Summary of Bird Monitoring at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve 2008

Munts, Michael

Bird surveys were run on 10 point count transects during June of 2008. The surveys were performed on ten routes in both the Monument and the Preserve. There were a total of 1824 individuals of 81 species observed on 167 point counts. The 10 most numerous birds were Brewer’s Sparrow, Rock Wren, Western Meadowlark, Western Tanager, American Coot, Mourning Dove, Spotted Towhee, Mallard, Sage Thrasher, Brewer’s Blackbird. The Brewer’s Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Rock Wren, Western Tanager, Violet-green Swallows, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Common Ravens, Chipping Sparrows, Spotted Towhees, and Vesper Sparrows were all recorded on six or more of the transects. A total of 146 species were recorded at CRMO during 2008. Three of these (Eurasian Collared-dove, Barn Owl, and American Tree Sparrow) had not been previously documented at CRMO. Forty-nine percent (71 of 143) of the species recorded are listed as sensitive by the state of Idaho, the BLM, or are a Partners in Flight priority species (Table 5). Sage-grouse lek counts were continued in 2008 and a total high count of 142 birds were observed on six leks that were visited. The leks surveyed were part of the Golden Chariot lek complex in the northwest portion of the preserve. The Christmas Bird Count was restarted at Craters of the Moon in 2005. The 2008 count was done on December 15. Seven volunteers and three members of the park staff participated in the count. Over the day 128 birds of 21 species were recorded.

Summary of Bird Monitoring at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve 2008

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