Birds and Water in the Arid West: Habitats in Decline

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1 Birds and Water in the Arid West: Habitats in Decline Lotem Taylor, Chad Wilsey, Nicole Michel, Karyn Stockdale National Audubon Society Colorado River Reflection CanyonlandsNPS/Flickr

2 Audubon s Report Focuses on two water-dependent systems in the West that are critical to birds Riparian habitats of the Colorado River Basin Saline lakes of the Intermountain West Summarizes connections between water, habitat, and birds Ornithology Ecology Hydrology Water chemistry Migratory connectivity Climate science

3 Objectives Understand the relationships that exist among birds, water, and habitat in riparian systems of the Colorado River Basin, and the status of birds that depend on these habitats Analyze threats posed by lack of available water Provide recommendations for priorities and future research Yellow-billed Cuckoo Mary Miguez/Audubon Photography Awards

4 Why does it matter? How we share scarce water resources in the arid West affects both people and the environment. Populations of birds that rely on water in the arid West are in danger. Yuma Ridgway s Rail Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo Southwestern Willow Flycatcher

5 Importance to Birds Riparian forests support some of the most abundant and diverse bird communities in the Southwest Priority species Yuma Ridgway s Rail* Sandhill Crane Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo* Southwestern Willow Flycatcher* Bell s Vireo* Yellow Warbler Yellow-breasted Chat Summer Tanager * Federally or state endangered or threatened

6 Status of Priority Species Sources: USFWS, Durst et al. 2008, McLeod and Pellegrini 2015, McNeil et al. 2013, Shook 2015, Shook Basin supports over half of Southwestern Willow Flycatcher territories, entire populations of Yuma Ridgway s Rail and Lower Colorado River Valley Sandhill Crane Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Southwestern Willow Flycatcher are declining

7 Habitat and River Dynamics San Miguel River PG Holbrook/Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0 Surface water and structural diversity are key habitat features Native riparian vegetation is adapted to the natural hydrology of the Colorado River Basin Persistence depends on high groundwater levels Regeneration depends on periodic flooding

8 Hydrologic Change Sources: USGS, USFWS, Ohmart et al. 1988

9 Vegetation Change

10 Impacts on Birds Summer Tanager Melissa McMasters/Flickr CC BY 2.0 Remaining native vegetation continues to provide high-quality habitat Saltcedar-dominated habitats provide greatest value when native vegetation is also present or where there otherwise would have been no vegetation Declines in water availability might be a bigger threat, confounding comparisons of native and nonnative habitat

11 Habitat Transitions

12 Climate Change Climate change is projected to further reduce water supply, increase temperatures and aridity, and disrupt phenology.

13 Knowledge Gaps Baseline estimates of bird abundance and habitat extents that can be updated regularly to assess change Monitoring of bird populations to understand responses to changing conditions Improved estimates of future water supply and corresponding impacts on birds Yellow Warbler William Dix/Audubon Photography Awards

14 Strategies and Next Steps Lake Powell Half Empty NASA/Flickr (CC BY 2.0) Prevent continued dewatering and secure flows for habitat US-Mexico Water Treaty (Minute 323) Invest in water conservation and habitat restoration Train a network of advocates Support additional monitoring and research Colorado River Basin Bird Blitz

15 Thank you! Coauthors: Chad Wilsey, Nicole Michel, Karyn Stockdale Contributors: Beth Bardwell, Ben Bloodworth, Abby Burk, Robert (Alan) Butler, Osvel Hinojosa-Huerta, Alison Holloran, Gary Langham, Jennifer Pitt, Tice Supplee, Nils Warnock, Robert Webb Contact: Lotem Taylor National Audubon Society Colorado River Reflection CanyonlandsNPS/Flickr