Project Description
The Chestnut-collared Longspur is a charismatic grassland bird that has declined by more than 87% since 1966, with an estimated 33% decline from 2003-2015. Tucson Audubon Society was awarded $8,600 to continue and expand ongoing survey efforts for the species at key grassland areas in southeast Arizona. With a focus on Las Cienegas NCA and San Rafael Grasslands Important Bird Areas, studies will include presence/absence, grass species identification, assessing and quantifying the properties of livestock water tanks/ponds as water resources for the birds, and the use of sound recorder technology. The long-term objective of this project is to determine best management practices for winter grassland habitat, and to create educational materials to help guide landowners and managers to support grassland bird conservation.