BIRD PRIORITIZATION
Effective
and efficient ecological management involves determining which species and
habitats are most in need of conservation.
The Wyoming Partners In Flight species prioritization process was
designed as a tool for this important task.
Priority species selected for discussion in Version 2.0 of the Wyoming
Bird Conservation Plan were chosen using the prioritization process as the
initial scoring tool, and the knowledge of WY-PIF participants and other local
experts to refine the priority list. We
recognize that there are gaps in our knowledge of
Partners
In Flight initially focused only on Neotropical migratory birds (those species
that breed in the
Process for Prioritizing Species
Wyoming Partners In Flight participants developed the
current list of priority species based on a combination of the seven criteria
in the national Partners In Flight Priority Database (Carter et al. 1997). This database serves as a defensible method
of prioritizing both species and habitats in need of conservation. The criteria include Wyoming-dependent and
Wyoming-independent factors. The
Wyoming-independent criteria are constant over a species’ range and do not vary
for each species. The Wyoming-dependent
criteria were the key components used to prioritize species and their
conservation action needs. In the
absence of any more rigorous statewide surveys, Breeding Bird Survey data
dating back to 1968 were used to determine population trends in
Within
each criterion below, a species was given a rank score ranging from 1 to 5,
with 1 being the least critical rank and 5 the most critical. Each ranked species could potentially receive
a low score of 7 and a high score of 35.
However, setting conservation goals based only on total score could be
misleading; therefore, each total score was reviewed in conjunction with its
component parts. In
1.
Relative
Abundance (RA) - The abundance of a bird, in appropriate habitat within its
entire range, relative to other bird species.
This criterion gives an indication of a species’ vulnerability to
withstand cataclysmic environmental changes.
A low score would indicate a higher relative abundance, therefore
reducing the risk of complete extirpation from losses in one or more regions. Higher scores indicate a lower relative
abundance, thus more vulnerability to drastic losses or population changes.
2. Breeding Distribution (BD) - A relative measure of breeding range size as a proportion of North America [defined as the main body of the continent, excluding Greenland, through Panama and the islands of the Caribbean, comprising an area of 8,517,290 mi2 (22,059,680 km2) (National Geographic Society 1993)], and as such it provides an index of a species’ vulnerability to random environmental events. High scores indicate localized breeding, thus a higher likelihood of serious decline from drastic environmental changes. Low scores indicate wide breeding distribution, therefore less likelihood of extirpation. Used for breeding birds only.
3. Non-breeding Distribution (ND) - A relative measure of non-breeding, or winter, range size as a proportion of North America, and as such it provides an index of a species’ vulnerability to random environmental events. High scores indicate localized distribution on the non-breeding grounds. Low scores indicate wide distribution on the non-breeding grounds, therefore less likelihood of extirpation. Used for wintering birds only.
4. Threats on Breeding Grounds (TB) - The ability of a habitat in an area to support populations of a species in that area. Two factors are considered here: 1) each species’ demographic and ecological vulnerability (the potential inability of a species to recover from population loss by normal reproductive effort due to low reproductive rate, high juvenile mortality, or both; and the level of ecological specialization of a species and, hence, its potential inability to withstand environmental change), and 2) habitat loss or disruption (a combination of the amount of habitat or conditions necessary for survival and reproductive success that has been lost since 1945, and the amount that is anticipated to be lost in the future). High scores indicate either a large loss of habitat or a species that is an extreme ecological specialist. Low scores indicate a stable or increasing habitat or a species that is an ecological generalist. Used for both breeding and wintering birds.
5. Threats on Non-breeding Grounds (TN) – Range-wide threats on non-breeding, or winter, grounds. This is scored using the same criteria as threats on breeding grounds but reflects non-breeding issues, including migratory habitat. Used for wintering birds only.
6. Population Trend (PT) - The overall population trend of each species assigned independently for each state, province, or Bird Conservation Region. This criterion must meet two thresholds, reliability and magnitude, to warrant either a very high or very low score. When possible, a score was assigned using BBS data, which incorporated a population trend uncertainty score based on the statistical validity of the BBS data (i.e. a species must be detected on a minimum of 14 BBS routes per state for population trends to have statistical significance). This criterion was chosen to alert managers to species with modest, but certain, population declines.
7. Area Importance (AI) - The abundance of
a species within a state, province, or Bird Conservation Region relative to its
abundance throughout its range. This
criterion helps direct conservation efforts toward areas that are most important
to a species’ survival. Area Importance
is scored locally; therefore, high scores indicate that a large proportion of
the species’ breeding or winter range occurs in
Priority
bird species in
Carter, M. F., W. C. Hunter, D. N.
Pashley, J. S. Bradley, C. S. Aid, J. Price, and G. S. Butcher. 1997.
Setting landbird conservation priorities for states, provinces, and
physiographic areas of
Carter, M. F., W. C. Hunter, D. N.
Pashley, J. S. Bradley, and K. V. Rosenberg.
2000. Setting conservation priorities
for land birds in the
National Geographic Society. 1993.
Our World, Second Edition.
National Geographic Society,
Table 7. Level
I (Conservation Action). Species
clearly needs conservation action (CA).
Declining population trend and/or habitat loss may be significant. Includes species of which
Species Primary Habitat Type(s)
American Bittern Wetlands
Trumpeter Swan a Wetlands
Bald Eagle a Montane Riparian, Plains/Basin Riparian
Northern Goshawk High Elevation
Conifer, Mid Elevation Conifer,
Swainson’s Hawk Plains/Basin Riparian
Ferruginous Hawk Shrub-steppe, Shortgrass Prairie
Peregrine Falcon Specialized (cliffs)
Greater Sage-Grouse a Shrub-steppe
Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse Mountain-foothills Shrub
Upland Sandpiper Shortgrass Prairie
Long-billed Curlew Shortgrass Prairie, Meadows
Burrowing Owl Shortgrass Prairie
Short-eared Owl Shortgrass Prairie, Meadows
Brewer’s Sparrow Shrub-steppe, Mountain-foothills Shrub
Baird’s Sparrow b Shortgrass Prairie
McCown’s Longspur Shortgrass Prairie, Shrub-steppe
a Specific management plans already exist for the Trumpeter Swan, Greater Sage-Grouse, and Bald Eagle in Wyoming.
b Species is peripheral in
Table
8. Level II (Monitoring). The action and focus for the species is
monitoring (M). Declining population
trend and habitat loss are not significant at this point. Includes species of which
Species Primary Habitat Type(s)
Harlequin Duck Montane Riparian
Merlin Low Elevation Conifer
Snowy Plover a Wetlands
Black-billed Cuckoo Plains/Basin Riparian
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Plains/Basin Riparian
Western Screech-Owl Plains/Basin Riparian
Eastern Screech-Owl Plains/Basin Riparian
Great Gray Owl Mid Elevation Conifer, High Elevation Conifer
Boreal Owl High Elevation Conifer
White-throated Swift Specialized (cliffs and canyons)
Black-chinned Hummingbird a Plains/Basin Riparian, Shrub-steppe
Calliope Hummingbird Mid Elevation Conifer, Montane Riparian
Broad-tailed Hummingbird Montane Riparian, Plains/Basin Riparian, Mid Elevation Conifer
Rufous Hummingbird Mid Elevation Conifer
Lewis’ Woodpecker Low Elevation Conifer, Plains/Basin Riparian
Williamson’s Sapsucker Mid Elevation Conifer
Three-toed Woodpecker Mid Elevation Conifer, High Elevation Conifer
Black-backed Woodpecker Mid Elevation Conifer, High Elevation Conifer
Olive-sided Flycatcher High Elevation Conifer, Mid Elevation Conifer
Willow Flycatcher Montane Riparian, Plains/Basin Riparian
Hammond’s Flycatcher High Elevation Conifer,
Gray Flycatcher Juniper
Dusky Flycatcher Low Elevation
Conifer,
Cordilleran Flycatcher Montane Riparian, Mid Elevation Conifer
Ash-throated Flycatcher Juniper Woodland
Cassin’s Kingbird a Juniper Woodland, Plains/Basin Riparian
Loggerhead Shrike Shrub-steppe
Western Scrub-Jay Juniper
Juniper Titmouse Juniper
Bushtit Juniper
Pygmy Nuthatch Low Elevation Conifer
Brown Creeper Mid Elevation Conifer, High Elevation Conifer
American Dipper Montane Riparian
Golden-crowned Kinglet High Elevation Conifer
Western Bluebird Juniper
Townsend’s Solitaire Mid Elevation Conifer, High Elevation Conifer, Juniper Woodland
Sage Thrasher Shrub-steppe
Townsend’s Warbler High Elevation Conifer, Mid Elevation Conifer
MacGillivray’s Warbler Montane Riparian, Plains/Basin Riparian
Vesper Sparrow Shrub-steppe
Lark Sparrow Shrub-steppe
Lark Bunting Shortgrass Prairie, Shrub-steppe
Grasshopper Sparrow Shortgrass Prairie, Shrub-steppe
Chestnut-collared Longspur Shortgrass Prairie
Dickcissel Shortgrass Prairie
Bobolink Shortgrass Prairie, Agricultural Lands, Meadows
Scott’s Oriole Juniper
a Species is peripheral in
Table 9. Level III (Local Interest). Species that Wyoming Partners In Flight may recommend for conservation action (CA) that are not otherwise high priority but are of local interest (LI). Can include monitoring (M).
Species Primary Habitat Type(s)
Golden Eagle Specialized (cliffs)
Prairie Falcon Specialized (cliffs)
White-tailed Ptarmigan a Alpine Tundra/Grassland
Blue Grouse a Mid Elevation Conifer, High Elevation Conifer
Rock Wren Specialized (rock outcrops)
Canyon Wren Specialized (canyons)
a Classified as a game species in
Table 10. Level IV (Not Considered Priority). Additional species of concern, but not considered a priority species; species is known to be stable (S) or increasing, or is addressed elsewhere in other management plans; no action is needed; monitoring (M) is not precluded but is not the focus; or species is extirpated (E) and no action is needed.
Species Primary Habitat Type(s)
Wood Duck a Plains/Basin Riparian
Cinnamon Teal a Wetlands
Canvasback a Wetlands
Redhead a Wetlands
Ring-necked Duck a Wetlands
Bufflehead a Wetlands
Barrow’s Goldeneye a Wetlands
Hooded Merganser a Aquatic
Northern Bobwhite b Plains/Basin Riparian
Sandhill Crane a Wetlands
a Specific management plans already exist for waterfowl and the Rocky Mountain Greater Sandhill Crane.
b Classified as a game species in