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Arizona
Important Bird Areas Program / Tucson Audubon Society
IBA
Program Updates
Three new southern Arizona IBAs approved by Science Committee! (March 2007)
IBA volunteers conducting bird surveys were integral to their identification
The Arizona IBA Science Committee composed of biologists professors, and ornithologists from around the state met in Phoenix on January 26 to review proposed new IBAs in Arizona. With eight members in attendance and three others submitting comments, new IBA status was approved for the Upper Santa Cruz River, Sonoita Creek State Natural Area and Patagonia Lake, the Lower San Pedro River, and the Gilbert Riparian Institute (east of Phoenix).We now have 30 IBAs in Arizona (see www.tucsonaudubon.org/azibaprogram/ibalist.htm)!
The new Upper Santa Cruz River IBA, a long-time interest of Tucson Audubon, includes Tumacacori National Historical Park at its south end, extending 9.5 kilometers north through mostly private lands, and encompasses all of the Tucson Audubon-held conservation easement at Esperanza Ranch south of Amado. The IBA encompasses the cottonwood/willow gallery forest and all intact mesquite bosques along this reach of river. Key to this site’s identification were bird survey efforts by IBA teams at Tumacacori (led by Sue Carnahan and Curtis Smith, Cuckoo surveys by Colby Henley), Tubac-Juan Bautista de Anza Trail (first led by Sally Johnsen and Norma Miller, later by Dennis Jex), and at Esperanza (led by Craig Marken). Gray Hawk surveys were completed by the IBA Program with assistance from Dennis Jex.
This new IBA is recognized for its concentration of nesting Gray Hawks (6 pairs), Yellow-billed Cuckoo (~ 9 pairs), and dense populations of Lucy’sWarbler (12.5 detections/linear km. maximum at Tumacacori), Bell’s Vireo (4.5/linear km. max. at Esperanza), Broad-billed Hummingbird (5.73/linear km. max. at Tubac), and Abert’s Towhee (2.05/linear km. max. at Tubac), plus the presence of Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Varied Bunting, and Rufous-winged Sparrow, all of which are special conservation status species in Arizona. Yellow-breasted Chat, a riparian obligate species, was notably abundant at Tumacacori NHP (14.5/linear km.). Also, notable to the committee are the occurrence of nesting Lazuli and Indigo Buntings and Tropical Kingbird, which are rare nesting species in southern Arizona.
The new Sonoita Creek State Natural Area and Patagonia Lake IBA, was surveyed extensively by IBA Teams in 2005. Key to this
effort was the help from Arizona State Parks employees and volunteers, notably Ken Kingsley and Amy Gaiennie, Steven Haas
(Park Manager), Jen Parks (Park Ranger), and Joanne Roberts (ASP Resources Ecologist), along with Tucson Audubon members. This IBA was recognized for its nesting Gray Hawks (8 pairs), Yellow-billed Cuckoos (11-12 pairs), and its dense populations of Lucy’sWarbler (18.91/linear km. max. of 5 transects), Bell’s Vireo (9.88/linear km. max.), Broad-billed Hummingbird (1.64/linear km. max.), Abert’s Towhee (1.43/linear km. max.), and Yellow-breasted Chat (19.75/linear km. max.).
Additionally, this IBA was identified for its support of dense concentrations of spring migrants, in particular Summer Tanagers and Lucy’s and YellowWarblers (8.89 and 16.94/linear km. max., respectively). Rarer species also periodically occurring in the IBA include: Common Black-Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk, Green Kingfisher, Black-capped Gnatcatcher, Elegant Trogon, and Rufous-backed Robin. Patagonia Lake supports a significant wintering waterbird concentration of Double-crested and Neotropic Cormorants, Pied-billed and Eared Grebes, Virginia’s and Sora Rails, and Common Moorhens.
Lower San Pedro River IBA was surveyed by IBA Teams in 2006. Audubon and agency folks worked together to survey seven sites, from The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) Three Links Farm in the south, Bureau of Land Management, Salt River Project, Inc., and Bureau of Reclamation properties, north to TNC’s San Pedro Preserve at Dudleyville, AZ. Key to the approval of this IBA was Arizona’s largest population of SouthwesternWillow Flycatchers (> 40% of the nesting population in Arizona), an endangered species (157 pairs in the IBA), and dense nesting populations of Lucy’sWarbler (28 detections/linear km. max.) and Bell’s Vireo (13/linear km. max.), particularly at the 7B Ranch near Mammoth, AZ. Also, of significance was the extreme abundance of YellowWarbler (47/linear km. max.) and Bell’s Vireo (24/linear km. max.) during the spring migration period. Nesting raptor populations also were recognized as significant in Arizona; theyincluded: Mississippi Kite (~ 10 pairs), Gray Hawk, Common Black-Hawk and Zone-tailed Hawk. The Yellow-billed Cuckoo population is also of regional significance.
The Gilbert Riparian Institute IBA, comprised of two wetland complexes in Gilbert, AZ. This IBA was recognized as a key shorebird concentration site during spring and fall migration periods (~ 1100 shorebirds maximum), and during the winter period (~ 800 shorebirds maximum).Most abundant were Long-billed Dowitcher, Least Sandpiper, and Black-necked Stilt. A Maricopa Audubon team led data collection efforts for this IBA during 2004-2005.
The new IBA status for these sites elevates their recognition within Arizona, so that landowners and managers become aware of their significant avian populations. The IBA Program is non-regulatory, voluntary, and seeks to promote continued and enhanced good land stewardship for birds and their habitat. The program works to promote the long-term conservation of IBAs by providing species and habitat information to its partners, guidance on best management practices, grant support, advocacy, and participation in site
stewardship and monitoring.
We thank all the volunteers who continue to participate in our IBA teams as bird surveyors. These teams have provided the critical data that has allowed the IBA Program to move new IBA nominations forward to our Science Committee.We are now most excited to pursue new inventory and continued monitoring surveys to identify the most critical sites and habitats for our Arizona bird populations and to get our findings out to our partners and the public. Lastly, we are excited to begin outreach to landowners of these new Arizona IBAs to ensure their conservation long into the future!
Important Bird Areas Program Looks for a Few Heroic Birders (February 2006)
Now Available: Upper Santa Cruz River Avian Habitat Plan (December 2005 – January 2006)
Tufted Jays, Logging, and Marijuana—an IBA Story
Changes for 2005 in Arizona's Important Bird Areas Program (February 2005)
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This page was updated on 01/30/07