Flight Western Working Group, Boise, ID. For additional copies, contact: IDFG Nongame Program, P.O. Box 25, Boise, Idaho 83707-0025; (208) 334-2920. While supplies last and to cover printing and postage, please send $4.00 each for 1-3 copies, $3.00 each for 4-9 copies, $2.75 each for 10-19 copies, $2.50 each for 20 or more copies. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................... 2 ECOLOGY OF SAGEBRUSH HABITAT ......................................................................................................... 3 Climate .......................................................................................................................................................... 3 Vegetation ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 Wildlife Dependence on Sagebrush .............................................................................................................. 5 THE SAGEBRUSH LANDSCAPE BEFORE EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT ................................................... 5 Wildfire Patterns ........................................................................................................................................... 6 CHANGES IN SAGEBRUSH COUNTRY ........................................................................................................ 7 Influence of Livestock Grazing .................................................................................................................... 7 Non-native Grasses and Sagebrush Habitat Conversion .............................................................................. 8 HOW TO HELP BIRDS IN SAGEBRUSH HABITATS ................................................................................... 9 General Sagebrush Habitat Management ................................................................................................... 10 Sagebrush .................................................................................................................................................... 12 Understory Grasses and Forbs .................................................................................................................... 14 Biological Soil Crusts ................................................................................................................................. 15 Grazing ........................................................................................................................................................ 15 Water Developments................................................................................................................................... 16 Insecticides.................................................................................................................................................. 17 Recreation ................................................................................................................................................... 18 Prescribed Fire and Wildfire ....................................................................................................................... 18 Habitat Fragmentation ................................................................................................................................ 19 Invasion of Non-native Grasses and Forbs ................................................................................................. 20 Farming ....................................................................................................................................................... 21 Mining and Oil/Gas Development .............................................................................................................. 21 Residential and Urban Development .......................................................................................................... 22 SUMMARY OF BIRD MANAGEMENT GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS....................................... 24 LITERATURE CITED ...................................................................................................................................... 27 APPENDIX I. SAGEBRUSH BIRDS OF CONCERN..................................................................................... 33 SAGEBRUSH OBLIGATE SPECIES ....................................................................................................... 33 Sage Grouse .......................................................................................................................................... 33 Sage Thrasher ....................................................................................................................................... 34 Sage Sparrow ........................................................................................................................................ 35 Brewer’s Sparrow ................................................................................................................................. 36 SHRUBLAND SPECIES ............................................................................................................................ 37 Green-tailed Towhee ............................................................................................................................ 37 Black-throated Sparrow ........................................................................................................................ 38 Lark Sparrow ........................................................................................................................................ 38 SHRUBLAND AND GRASSLAND SPECIES ......................................................................................... 39 Swainson’s Hawk ................................................................................................................................. 39 Ferruginous Hawk ................................................................................................................................ 40 Prairie Falcon ....................................................................................................................................... 40 Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse ........................................................................................................... 41 Loggerhead Shrike ............................................................................................................................... 42 GRASSLAND SPECIES ............................................................................................................................ 43 Long-billed Curlew .............................................................................................................................. 43 Burrowing Owl ..................................................................................................................................... 44 Short-eared Owl ................................................................................................................................... 44 Vesper Sparrow .................................................................................................................................... 45 PRIMARILY DRY WOODLAND SPECIES ...........................................................................................