By: Linda Kennedy Dan Robinett. For more information on bird trends in the Americas, go to

Transcription

1 By: Linda Kennedy Dan Robinett For more information on bird trends in the Americas, go to

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3 The Appleton - Whittell Research Ranch (ARR) ARR headquarters from the air, looking east

4 Purchased by the Appleton family in the early 1950s through 1960s. Primarily the Clark and Swinging H Ranches Consisted of several older homesteads including; Titus, Roath, Telles, Riggs, Finley and Fenderson Managed by Bill and Posy Piper as the Elgin Hereford Ranch from early 1950s through the 1960s. Livestock grazing ceased in 1968

5 Managed by National Audubon Society Established in 1969 ecological research station 8000 acres of private, BLM and USFS lands Grassland and oak woodland in MLRA 41 Precipitation from 17 to 18.5 inches annually Elevation from 4750 to 5010 feet Surrounded by active cattle ranches Good opportunities for cross fence comparisons In 2009 there were 43 ongoing research projects

6 Research and other studies focus on Wildlife; mammals, birds, herps, fish, frogs and insects Vegetation; herbarium, veg. monitoring, native plants/exotic plants, revegetation Soils; erosion processes, soil moisture and temperature Climate; 20 precipitation stations, two complete climate stations Water; groundwater monitoring, spring and stream-flow monitoring Sparrow species in Arizona 15 genera and 41 species, breeding and/or wintering Research current projects and bibliography

7 Carl Bock, et al The Oasis Effect: Response of Birds to Exurban Development in a Southwestern Savanna. Ecological Applications, (18) 5, Carl Bock, Linda Kennedy, Response of Summer Birds to Wildfire in Grazed versus Ungrazed Grasslands in Southeastern Arizona. In preparation. Janet Ruth, Wintering Bird Habitat Associations in Arizona Semi-desert Grasslands. In preparation.

8 Established 48 (200 M) transects in the Sonoita grasslands and savanna (480km sq) in fall of reps each in four categories Two undeveloped ranches The undeveloped Audubon RR Grazed exurban properties Ungrazed exurban properties 18 winter bird counts, 11 summer counts from 2002 through 2005 Vegetation characterized at each transect (basal, foliar and tree canopy cover) Calculated four variables related to abundance and variety Carl and Jane Bock with students

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10 Exurban development in the Elgin/Sonoita area

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14 Exurban development can increase the abundance and variety (A&V) of birds if housing densities remain low (water sources) Livestock grazing had minor impacts on abundance and variety of birds compared to the ungrazed ARR (well managed ranches) Bird species with a + response to grazing included mourning dove, horned lark, Gambel s quail, longspur, mockingbird and lark sparrow Birds with a + response to little or no grazing include Mearn s quail, Cassin s sparrow, Botteri s sparrow, grasshopper sparrow, and rufous-crowned sparrow Cautions two classes of wildlife reacted differently than birds in this study Terrestrial lizards were less common (A&V) in developed areas Rodents were less common (A&V) in grazed areas

15 A combination of grazed (well managed) and un-grazed and developed (large lot sizes) and undeveloped grasslands and savanna in the Sonoita plain resulted in the greatest abundance and variety of bird species. Western tanager

16 Study began in 1982 with resurveys in 1989, 2003, 2004 and 2006 Ryan Fire burned in April of 2002 during severe drought Four cross fence transects along ARR boundary, ungrazed and grazed. Transects are 250 m long, perpendicular to the ARR fence along the north and eastern boundaries Vegetation was characterized for each transect (grass foliar and shrub canopy cover)

17 Three ecological groupings of bird species accounted for 90% of the birds counted in this study Group A includes four grass dependent species whose numbers had always been higher on the ungrazed ARR before the Ryan fire Cassin s sparrow, Botteri s sparrow, grasshopper sparrow and eastern meadowlark Group B consists of five open ground foraging species whose numbers had always been more abundant on the grazed ranches before the Ryan fire Mourning dove, horned lark, mockingbird, lark sparrow and black-throated sparrow Group C is comprised of three flycatchers whose numbers increased significantly on both grazed and ungrazed transects after the Ryan fire. Western kingbird, Cassin s kingbird and ash-throated flycatcher

18 Horned lark Lark sparrow

19 Grass dependant bird species (Group A) diminished after the Ryan fire on ungrazed transects (post-fire 2 and 3 growing seasons) Open ground foraging species (Group B) increased after the Ryan fire on ungrazed transects (post-fire 2 and 3 growing seasons) Flycatchers (Group C) were more abundant on both the grazed and ungrazed transects after the Ryan fire (post-fire 2 and 3 growing seasons) The Ryan fire increased total bird similarity between the grazed and ungrazed transects through the third post-fire growing season That effect largely disappeared by the fifth postfire growing season

20 The effects of fire and drought had the effect of increasing the similarity of bird variety and abundance on grazed and ungrazed grasslands in the Sonoita plain for up to three growing seasons post fire. Munson Western kingbird

21 Janet Ruth mist netting sparrows Study from 1999 through 2001 Document the wintering bird community in SE Arizona grasslands at seven sites Measure the vegetation structure and composition of these grasslands Determine vegetation variables most important in explaining the abundance of grassland bird species

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23 Baird s sparrow; species of concern breeds in northern mixed prairie; winters in SE Arizona Six flush mist nest plots at each study site Sampled three times each winter from 1999 to 2001 at each site Six survey transects (1000 m long) at each study site Also sampled three times each winter from 1999 to 2001 at each site Vegetation sampling at each study site once each winter from 1999 to 2001

24 There was significant differences among sites in all six vegetation variables used in the bird-habitat models Shrub density Grass density Protected foraging space Cover of bare ground Cover of standing litter Native vs. exotic grass species Bird abundance showed important associations with vegetation variables for these grassland species Horned lark Sprague s pipit Vesper sparrow Savanna sparrow Grasshopper sparrow Baird s sparrow Meadowlark species

25 TABLE 2. Comparisons of vegetation variables among sites using ANOVA and Tukey s multiple comparison procedure. Means are pooled across mist net and transect plots, and across years for each site. The letters show the results of Tukey's comparisons; within a column, sites with different letters indicate site differences for that variable. Vegetation Variables a mean (standard deviation) Site Shrub Density Grass Density Native G Protected Foraging Standing Bare Space Dead Litter Ground Audubon b 2.05 (3.42)B 4.52 (1.28)BC 0.72 (0.24)C 0.67 (0.08)B (23.69)AB 0.14 (0.09)C Babocomari b 2.97 (6.50)B 3.43 (0.90)D 0.77 (0.21)C 0.78 (0.06)A (10.78) 0.26 (0.08)AB Buenos Aires b (30.57)A 4.92 (1.40)B 0.43 (0.24)D 0.63 (0.07)B (21.80)BC 0.13 (0.07)C Davis b 0.37 (0.10)B 3.72 (1.46)CD 0.95 (0.11)AB 0.75 (0.07)A (15.23)C 0.24 (0.12)AB Hilton c 0.82 (0.57)B 2.85 (1.22)D 0.98 (0.04)A 0.78 (0.12)A (17.84)C 0.31 (0.16)A Diamond C b 0.95 (0.67)B 3.05 (1.00)D 0.99 (0.04)A 0.78 (0.11)A (19.10)C 0.19(0.12)BC San Rafael b 0.46 (0.61)B 7.61 (2.10)A 0.84 (0.17)BC 0.66 (0.07)B (33.94)A 0.06 (0.05)D ANOVA 18.1 *** 46.2 *** 41.8 *** 23.2 *** 11.8 *** 23.9 *** (F 6,227 ; P-value) *** P < a Shrub Density (shrubs/ha); Grass Density (mean number of grass hits from 0-4 dec); Native Grass (proportion of grass that is native); Protected Foraging Space (proportion of grass structure in first 2 dec that is in the 1st dec - lower values indicate more openness at ground level with a protective canopy above); Standing Dead Litter (mean number of standing dead litter hits at all levels); Bare Ground (proportion of points in a plot that had zero vegetation canopy). b For these sites n = 36 c The Hilton site did not have mist net plots; n = 18.

26 Only one genera (meadowlark spp.) had strong negative association with the exotic species Lehmann lovegrass. Sprague s pipit had a positive response with Lehmann lovegrass. Baird s sparrow showed a negative correlation to shrub density, grass density and standing litter. Grasshopper and Vesper sparrows showed a negative response to bare ground and a positive response to protected foraging space. Horned lark showed a negative response to grass density. Sprague s pipit and savanna sparrow showed no response to any grass structural element.

27 Grassland birds responded to six vegetation variables in SE Arizona grasslands Northern harrier hawk responded positively only to abundance of sparrows Grazing management guidelines in winter habitat for Baird s sparrow is to leave at least 50 percent of an area with grass cover at least 10 inches tall. Northern Harrier Hawk Ammann

28 Christine Hass, Audubon. MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship). Post Canyon is one of over 500 stations nationwide. Arizona Game and Fish Dept. John Millican, Survey of Gould s Turkeys near Huachuca Mountains. Pedro Mazier Chavarria, Texas A & M University. Population dynamics and habitat characteristics of Montezuma (Mearn s) Quail in southeastern Arizona. Clay Nichols, Eastern New Mexico University. The Effects of Fire and Grazing on Grassland Bird Diversity and Abundance in an Arizona Oak-Savanna Janet Ruth, USGS, Distribution and abundance of breeding Arizona Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum ammolegus), and associated priority grassland species, throughout its known range in the Southwest U.S.

29 Post Canyon, Audubon Research Ranch Empire Gulch, Las Cienegas NCA Established under guidelines of continent-wide program to provide critical conservation and management information for populations of landbirds breeding within the United States and Canada. Birds are mist-netted, recorded, banded and released

30 Ariz. Game and Fish Department, started in 2004 on ARR Document spread of Gould s sub-species reintroduced in Huachuca Mountains Coronado Nat. Forest, San Rafael Valley Audubon Research Ranch

31 Texas A & M University, Pedro Mazier Chavarria, started in Fill knowledge gaps about life history and determine how behavior and genetic viability is affected in areas where hunting is and is not, allowed Stromberg

32 Eastern New Mexico University, Clay Nichols, started in 2008 Re-survey bird diversity on oak savanna transects established by Bock & Bishop after Ryan fire Provide information, longterm, on effect of wildfire on avian diversity and abundance in both a grazed and ungrazed setting.

33 Janet Ruth, Arid Lands Field Station, US Geological Survey, Ft Collins, CO. Document current distribution and abundance of Arizona Grasshopper Sparrows and associated priority grassland bird species. Arizona grasshopper sparrow

34 Birds and Climate Change; Ecological Disruption in Motion. Audubon Christmas Bird Count and Climate Analysis By; Daniel K. Niven. Ph.D., Gregory S. Butcher, Ph.D., G. Thomas Bancroft, Ph.D., National Audubon Society, Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Over 50,000 volunteers survey established transects across the Americas from Dec. 14 th., to Jan.5 th. each year, (from 1966 to 2009).

35 Birds seen in North America during the first few weeks of winter moved dramatically northward (towards colder latitudes) in the past four decades. Significant northward movement occurred among 58 percent of the observed species (177 out of 305 total bird species). More than 60 species moved over 100 miles northward. Average northward movement (of all observed species) was 35 miles. There was also a move inward from warmer coastal states to areas with previously unsuitable winter temperatures.

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40 Significant northward winter movement of bird species in the United States (lower 48) during the last 40 years. Average winter temperatures have increased significantly in this area during the same time frame. Feeder birds (siskin, chickadee, nuthatch) moved 100 s miles north since 1966; already adapted to human habitat and well suited to shifts in climate. Woodland birds (grouse, woodpecker, owl) moved long distances northward and may be at risk to find suitable winter habitats as temperatures increase (plants, especially trees, cannot move quickly like animals can). Grassland birds (meadowlark, sparrow spp., burrowing owl) did not move northward and may be at risk as their winter grassland habitats change due to increasing temperature.

41 UA Range Club 1968