Avian Inventories for Six National Parks in the Southern Colorado Plateau Network

Johnson, M; Holmes, J; Stuart, M; Lynn, J

This avian inventory project is one component of a suite of biological inventories that were conducted within the Southern Colorado Plateau Network as part of a new national emphasis of inventory and monitoring within the National Park Service. During the 2001, 2002, and 2003 breeding seasons, avian inventories were completed in the following parks: Aztec Ruins National Monument, El Malpaís National Monument, El Morro National Monument, Petroglyph National Monument, Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, and Yucca House National Monument. The primary objective of the project was to provide a baseline inventory of avifauna in each park, with the goal of documenting at least 90% of species present. The inventory was designed to determine general abundance and distribution of species present and to identify park-specific species of special concern. We conducted variable circular plot (VCP) point-count surveys using distance estimation, incidental observations (compiling lists of species) and area-search surveys (surveys of defined areas) at each of the six park units. Parks were visited on at least three occasions throughout the breeding seasons, for at least two breeding seasons, from mid-May to mid-July, 2001–2003. In addition, we completed area-search surveys at several park units during the non-breeding season (i.e., winter) from December through February 2001, 2002, and 2003, and recorded bird species using the parks’ habitats in winter. First-order jackknife estimates show that an average of 85.2% of the species present were detected at Aztec Ruins National Monument, 86% at El Malpaís National Monument, 79% at El Morro National Monument, 85% at Petroglyph National Monument, 80% at Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, and 81% at Yucca House National Monument. These results suggest that we have detected most of the species commonly occurring within each park. In addition to measures of species richness and abundance, we obtained robust density estimates for a total of 15 species at five park units. The results of this avian inventory show that each park has its own unique habitats, habitat features, and associated bird communities. The park units of the Southern Colorado Plateau Network provide resources for several species of conservation concern in the region.

Avian Inventories for Six National Parks in the Southern Colorado Plateau Network

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