Central Valley Grasslands: California’s Highest Conservation Priority?

How are the birds associated with these CV habitats doing?

Data Sources for Avian Population Trends Christmas Bird Count (CBC)Christmas Bird Count (CBC) Over mile diameter circles across N. AmericaOver mile diameter circles across N. America More than 100 years of dataMore than 100 years of data

Data Sources for Avian Population Trends Christmas Bird Count (CBC) Over mile diameter circles across N. America More than 100 years of data Breeding Bird Survey (BBS)Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) Over mile roadside routesOver mile roadside routes More than 40 years of dataMore than 40 years of data

WATERBIRDS: waterfowl, shorebirds, herons, etc.

Swans, Geese and Dabbling Ducks GWF GooseWood DuckGadwall American WigeonMallard Cinnamon Teal Northern Shoveler Northern Pintail increasing trend, P< increasing trend, P<0.01 +increasing trend, P< decreasing trend, P< decreasing trend, P<0.01 -decreasing trend, P< Species analyzed : Tundra Swan, Greater White-fronted Goose, Snow Goose, Ross’s Goose, Wood Duck, Mallard, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal

Diving Ducks CanvasbackLesser ScaupBufflehead Hooded Merganser Common MerganserRuddy Duck Species analyzed : Canvasback, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Ruddy Duck

Trends from CV CBC data ( )

Shorebirds Black-necked StiltAmerican AvocetGreater YellowlegsDunlin Long-billed Dowitcher Species analyzed : Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Greater Yellowlegs, Long-billed Curlew, Dunlin, Least Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher

Herons and other waterbirds American BitternGreat Egret Snowy EgretCattle Egret Black- crowned Night- Heron White- faced Ibis Eared Grebe American Coot Species analyzed : American Bittern, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Cattle Egret, Green Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, White-faced Ibis, Pied-billed Grebe, Eared Grebe, Western/Clark’s Grebe, American Coot

Trends from CV CBC data ( )

RIPARIAN/WOODLAND BIRDS

Riparian/Woodland Birds Red-shouldered Hawk Nuttall’s WoodpeckerHutton’s VireoBushtitBewick’s Wren Species analyzed : Red-shouldered Hawk, Cooper’s/Sharp-shinned Hawk, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Hutton’s Vireo, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, White-breasted Nuthatch, Bewick’s Wren, House Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Spotted Towhee, California Towhee, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow House Wren Yellow-rumped WarblerCalifornia Towhee Lincoln’s Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow

Trends from CV CBC data ( )

GRASSLAND BIRDS

Grassland Birds Ferruginous Hawk Rough- legged Hawk American Kestrel Prairie Falcon Loggerhead Shrike American Pipit Lark Sparrow Western Meadowlark Species analyzed : Ferruginous Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Golden Eagle, American Kestrel, Prairie Falcon, Killdeer, Say’s Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, Horned Lark, Western Bluebird, American Pipit, Lark Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Western Meadowlark

Trends from CV CBC data ( )

Trends from CV BBS data ( )

How important is the CV to the grassland species in decline?

Grassland Birds Ferruginous Hawk Rough- legged Hawk American Kestrel Prairie Falcon Loggerhead Shrike American Pipit Lark Sparrow Western Meadowlark Species analyzed : Ferruginous Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Golden Eagle, American Kestrel, Prairie Falcon, Killdeer, Say’s Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, Horned Lark, Western Bluebird, American Pipit, Lark Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Western Meadowlark

American Kestrel Zach Smith

CV = 6% of total

Prairie Falcon Phil Robertson

CV = 8% of total

Loggerhead Shrike P. LaTourrette

CV = 4% of total

American Pipit J. Ferrante

CV = 19% of total

Lark Sparrow T. Roach

CV = 27% of total

Western Meadowlark US FWS

CV = 36% of total

California’s Central Valley supports the highest abundance and diversity of wintering raptors in the country.

Highest Winter Raptor Abundance CBC# raptors 1Mad Island Marsh, TX879 2Benicia, CA735 3Lincoln, CA729 4Rio Cosumnes, CA655 5Sacramento, CA634

Highest Winter Raptor Abundance CBC# raptors 1Mad Island Marsh, TX879 2Benicia, CA735 3Lincoln, CA729 4Rio Cosumnes, CA655 5Sacramento, CA634 6Pt. Reyes, CA621 7Lacassine NWR, LA554 8Stockton, CA483 9Attwater NWR, TX477 10Cypress Crk, TX473 11Los Banos, CA424 12La Sal Vieja, TX419

Highest Winter Raptor Abundance

High Winter Raptor Species Richness Species/CircleRange CA Central Valley TX/LA Coastal Plain