Central Valley Grasslands Californias Highest Conservation Priority How

Central Valley Grasslands: California’s Highest Conservation Priority?

How are the birds associated with these CV habitats doing?

Data Sources for Avian Population Trends • Christmas Bird Count (CBC) • Over 2000 15 -mile diameter circles across N. America • More than 100 years of data

Data Sources for Avian Population Trends • Christmas Bird Count (CBC) • Over 2000 15 -mile diameter circles across N. America • More than 100 years of data • Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) • Over 4100 25 -mile roadside routes • More than 40 years of data

WATERBIRDS: waterfowl, shorebirds, herons, etc.

Swans, Geese and Dabbling Ducks GWF Goose Wood Duck +++ Gadwall American Wigeon + + Cinnamon Northern Mallard Teal Shoveler -- +++ Northern Pintail --- 10 Species analyzed: Tundra Swan, Greater White-fronted Goose, Snow Goose, Ross’s Goose, Wood Duck, Mallard, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal +++ ++ + ---- increasing trend, P<0. 001 increasing trend, P<0. 05 decreasing trend, P<0. 001 decreasing trend, P<0. 05

Diving Ducks Canvasback Lesser Scaup Bufflehead Hooded Merganser +++ +++ Common Merganser Ruddy Duck + +++ 9 Species analyzed: Canvasback, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Ruddy Duck

Trends from CV CBC data (1976 -2010) 80% 60% 40% 20% % increasing 0% Waterfowl (19) -20% -40% -60% Shorebirds, Herons, Riparian/woodland Grassland birds (14) and other water birds (21) birds (19) % decreasing

Shorebirds Black-necked Stilt American Avocet Greater Yellowlegs +++ ++ +++ Dunlin Long-billed Dowitcher ++ ++ 7 Species analyzed: Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Greater Yellowlegs, Longbilled Curlew, Dunlin, Least Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher

Herons and other waterbirds Blackcrowned American Night. White. Bittern Great Egret Snowy Egret. Cattle Egret Heron faced Ibis --- +++ +++ Eared Grebe American Coot +++ + 12 Species analyzed: American Bittern, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Cattle Egret, Green Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, White-faced Ibis, Pied-billed Grebe, Eared Grebe, Western/Clark’s Grebe, American Coot

Trends from CV CBC data (1976 -2010) 80% 60% 40% 20% % increasing 0% Waterfowl (19) -20% -40% -60% Shorebirds, Herons, Riparian/woodland Grassland birds (14) and other water birds (21) birds (19) % decreasing

RIPARIAN/WOODLAND BIRDS

Riparian/Woodland Birds Red-shouldered Hawk Nuttall’s Woodpecker Hutton’s Vireo Bushtit Bewick’s Wren +++ +++ --- House Wren Yellow-rumped Warbler California Towhee Lincoln’s Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow +++ -- 21 Species analyzed: Red-shouldered Hawk, Cooper’s/Sharp-shinned Hawk, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Hutton’s Vireo, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, White-breasted Nuthatch, Bewick’s Wren, House Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Spotted Towhee, California Towhee, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Goldencrowned Sparrow

Trends from CV CBC data (1976 -2010) 80% 60% 40% 20% % increasing 0% Waterfowl (19) -20% -40% -60% Shorebirds, Herons, Riparian/woodland Grassland birds (14) and other water birds (21) birds (19) % decreasing

GRASSLAND BIRDS

Grassland Birds Ferruginous Hawk Roughlegged Hawk American Kestrel Prairie Falcon +++ --- - Loggerhead American Lark Western Shrike Pipit Sparrow Meadowlark - --- --- 14 Species analyzed: Ferruginous Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Golden Eagle, American Kestrel, Prairie Falcon, Killdeer, Say’s Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, Horned Lark, Western Bluebird, American Pipit, Lark Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Western Meadowlark

Trends from CV CBC data (1976 -2010) 80% 60% 40% 20% % increasing 0% Waterfowl (19) -20% -40% -60% Shorebirds, Herons, Riparian/woodland Grassland birds (14) and other water birds (21) birds (19) % decreasing

Trends from CV BBS data (1966 -2006) 30% 20% 10% % increasing 0% Non-grassland Birds (36) -10% -20% -30% -40% -50% Grassland birds (7) % decreasing

How important is the CV to the grassland species in decline?

Grassland Birds Ferruginous Hawk Roughlegged Hawk American Kestrel Prairie Falcon +++ --- - Loggerhead American Lark Western Shrike Pipit Sparrow Meadowlark - --- --- 14 Species analyzed: Ferruginous Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Golden Eagle, American Kestrel, Prairie Falcon, Killdeer, Say’s Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, Horned Lark, Western Bluebird, American Pipit, Lark Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Western Meadowlark

American Kestrel Zach Smith

American Kestrel 100 Birds/100 hrs 80 60 CV = 6% of total 40 20 0 Central Valley Rest of Wtr Range

Prairie Falcon Phil Robertson

Prairie Falcon 3. 0 Birds/100 hrs 2. 5 2. 0 CV = 8% of total 1. 5 1. 0 0. 5 0. 0 Central Valley Rest of Wtr Range

Loggerhead Shrike P. La. Tourrette

Loggerhead Shrike 40 CV = 4% of total Birds/100 hrs 30 20 10 0 Central Valley Rest of Wtr Range

American Pipit J. Ferrante

American Pipit 600 Birds/100 hrs 500 400 300 CV = 19% of total 200 100 0 Central Valley Rest of Wtr Range

Lark Sparrow T. Roach

Lark Sparrow 180 160 Birds/100 hrs 140 120 100 CV = 27% of total 80 60 40 20 0 Central Valley Rest of Wtr Range

Western Meadowlark US FWS

Western Meadowlark 1400 1200 Birds/100 hrs 1000 800 CV = 36% of total 600 400 200 0 Central Valley Rest of Wtr Range

California’s Central Valley supports the highest abundance and diversity of wintering raptors in the country.

Highest Winter Raptor Abundance CBC # raptors 1 Mad Island Marsh, TX 879 2 Benicia, CA 735 3 Lincoln, CA 729 4 Rio Cosumnes, CA 655 5 Sacramento, CA 634

Highest Winter Raptor Abundance 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 CBC Mad Island Marsh, TX Benicia, CA Lincoln, CA Rio Cosumnes, CA Sacramento, CA Pt. Reyes, CA Lacassine NWR, LA Stockton, CA Attwater NWR, TX Cypress Crk, TX Los Banos, CA La Sal Vieja, TX # raptors 879 735 729 655 634 621 554 483 477 473 424 419

Highest Winter Raptor Abundance 400 CA Central Valley 350 TX/LA Coastal Plain 300 250 All Other 200 150 100 50 0 Ave/Count Circle Ave/100 pty hrs

High Winter Raptor Species Richness Species/Circle Range CA Central Valley 12. 1 7. 8 - 13. 9 TX/LA Coastal Plain 11. 4 7. 8 - 15. 5