Landbird monitoring in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network: 2013 field season

McLaren, Matthew

This report documents the results of the ninth year of habitat-based landbird monitoring in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network, which the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory completed in 2013. In 2013, staff from the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (RMBO), in cooperation with its partner, the National Park Service, completed the ninth year of a habitat-based landbird monitoring program in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network (NCPN). This program is designed to provide rigorous population trend data for most diurnal, regularly occurring breeding landbird species throughout the Northern Colorado Plateau Network. This population information is useful for land managers and supports the National Park Service’s goal of long-term monitoring of biological indicators for network parks. The program is also consistent with goals emphasized by the U.S. North American Bird Conservation Initiative Committee (2007). In 2013, RMBO biologists surveyed 45 locations within 11 NCPN units. Fifteen transects were located in each of three habitats of interest: low-elevation riparian, pinyon-juniper, and sage shrubland. To increase sample size, we attempted to sample each of the 45 survey locations twice during the breeding season. However, we were unable to complete the second visit to a survey site in Dinosaur National Monument after a large rockslide closed that area of the park. We completed 89 of 90 (99%) assigned habitat-based surveys between May 12 and July 10. We recorded a total of 8,710 birds of 120 species. We detected 2,618 birds of 76 species in low-elevation riparian, 2,406 birds of 76 species in pinyon-juniper, and 3,686 birds of 102 species in sage shrubland habitat. We recorded six species that had not been detected as part of this monitoring program in previous years. American pipit, house sparrow, lesser scaup, marsh wren, and ruddy duck were recorded at Curecanti National Recreation Area (NRA), and a greater roadrunner was recorded at Zion National Park. Marsh wren was previously noted as Probably Present in Curecanti NRA, and should now be noted as Present. In addition to the habitat-based surveys, we conducted eight point counts and eight area searches during two visits at Pipe Spring National Monument, using a modified monitoring design. We detected a total of 370 birds of 34 species at Pipe Spring National Monument. We detected 75 birds of 18 species during point counts and 296 birds and 16 additional species during nocturnal and diurnal area searches. Four species were detected for the first time on this project, but were not new species for the park: black-crowned night-heron, cliff swallow, Cooper’s hawk, and red-tailed hawk.

Landbird monitoring in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network: 2013 field season

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