Songbird Conservation Plans for Terrestrial habitats

California Partners in Flight Bird Conservation Plans are available for downloading at www.prbo.org.

Oak Woodlands

Grasslands Coastal Scrub & Chaparral Sierra Nevada Range

Coniferous Forest Riparian

Multi-species Approach to Conservation Planning

This image

displays a few of

the species

found in CA

riparian habitat and the

different layers

and substrate

s in which

they prefer to

nest.

.

• Coniferous Forest• Black-backed Woodpecker• Black-throated Gray Warbler• Brown Creeper• Dark-eyed Junco• Flammulated Owl• Fox Sparrow• Golden-crowned Kinglet• MacGillivray's Warbler• Olive-sided Flycatcher• Pileated Woodpecker• Red-breasted Nuthatch• Vaux's Swift

Western Tanager

Coastal Scrub/ChaparralMountain QuailGreater Roadrunner (Coastal) Lesser Nighthawk (Coastal) Costa's Hummingbird Coastal Cactus Wren Blue-gray GnatcatcherCalifornia Gnatcatcher Wrentit LeConte’s Thrasher Gray VireoRufous-crowned Sparrow Black-chinned Sparrow Bell's Sage Sparrow Nuttall's White-crowned Sparrow

GrasslandFerruginous Hawk Grasshopper Sparrow Mountain Plover Northern Harrier Western Meadowlark White-tailed Kite Savannah SparrowBurrowing Owl

Oak WoodlandAcorn WoodpeckerBlue-gray GnatcatcherLark SparrowNuttall's WoodpeckerOak TitmouseWestern BluebirdWestern Scrub-jayYellow-billed Magpie

RiparianBank SwallowBell's VireoBlack-headed GrosbeakBlue GrosbeakCommon YellowthroatSong SparrowSwainson's HawkSwainson's ThrushWarbling VireoWillow FlycatcherWilson's WarblerYellow-billed CuckooYellow-breasted ChatYellow Warbler

Fifty-six focal species

Over 220 specific multi-species recommendations in California PIF Bird Conservation Plans

Recommendation 3.6:Plant a minimum of 3 tree species including willow, alder, and elderberry in Central Valley and foothill riparian habitats.

Species Benefited:Black-headed GrosbeakLazuli BuntingSpotted TowheeWestern KingbirdWestern Wood Pewee

Recommendation 4.1:Restore and manage riparian forests to promote structural diversity and high volume of the understory.

Species Benefited:Blue GrosbeakCommon Yellowthroat Least Bell’s VireoSong SparrowSpotted TowheeSwainson’s ThrushWillow Flycatcher Wilson’s WarblerYellow-breasted ChatYellow Warbler

California Partners in FlightOverview

I) Test recommendations in other bioregions and conditions.

II) Disseminate recommendations.III) Addition of new focal species.IV) Development of population targets with

demographic parameters for each focal species in each bioregion (and watersheds if possible)

V) Develop of long-term assessment monitoring programs (with reference sites) in each bioregion of CA

Sophie WebbSeptember 2002

Restoration recommendations from the Central Valley

A) Maintain patchy and varied age strucuture

1. High water events will contribute to structural diversity resembling that of structurally diverse riparian systems, and provide more heterogeneous nesting habitat.

3. May reduce populationsof nest predators.

Cosumnes River levee break

2. Regeneration of habitat mosaics.

California Partners in FlightPriorities for implementation

I) Test recommendations in other bioregions and conditions.

II) Disseminate and integrate recommendations.III) Addition of new focal species.IV) Development of population targets with

demographic parameters for each focal species in each bioregion (and watersheds if possible)

V) Develop of long-term assessment monitoring programs (with reference sites) in each bioregion of CA

Sophie WebbSeptember 2002

Dissemination and Integration• Workshop that include BCP recommendations.

– NRCS Wetland Restoration, Management and Compatible Use.

– State agencies ‘Legacy Program’– With stakeholders and watershed groups.

• Joint Projects– Central Valley Joint Venture– NRCS Conservation Reserve and Enhancement Program

• Funding (project ranking)– US Forest Service Charter– San Francisco Bay Joint Venture Creeks Comm.– RHJV project selection criteria.– NAWCA– Endangered species Act ?

Groups in California currently using Cal PIF Bird Conservation Plans.

Central Valley Joint Venture

Pacific Coast Joint Venture

San Francisco Bay Joint Venture

Cal Fed Sonoran Joint Venture

NRCS (RCD, CREP)

Wildlands Project

CDFG Species of Concern Sierra Nevada Framework

Intermountain West Joint Venture

National Park Service Vital Signs

California Partners in FlightPriorities for implementation

I) Test recommendations in other bioregions and conditions.

II) Disseminate recommendations.III) Addition of new focal species.IV) Development of population targets with

demographic parameters for each focal species in each bioregion (and watersheds if possible).

V) Develop of long-term assessment monitoring programs (with reference sites) in each bioregion of CA.

Sophie WebbSeptember 2002

Riparian Plan Table 5-2. Suggested population targets by species and bioregion

Riparian species abundance data used as suggested population targets in Riparian Bird Conservation Plan.

2.29

Yellow Warbler densities at Rush Creek

• 2.29 pairs / ha

Mayfield estimates of nest survivorship (S) (mean and observed ‘range’) of 10 (of 26) species of open-cup nesters in

the Central Valley .

Mayfield estimates of nest survivorship (S) (mean and observed ‘range’) of 10 (of 26) species of open-cup nesters in

the Central Valley .

Species n Mean S. range Mourning Dove 78 0.16 0.06-0.25

Hutton's Vireo 25 0.07 0.05 -0.10Common Yellowthrt. 80 0.36 0.13-0.59Yellow Warbler 6 * *Lazuli Bunting 103 0.12 0.07-0.17Blue Grosbeak 57 0.26 0.06-0.41Black-hd. Grosbeak 183 0.35 0.15-0.57Spotted Towhee 309 0.23 0.20- 0.50Song Sparrow 221 0.14 0.05-0.24American Goldfinch 73 0.18 0.13-0.26

Species n Mean S. range Mourning Dove 78 0.16 0.06-0.25

Hutton's Vireo 25 0.07 0.05 -0.10Common Yellowthrt. 80 0.36 0.13-0.59Yellow Warbler 6 * *Lazuli Bunting 103 0.12 0.07-0.17Blue Grosbeak 57 0.26 0.06-0.41Black-hd. Grosbeak 183 0.35 0.15-0.57Spotted Towhee 309 0.23 0.20- 0.50Song Sparrow 221 0.14 0.05-0.24American Goldfinch 73 0.18 0.13-0.26

0.60 + (2.82 x 0.05 x 2.20 x 0.40)/2 = 0.66

Adult survival, (PRBO Marin Co., CA 16 years)

# nestlings/successful nest(calculated from 99 nests )

# nesting attempts(est. from color-banded pop)

Juvenile survival to age 1(Mandarte Island, BC)

Lowest observed estimate of nest success

0.60 + (2.82 x 0.24 x 2.20 x 0.40)/2 = 0.90

Song Sparrow Model for the Central Valley Lowest observed nest success: lambda = 0.66

Highest observed nest success: lambda = 0.90

Highest observed estimate of nest success

California Partners in FlightPriorities for Implementation

I) Test recommendations in other bioregions and conditions.

II) Disseminate recommendations.III) Addition of new focal species.IV) Development of population targets with

demographic parameters for each focal species in each bioregion (and watersheds if possible)

V) Develop of long-term assessment monitoring programs (with reference sites) in each bioregion of CA.

Sophie WebbSeptember 2002

Standardized bird surveys and vegetation information and nest monitoring performed

New data and multi-year analysis of nest data suggest that nest success increases with

amount of mugwort and rush cover.

Add mugwort and rush to planting mixIncrease shrub species in planting mix and increase scouring by

removing levees

Bird surveys and nest monitoring continue.

Evaluate efficacy of riparian restoration on Sacramento River

Step 1 Identify issues

Restore functioning riparian ecosystem with meander that supports self-sustaining and diverse songbird populations

Step2 Set biological goals

Breeding and migrating land bird diversity will increase with current restoration efforts (both process-based and

horticultural).

Step3 Develop specific biological objectives

Step 4 and 5 collect and store data

Results suggest increase shrub cover is associated with species diversity and

may increase nest success

Step6 Generate result

Step 7 and 8 Implementation

Step9 continue data collection

Step 10 repeat

Integrate with other

conservation and

management plans and stimulate research

Revise

12 steps for implementing

assessment monitoring

Step 11 and 12