PRIORITY SPECIES POOL -- AREA 44

From among the breeding avifauna, a pool of species may be derived that represents priorities for conservation action within the physiographic area. Note that a species may be considered a priority for several different reasons, including global threats to the species, high concern for regional or local populations, or responsibility for conserving large or important populations of the species. The different reasons for priority status are represented by levels or tiers. Our primary means of prioritizing species is through the PIF prioritization scores generated by Colorado Bird Observatory (Hunter et al. 1993, Carter et al. 2000). This system ranks species according to seven measures of conservation vulnerability. These include four global measures (i.e., they do not change from area to area), as well as threats to breeding populations (TB), area importance (AI), and population trend (PT), which are specific to each physiographic area. A total rank score is then derived, which is a measure of overall conservation priority.

There are five entry levels into the priority species pool, as follows:

Tier I. High Continental Priority. -- Species that are typically of conservation concern throughout their range. These are species showing high vulnerability in a number of factors, expressed as any combination of high parameter scores leading to an average score > 3 (the midpoint); total of 7 parameter scores will be ≥ 22, with AI ≥ 2 (so that species without manageable populations in the region are omitted).

Tier I A. High Continental Priority - High Regional Responsibility. Species for which this region shares in major conservation responsibility; i.e., conservation in this region is critical to the overall health of this species. Species with AI of 3 - 5, or a high percent population (above threshold in II B).

Tier I B. High Continental Priority - Low Regional Responsibility. Species for which this region can contribute to rangewide conservation objectives where the species occurs. Species with AI of 2.

Tier II. High Regional Priority. Species that are of moderate continental priority, but are important to consider for conservation within a region because of various combinations of high parameter scores, as defined below; total of 7 parameter scores = 19-21.

Tier II A. High Regional Concern. Species that are experiencing declines in the core of their range and that require short-term conservation action to reverse or stabilize trends. These are species with a combination of high area importance and declining (or unknown) population trend; total of 7 parameters = 19-21, with AI + PT ≥ 8.

Tier II B. High Regional Responsibility. Species for which this region shares in the responsibility for long-term conservation, even if they are not currently declining or threatened. These are species of moderate continental priority with a disproportionately high percentage of their total population in the region; total of 7 parameters = 19-21, with % population > threshold (see Appendix 3 in this area's full Plan).

Tier II C. High Regional Threats. Species of moderate continental priority that are uncommon in a region and whose remaining populations are threatened, usually because of extreme threats to sensitive habitats. These are species with high breeding threats scores within the region (or in combination with high nonbreeding threats outside the region); total of 7 parameters = 19-21 with TB + TN > 6, or local TB or TN = 5.

Tier III. Additional Watch List. These species are on the U.S. National Watch List not included in the above tiers. These species score highly enough based on global criteria to warrant conservation attention wherever they occur with an AI of 2 or more.

Tier IV. Additional Federally Listed. Species listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act receive conservation attention wherever they occur.

Tier V. Additional State Listed. - Species on state endangered, threatened, or special concern lists that did not meet any of above criteria. These are often rare or peripheral populations.

Species that are federally or state listed are noted on the Priority Species Pool by country and/or state using the following codes: E = Endangered, T = Threatened, SC = Special Concern, V = Vulnerable.

Note: the Priority Species Pool and Priority Habitat-suites are excerpted from the associated Physiographic Area Plan.   These tables are also available as a downloadable PDF file.

Priority species pool for mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain, Area 44.  Species are presented in decreasing order of concern. The Partners in Flight total scores and regional scores were developed from Partners in Flight criteria (Hunter et al. 1994, Carter et al. 2000). The percent of population was calculated from the percent of range area, weighted by BBS relative abundance (Rosenberg and Wells 2000). Local status refers to migratory status. Codes are as follows: B - refers to species that breed within the region but do not winter (these species are primarily neotropical migrants but may also include some temperate migrants), D - refers to species that breed and winter in the region (but possibly different populations), E - refers to species reaching distributional limits, and R - refers to resident or nonmigratory species.

 

Entry Level

Species

Total Score

% of Pop

AI

PT

Local Status

      I.

        A.

Piping Plover

29

??

5

3

B

Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow

29

??

5

3

D

Seaside Sparrow

26

27.1

5

3

D

Prairie Warbler

25

5.9

5

5

B

Wood Thrush

25

3.7

4

5

B

Kentucky Warbler

24

1.6

3

5

B

Worm-eating Warbler

24

2.9

3

3

B

Clapper Rail

23

18.9

5

2

D

Prothonotary Warbler

23

1.7

3

3

B

Whip-poor-will

23

4.0

4

4

B

Yellow-throated Vireo

23

< 1

3

5

B

American Black Duck

22

1.6

4

2

D

Field Sparrow

22

1.5

4

5

D

Hooded Warbler

22

1.3

3

4

B

Scarlet Tanager

22

2.4

4

4

B

American Woodcock

23

< 1

3

5

D

        B.

Red-cockaded Woodpecker

27

< 1

2

3

R

Black Rail

26

< 1

2

3

D

Cerulean Warbler

26

< 1

2

3

E

Swainson's Warbler

26

< 1

2

3

B

Henslow's Sparrow

25

< 1

2

3

B

Bachman's Sparrow

24

< 1

2

3

E

Wilson's Plover

24

??

2

3

B

American Oystercatcher

23

??

2

3

D

Blue-winged Warbler

23

1.1

2

4

B

Brown-headed Nuthatch

23

< 1

2

3

R

      II.

        A.

Eastern Wood-Pewee

21

2.2

5

4

B

Marsh Wren

21

< 1

3

5

D

Northern Bobwhite

21

1.4

4

5

R

Brown Thrasher

20

< 1

4

4

D

Chimney Swift

20

1.7

4

4

B

Eastern Towhee

20

2.3

4

5

D

Gray Catbird

20

2.7

4

5

B

Virginia Rail

20

2.3

5

3

D

Carolina Chickadee

19

2.4

4

4

R

Eastern Kingbird

19

< 1

3

5

B

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

19

1.1

4

4

B

        B.

Acadian Flycatcher

21

4.6

4

2

B

Black Skimmer

20

6.4

4

3

D

Willet

20

4.9

5

1

B

Forster's Tern

19

3.0

3

2

B

Pine Warbler

19

3.7

4

2

B

        C.

Sedge Wren

21

< 1

2

3

B

Upland Sandpiper

21

< 1

2

3

E

Grasshopper Sparrow

20

< 1

2

5

B

Short-eared Owl

19

< 1

2

3

D

      III.

        B.

Chuck-will's-widow

20

1.2

3

2

B

Red-headed Woodpecker

18

< 1

2

1

D

      V.

Least Bittern (E-MA, T,-PA)

18

3.6

2

3

Least Tern (E-DE, NJ, PA, SC-MA, VA)

17

2.4

3

3

Dickcissel (SC-VA)

20

< 1

1

3

King Rail (E-PA, T-MA)

20

< 1

2

3

Northern Parula (E-DE, T-MA)

20

1.3

4

2

Brown Pelican (SC-VA)

19

< 1

3

3

Gull-billed Tern (SC-VA)

19

??

3

3

American Bittern (E-MA, NJ, T-PA)

18

< 1

2

3

Barn Owl (SC-MA, VA)

18

< 1

2

3

Loggerhead Shrike (E-DE, NJ, PA, T-VA, SC, MA)

18

< 1

2

3

Long-eared Owl (T-NJ, SC-MA, VA)

18

< 1

2

3

Sandwich Tern (SC-VA)

18

< 1

3

3

Vesper Sparrow (E-NJ, T-MA)

18

< 1

2

5

Common Tern (E-DE, SC-MA)

17

1.2

4

4

Cooper's Hawk (E-DE, T-MA, SC-MA)

17

< 1

3

3

Northern Harrier (E-DE, NJ, T-MA, SC-VA)

17

< 1

2

2

Peregrine Falcon (E-MA, NJ, PA, VA)

17

< 1

2

3

Red-eyed Vireo (SC-VA)

17

< 1

3

4

Sharp-shinned Hawk (SC-MA)

17

< 1

3

3

Tricolored Heron (SC-VA, MA)

17

< 1

2

3

Black-crowned Night-Heron (E-DE, NJ, PA-T, SC-VA)

16

< 1

2

3

Brown Creeper (E-DE, SC-VA)

16

< 1

2

3

Pied-billed Grebe (E-MA, NJ)

16

< 1

2

3

Red-shouldered Hawk (T-NJ, SC-MA)

16

1.1

3

1

Common Moorhen (SC-MA, VA)

15

< 1

2

3

Eastern Bluebird (SC-MA)

15

1.0

4

1

Great Blue Heron (SC-MA)

15

1.5

4

1

Northern Saw-whet Owl (SC-MA, VA)

15

< 1

2

3

Red Crossbill (SC-VA)

15

< 1

2

3

Snowy Egret (SC-MA)

15

1.4

2

3

Spotted Sandpiper (SC-MA)

15

< 1

2

3

Hermit Thrush (SC-VA)

14

< 1

1

3

Little Blue Heron (SC-MA, VA)

14

< 1

1

3

Savannah Sparrow (SC-NJ)

14

< 1

2

3

Barred Owl (T-NJ)

13

< 1

2

1

Great Egret (T-PA, SC-VA, MA)

13

1.5

3

1

Red-breasted Nuthatch (SC-VA)

13

< 1

1

3

Cliff Swallow (SC-MA)

12

< 1

2

3

PRIORITY HABITAT-SPECIES SUITES -- AREA 44

Priority habitat-species suites for Area 44.  TB (threats breeding), AI (area importance), PT (population trend), and total PIF scores from CBO prioritization database (Carter et al. 2000). Focal species for each habitat in all caps.

Habitat

Species

Total score

TB

AI

PT

Action level a

Maritime marshes 
 

SALTMARSH  SHARP-TAILED SPARROW

29

3

5

3

II
 

Black Rail

26

4

2

3

II
 

Seaside Sparrow

25

3

4

3

IV
 

AMERICAN BLACK DUCK

21

4

3

2

II
 

American Bittern

18

3

2

4

IV
 

Tricolored Heron

17

3

2

3

V
  NORTHERN HARRIER

17

4

2

3

IV
 

Glossy Ibis

16

3

3

3

V
 

Black-crowned Night -Heron

16

3

4

3

V
 

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

16

3

2

3

V
 

Osprey

16

3

2

2

V
 

Great Egret

15

3

2

3

V
 

Snowy Egret

14

3

2

3

V
 

Little Blue Heron

14

3

2

3

V
 

Cattle Egret

12

3

2

3

V
 

(Short-eared Owl -- NB)

??

        

Beach/ dune 
  PIPING PLOVER

29

4

5

3

II
 

American Oystercatcher

22

3

3

3

IV
  ROSEATE TERN

19

4

2

3

II
 

Short-eared Owl

19

4

2

3

IV
 

Common Tern

15

3

3

3

IV
 

Least Tern

15

3

2

3

IV
 

Arctic Tern

14

2

1

3

V
 

Horned Lark

12

3

2

3

V
 

(IPSWICH SPARROW - NB)

??

        

Mature deciduous and mixed forest 
  CERULEAN WARBLER

25

3

2

3

II
  WOOD THRUSH

24

3

4

4

III
  WORM-EATING WARBLER

24

3

3

3

IV
 

Baltimore Oriole

23

3

5

5

III
 

Black-billed Cuckoo

23

3

4

5

III
 

BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER

23

3

2

3

IV
  LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH

22

3

4

2

IV
 

Scarlet Tanager

22

3

4

4

III
 

Kentucky Warbler

22

3

2

3

IV
 

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

21

3

4

5

III
 

Blackburnian Warbler

21

3

2

4

III
 

Canada Warbler

21

3

2

3

IV
 

Eastern Wood-pewee

20

3

4

4

III
 

Black-and-white Warbler

20

3

4

4

III
 

Northern Parula

19

3

2

3

IV
 

Hairy Woodpecker

19

2

4

5

III
 

Purple Finch

19

3

3

5

III
 

Northern Goshawk

19

3

2

3

IV
 

Red-shouldered Hawk

17

3

2

3

IV
 

Long-eared Owl

16

3

2

3

IV
 

Sharp-shinned Hawk

16

3

3

3

IV
 

Cooper's Hawk

15

3

2

3

IV
 

Barred Owl

15

3

2

3

IV

Early successional shrub/ pitch pine barren 
  GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER

27

4

2

5

II
 

BLUE-WINGED WARBLER

26

3

5

4

III
 

Prairie Warbler

24

3

4

5

III
  AMERICAN WOODCOCK

22

3

3

5

III
 

Chuck-will's-widow

21

3

2

3

IV
 

Red-headed Woodpecker

20

4

2

3

IV
  EASTERN TOWHEE

19

3

3

5

III
 

Whip-poor-will

19

3

2

3

IV
 

Yellow-breasted Chat

18

3

2

5

IV

Grassland/agricultural 
  UPLAND SANDPIPER

22

4

2

5

III
  GRASSHOPPER SPARROW

19

4

2

5

III
  BOBOLINK

18

4

2

2

IV
 

Vesper Sparrow

17

4

2

4

III
 

Northern Harrier

17

4

2

3

IV
 

Barn Owl?

16

3

2

3

IV
 

Savannah Sparrow

15

3

2

4

V
 

Horned Lark

12

3

2

3

V
 

(Short-eared Owl)

??

        

Urban/suburban 
  CHIMNEY SWIFT

21

3

4

4

III
  PEREGRINE FALCON

18

4

2

3

II
 

Purple Martin?

15

3

2

3

IV
 

Common Nighthawk

15

3

2

3

IV

Freshwater wetland -- river/lake 
  AMERICAN BLACK DUCK

21

4

3

2

II
 

King Rail

18

4

2

3

IV
 

American Bittern

18

3

2

3

IV
 

Least Bittern

17

3

2

3

IV
 

Northern Harrier

17

4

2

3

IV
 

Osprey

15

3

2

2

IV
 

Pied-billed Grebe

16

3

2

3

V
 

Common Moorhen

14

3

2

3

V
 

Great Blue Heron

13

3

3

1

V

a Action levels: I = crisis; recovery needed; II = immediate management or policy needed rangewide; III = management to reverse or stabilize populations; IV = long-term planning to ensure stable populations; V = research needed to better define threats; VI = monitor population changes only.

Literature Cited

Carter, M. F., W. C. Hunter, D. N. Pashley, and K. V. Rosenberg. 2000. Setting conservation priorities for landbirds in the united states: the partners in flight approach. Auk 117:541-548.

Hunter, W. C., M. F. Carter, D. N. Pashley, and K. Barker. 1994. The Partners In Flight prioritization scheme. Pp. 109-119 in D. Finch and P Stangel (eds.), Status and management of Neotropical migratory birds. U.S.D.A. General Technical Report RM-229, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, Colorado.

Rosenberg, K. V. and J. V. Wells. 1999. Global perspectives on Neotropical migrant conservation in the Northeast: Long-term responsibility vs. immediate concern. In R. E. Bonney, D. Pashley, R. J. Cooper, and L. Niles (Eds.). Strategies for bird conservation: The Partners in Flight planning process. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.


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Please send comments to:
Ken Rosenberg, PIF Northeast Regional Coordinator
kvr2@cornell.edu