Sonoran Joint Venture http://sonoranjv.org/beta Conserving the unique birds and habitats of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico Wed, 16 May 2012 16:43:21 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 USGS Arid Lands Field Station: Effects of the Ryan Wildfire on wintering grassland birds and winter grassland structure and composition in southeastern Arizona http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1124/usgs-arid-lands-field-station-effects-of-the-ryan-wildfire-on-wintering-grassland-birds-and-winter-grassland-structure-and-composition-in-southeastern-arizona http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1124/usgs-arid-lands-field-station-effects-of-the-ryan-wildfire-on-wintering-grassland-birds-and-winter-grassland-structure-and-composition-in-southeastern-arizona#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 20:36:24 +0000 jennie http://sonoranjv.org/beta/?p=1124 Project Description:
On 29 April 2002, the Ryan wildfire swept through 38,000 acres of the Sonoita Valley in southeastern Arizona. This fire offers a valuable opportunity to conduct post-fire research to determine the effects of such a substantial wildfire on wintering grassland birds and the structure and composition of the grasslands on which they rely. The opportunity is particularly valuable because three years (1999-2001) of avian and vegetation data exist for this upland grassland habitat prior to the fire, with which post-fire data can be compared. The pre-fire data were collected as part of a larger study on wintering habitat used by grassland birds in southeastern Arizona. This study will provide information about the biological effects of wildland fire in grassland ecosystems, specifically about how wildfires affect vegetative structure and composition and wintering grassland bird abundance and habitat use. It will assist managers in addressing locally important information needs about how wildland fire affects wintering grassland birds of conservation concern and the distribution of invasive exotics such as Lehmann lovegrass. In order to ensure the comparability of pre-fire and post-fire data, the same plots and methods used in the previous study will be used again for this project. The post-fire study will involve all of the plots located on the Audubon Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch (burned) and Davis Pasture of the BLM Las Cienegas RCA (unburned), for purposes of comparison. Bird communities will be surveyed using a combination of mist netting and transect surveys. Standard vegetation composition and structure measures will be used to characterize the grassland habitat.

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Janet Ruth
U.S. Geological Survey Arid Lands Field Station

]]> http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1124/usgs-arid-lands-field-station-effects-of-the-ryan-wildfire-on-wintering-grassland-birds-and-winter-grassland-structure-and-composition-in-southeastern-arizona/feed 0 University of Arizona: Habitat protection of a long-term study site in the tropical deciduous forest of Sonora, Mexico http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1122/university-of-arizona-habitat-protection-of-a-long-term-study-site-in-the-tropical-deciduous-forest-of-sonora-mexico http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1122/university-of-arizona-habitat-protection-of-a-long-term-study-site-in-the-tropical-deciduous-forest-of-sonora-mexico#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 20:32:54 +0000 jennie http://sonoranjv.org/beta/?p=1122 Project Description:
Presently not much is known about the structure, dynamics, and fauna of the tropical deciduous forest. Relatively easy access and recent botanical surveys of the tropical deciduous forest around Alamos, Sonora provide an opportunity to consolidate ecological knowledge and cultivate interest among scientists and naturalists. In addition, the recovery from disturbance and response to protection of disturbed areas in the tropical deciduous forest is unknown. The Alamos study site is part of an important riparian migratory corridor for birds, in a federally protected area, and is a well-known ecotourism spot for birders. This project will enable us to protect the study site from livestock and woodcutting, which will allow studies on ecosystem function and recovery from disturbance. Funding will also support censuses of local avifauna to monitor changes concurrent with the recovery of the vegetation. The archive and integration of this information will be invaluable for the scientific community investigating the tropical deciduous forest, community conservation education and planning, and economic development of the area through ecotourism related to birding.

]]> http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1122/university-of-arizona-habitat-protection-of-a-long-term-study-site-in-the-tropical-deciduous-forest-of-sonora-mexico/feed 0 University of Arizona/Pronatura Noroeste: Avian Monitoring in the Colorado River delta, Mexico http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1120/avian-monitoring-in-the-colorado-river-delta-mexico http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1120/avian-monitoring-in-the-colorado-river-delta-mexico#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 20:30:27 +0000 jennie http://sonoranjv.org/beta/?p=1120 Project Description:
The Colorado River delta supports over 300,000 wintering waterbirds and is a critical stopover site for over 100 species of Neotropical migratory landbirds. This wetland system also provides habitat for significant populations of endangered species, such as the Yuma Clapper Rail and the California Black Rail. The goal of this project is to continue the implementation of a multi-species avian monitoring program in the Colorado River delta. The program is designed to detect trends in populations and vital rates of focus avian groups that will help guide management and restoration efforts in the delta. Major components of the program include marshbird surveys, bird banding to monitoring migratory landbirds, a MAPS station, and point counts in the riparian areas. The program has a robust scientific support, but also includes a strong community component, by training and including local residents as part of the monitoring team. Specific objectives include: (1) detect significant changes in bird populations in the delta region; in particular marshbirds, migratory landbirds, and riparian songbirds; (2) monitor vital rates (productivity and survivorship) of riparian songbirds; (3) associate these changes (if any) to changes in habitat features and management activities; (4) provide data for the long-term evaluation of effectiveness of the conservation, management, and restoration strategies; (5) contribute this information to regional and continental analyses of bird population trends; and (6) develop a strong community participation in the monitoring efforts.

Accomplishments to Date:

  • Annotated checklist of birds, including their status and phenology, in the Colorado River delta.
  • Information on population trends of Yuma Clapper Rail and California Black Rail in the delta. This information was used to list the California Black Rail as Endangered in Mexico and update the status of the Yuma Clapper Rail (changed from Endangered to Threatened), provided a basis to update the Management Plan of the Upper Gulf of California and Colorado River Delta Biosphere Reserve, set management guidelines for the Ciénega de Santa Clara and El Doctor wetlands, and provided feedback and evaluation of the restoration efforts in the Rio Hardy.
  • Information on the breeding status of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo and the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher in the delta.
  • Information on the abundance, diversity, distribution, habitat affinities, vital rates, and temporal patterns of riparian birds in the floodplain of the Colorado River in Mexico. This effort included monthly surveys at 240 point counts during 15 months and a MAPS station. This information is providing basis for a conservation plan for the Colorado River in Mexico, which will include the allocation of an environmental instream flow.
  • Information on the patterns of species richness, abundance, and temporality of Neotropical migratory landbirds using the Colorado River delta as a stopover site. We have captured, banded, and processed 2,308 birds from 63 species. This information has been sent to the Bird Banding Laboratory of the USGS, and also shared with other institutions working on regional analyses of bird migration. The collected data have provided new insights on landbird migration through the Sonoran Coast and the Upper Gulf of California region, as well as information on stopover ecology of landbirds in desert wetlands, and new bird records for the region.
  • All the bird data were used to develop a Bird Conservation Plan for the Colorado River Delta.
  • The bird data and bird records have been integrated into a relational database, and also integrated into layers of the Colorado River delta Geographic Information System.
  • We have conducted two training workshops in bird monitoring techniques (April 2002 and March 2003), with the support of Point Reyes Bird Observatory. The workshops have provided training for 11 Mexican biologists and 4 community members of Ejido Luis Encinas Johnson. The workshop included training in bird identification, bird banding and processing, the implementation of several monitoring protocols (point counts, area searches, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher surveys, Yellow-billed Cuckoo surveys, and marshbird surveys), and data gathering, compilation, and analysis.

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Osvel  Hinojosa Huerta
Pronatura Noroeste, A.C.

]]> http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1120/avian-monitoring-in-the-colorado-river-delta-mexico/feed 0 Sonoran Institute: Brochure printing and local guide training to enhance the quality of birding experience in the Santa Cruz and San Pedro Rivers http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1102/sonoran-institute-brochure-printing-and-local-guide-training-to-enhance-the-quality-of-birding-experience-in-the-santa-cruz-and-san-pedro-rivers http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1102/sonoran-institute-brochure-printing-and-local-guide-training-to-enhance-the-quality-of-birding-experience-in-the-santa-cruz-and-san-pedro-rivers#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 20:25:59 +0000 jennie http://sonoranjv.org/beta/?p=1102 Project Description
This project will promote environmental and economic stability in the Santa Cruz watershed by implementing conservation strategies that address both ecological and community issues. In 2000 the Sonoran Institute established the Community Conservation Center (CCC) of the Santa Cruz River in San Lázaro, Sonora. The CCC functions as a field station and community outreach facility for a variety of environmental education and applied research activities on the Santa Cruz River. We are currently monitoring birds in this corridor and have established a bird watching club, Los Halcones (the Falcons) in the community. Birds along this international riparian corridor are an important mechanism for community outreach, environmental education, and conservation and riparian restoration. This project proposes to (1) print a regional, binational brochure that includes general information on bird diversity, conservation and restoration initiatives of different groups, how to get to the different areas of interest, community involvement in conservation and cultural and general visitation services of the Santa Cruz River in Mexico; (2) continue with technical support and training of Los Halcones as bird guides of the region; and (3) establish a stronger connection and collaboration between the different actors of avian studies of the Santa Cruz River.

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Emily Brott
Website

 

]]> http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1102/sonoran-institute-brochure-printing-and-local-guide-training-to-enhance-the-quality-of-birding-experience-in-the-santa-cruz-and-san-pedro-rivers/feed 0 Tucson Audubon Society: Arizona’s Important Bird Areas Program: sites inventory component http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1112/tucson-audubon-society-arizonas-important-bird-areas-program-sites-inventory-component http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1112/tucson-audubon-society-arizonas-important-bird-areas-program-sites-inventory-component#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 19:28:14 +0000 jennie http://sonoranjv.org/beta/?p=1112 Project Description:
Tucson Audubon Society (TAS) leads the Important Bird Area Program (IBA) for the state of Arizona. This program works with Audubon chapters, agency biologists, university scientists, regional non-profits, and citizens to provide a statewide inventory of sites critical to birds of conservation concern, sites where birds congregate in large numbers, or sites with an exceptional habitat type, supporting species restricted to the habitat type. This project will allow TAS to complete the inventory of Arizona IBAs and manage site information through a World Bird Database-Arizona Sites Catalog. The completed inventory will be used to assess priority sites for conservation and conduct species protection analysis based landscape level distribution.

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Jennie MacFarland
Arizona IBA Program Website

]]> http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1112/tucson-audubon-society-arizonas-important-bird-areas-program-sites-inventory-component/feed 0 Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory: Arizona/Sonora migration monitoring network http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1110/southeastern-arizona-bird-observatory-arizonasonora-migration-monitoring-network http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1110/southeastern-arizona-bird-observatory-arizonasonora-migration-monitoring-network#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 19:24:28 +0000 jennie http://sonoranjv.org/beta/?p=1110 Project Description
This project is a coordinated series of six sites (three mountain and three lowland, four in Arizona and two in Sonora) selected to measure and monitor bird migration across a broad front of southeastern Arizona and northern Sonora through the use of constant effort mist netting. The six sites selected comprise a variety of elevations, habitats, and management regimes. They include lowland riparian and mountain sites selected for their migrant potential. A range of cooperators from both sides of the border will be involved and will gather data on habitat use, phenology, and site fidelity of Neotropical migrants during migration in southeastern Arizona and northern Sonora.

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Tom Wood
Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory

]]> http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1110/southeastern-arizona-bird-observatory-arizonasonora-migration-monitoring-network/feed 0 Sonoran Institute: Mapping the Possible: Products of the Conservation Priorities Workshop of the Colorado River Delta http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1100/sonoran-institute-mapping-the-possible-products-of-the-conservation-priorities-workshop-of-the-colorado-river-delta http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1100/sonoran-institute-mapping-the-possible-products-of-the-conservation-priorities-workshop-of-the-colorado-river-delta#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 19:10:51 +0000 jennie http://sonoranjv.org/beta/?p=1100 Project Description
The objective of this proposal is to develop and distribute the complete products of the Mapping Conservation Priorities of the Colorado River Delta Workshop. This binational workshop took place in Tijuana, Mexico on October 14-17, 2002. Working in interdisciplinary teams, participants had the opportunity to discuss the biophysical characteristics and ecological relationships of terrestrial and marine portions of the delta in Mexico. Based on this analysis, they defined conservation priority areas, their threats, and opportunities for conservation and restoration. We propose to distribute products resulting from the workshop, which include: (1) a bilingual report describing the identified priority areas for conservation, an ecological assessment of these areas, a hydrologic assessment of the quantity, quality, and timing of water flows required to support each of these areas, and the identified priority research needs; (2) a poster-sized map showing priority areas for conservation and a summary of their ecological importance, threats and opportunities for conservation; and (3) a Geographic Information System database with the general information available for the delta, the information used during the workshop, and the results from the workshop.

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Francisco Zamora
Sonoran Institute

]]> http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1100/sonoran-institute-mapping-the-possible-products-of-the-conservation-priorities-workshop-of-the-colorado-river-delta/feed 0 Proyecto Corredor Colibrí: Villa Verde restoration site monitoring, Sonora, Mexico http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1098/proyecto-corredor-colibri-villa-verde-restoration-site-monitoring-sonora-mexico http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1098/proyecto-corredor-colibri-villa-verde-restoration-site-monitoring-sonora-mexico#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 19:07:28 +0000 jennie http://sonoranjv.org/beta/?p=1098 Project Description
Much of the conservation work in the San Pedro Watershed of Arizona stops at the U.S. border, and areas located just a few miles south remain almost unknown. Villa Verde, a main tributary to the Upper San Pedro River, is located approximately 25 km southeast of the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area and the U.S.-Mexico border, in Sonora, Mexico. In 2002, Proyecto Corredor Colibrí, with the support the Sonoran Joint Venture, IMADES, The Nature Conservancy, and a large number of volunteers from both sides of the border, implemented a restoration project at Villa Verde with the goal of improving riparian habitat for Neotropical migratory birds by working with rural landowners to control erosion and grazing practices on their land. In order to appraise this project's utility for other landowners in the region, as well as future conservation projects, it is critical to gain a better understanding of the long-term effects of our efforts. This monitoring project will (1) gather baseline data to help quantify changes in bird and plant communities at the Villa Verde restoration site; and (2) assess the effectiveness of different restoration techniques for improving bird habitat.

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Jennie Duberstein

]]> http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1098/proyecto-corredor-colibri-villa-verde-restoration-site-monitoring-sonora-mexico/feed 0 PRBO Conservation Science: The Desert Bird Conservation Plan http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1095/prbo-conservation-science-the-desert-bird-conservation-plan http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1095/prbo-conservation-science-the-desert-bird-conservation-plan#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 19:04:04 +0000 jennie http://sonoranjv.org/beta/?p=1095 Project Description
Migrant and resident bird populations of the Mojave and Sonoran deserts of southeastern California, southern Nevada, western Arizona, and northwest Mexico face numerous threats. As development increases across these habitats, local and federal agencies will require a comprehensive guide for managing affected bird communities of the deserts. The Desert Bird Conservation Plan (BCP) will follow the content and style of previously completed California Partners In Flight bird conservation plans, based on the cornerstones of focal species, focal species accounts, and recommendations. Focal species accounts, distribution maps, and plan recommendations will be based on the most recent information available. This means the Desert BCP will be a living document, always subject to periodic revision. This project will allow PRBO to (1) organize, edit, and draft the eighth of California Partners In Flight's habitat-based bird conservation plans, the Desert Bird Conservation Plan; (2) secure agency, NGO, and private participation in the plan's creation; and (3) raise additional funds to assist Mexican researchers in contributing to the Desert Bird Conservation Plan.

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Chris McCreedy
Desert Bird Conservation Plan

]]> http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1095/prbo-conservation-science-the-desert-bird-conservation-plan/feed 0 PRBO Conservation Science: Capacity Building for Avian Monitoring and Conservation in Baja, California, Mexico http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1092/prbo-conservation-science-capacity-building-for-avian-monitoring-and-conservation-in-baja-california-mexico http://sonoranjv.org/beta/1092/prbo-conservation-science-capacity-building-for-avian-monitoring-and-conservation-in-baja-california-mexico#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 18:57:37 +0000 jennie http://sonoranjv.org/beta/?p=1092 Project Description
PRBO Conservation Science, with partners from the Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE) and Terra Peninsular, A.C., and support from the Sonoran Joint Venture, have been expanding collaborative, bi-national bird studies, training and monitoring programs, and conservation efforts in northwestern Baja California, with an emphasis on the seriously threatened riparian and coastal scrub habitats. The South Coast Ecoregion, which extends from Santa Barbara, California to the El Rosario area of Baja California, includes coastal scrub vegetation at low elevations, chaparral at mid-elevations, and mixed conifer forests at higher elevations. The ecoregion is under severe pressure from development and commercial interests; coastal scrub is the most threatened vegetation type in Baja California as it is particularly susceptible to coastal development projects on both sides of the border. Through this project we will (1) present a seven-day training course in avian monitoring methods to 10-15 students and staff from protected areas in Mexico; (2) provide intensive training in the form of internships or on-site tutoring to 4 students to gain proficiency in monitoring techniques; (3) further establish an outreach program to educate local communities and governmental officials about migratory bird conservation and habitat stewardship; and (4) initiate standardized monitoring of migrant and resident birds in coastal scrub, chaparral, and mixed conifer forests.

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Geoff Geupel
PRBO Conservation Science

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