Bird Conservation Plan 2.1

Chapter 3   Avifaunal and Habitat Analysis   3.1   Species Assessment and Prioritization In preparing this Bird Conservation Plan for New Mexico, New Mexico Partners in Flight has followed the two step process of species assessment and prioritization developed by Partners in Flight (see Punjabi 2001 and the Partners in Flight Continental Plan, Rich et al. 2004). In this context, species assessment refers to the process of evaluating the biological vulnerability and conservation status of each species, through the application of a standardized scoring system; species prioritization refers to the use of assessment data to determine conservation priorities for the state. Thus, the assessment process produces a database of vulnerability scores, while prioritization produces a list of species of conservation concern, which may be further subdivided using various criteria. In general, New Mexico Partners in Flight has closely followed national Partners in Flight guidelines, with some modifications to reflect state interests and concerns.   3.1.1   Assessment The Partners in Flight assessment process is based on a series of biologically-based measures of conservation vulnerability. For each species in the planning area, a numerical score from one (lowest vulnerability) to five (highest vulnerability) is assigned for each measure. Methods and criteria for scoring have been continually tested, reviewed, and refined since the Partners in Flight species assessment process was first developed in 1991, and the scientific credibility of the system has been acknowledged by the American Ornithologists’ Union (Bissinger et al. 2000). For the purpose of species prioritization, a variety of measures or “vulnerability factors” are considered. Some of these (breeding distribution, non-breeding distribution, and population size) are assessed “globally”, meaning they convey information about the entire species population. Others (threats to breeding populations and habitats, threats to non-breeding populations and habitats, population trend, and local area importance) may be assessed for particular geographic regions. This plan uses global and North American scores for landbirds developed by Partners in Flight and maintained in the Partners in Flight Global Scores Database; comparable scores for shorebirds, water birds and waterfowl are drawn from national plans for these taxa; and local (state or regional) scores for threat to breeding, population trend, and area importance are assigned by New Mexico Partners in Flight. Vulnerability factors used in this plan, along with abbreviations and brief descriptions, are listed in Table 3.1 below. Additional details and specific scoring criteria for each measure are provided in Appendix B. Table 3.1   Vulnerability factors used in species assessment   Vulnerability Factor Description or Criteria  1 Distribution (the greater of the 2 following distribution scores) Global Breeding Distribution PIF continental species assessment   Global Non-breeding Distribution PIF continental species assessment  2 Threats (the greatest of the 3 following threat scores) Breeding Season Threats in North America PIF continental species assessment Non-breeding Season Threats PIF continental species assessment Breeding Season Threats in New Mexico NMPIF state species assessment  3 Global Population Size PIF continental species assessment  4 Local Population Trend (state or regional) NMPIF state species assessment, using Breeding Bird Survey data  5 Importance of New Mexico to Breeding NMPIF state species assessment, based on distribution and PIF state population estimates   3.1.2   Combined Scores In assessing vulnerability due to distribution, only the higher of the two (breeding and non-breeding distribution) global assigned scores is counted. In assessing vulnerability due to threats, only the highest of three (breeding in North America, breeding in New Mexico, and non-breeding) assigned scores is counted. This results in a set of five scoring factors for assessing vulnerability. This system is in general agreement with that adopted by Partners in Flight for species assessment nationally. Scores for all five factors may be summed to produce a combined score that represents a single, overall metric of conservation vulnerability. Combined scores for New Mexico birds have been calculated as follows: Combined Score = Distribution + Threats + Global Population Size + Local Population Trend + Importance of New Mexico to Breeding Note that by this five-variable formula, the maximum possible combined score is 25 and the minimum score is 5.   3.1.3   Prioritization New Mexico Partners in Flight has chosen to present its high priority species in two broad categories, which are further sub-divided according to degree of vulnerability. Conservation prioritization in a state, or other management unit, may be driven by two equally important concepts. Contributing to overall species conservation, in the state and larger continental context, and contributing to maintaining state biodiversity are distinct components of the New Mexico Partners in Flight plan, and it is often difficult to prioritize between the two. For example, many breeding species occur only as very small, peripheral populations in the state. Such species receive a low score of 1 for the vulnerability factor “Importance of New Mexico to Breeding”. In most cases, these are species for which Partners in Flight estimates that New Mexico supports less than one percent of the total breeding population. While the overall conservation status of such species may not be greatly affected by actions undertaken in New Mexico, maintaining breeding populations of these species is considered to be extremely important from a state biodiversity perspective. To recognize and address this challenge, New Mexico Partners in Flight presents lists of species of overall conservation concern under Species Conservation (SC) and species of concern in maintaining state biodiversity under Biodiversity Conservation (BC). Within each of these two lists, species are categorized into two levels of vulnerability (Table 3.2 below). Level 1 includes species of high conservation concern in either the SC or BC category (SC1 and BC1, respectively). For the most part, these are species facing moderate to severe threats and showing unknown or declining local population trends. They are considered to be species in need of immediate conservation action. Level 2 species are considered to be of moderate or potential conservation concern in either the SC or BC category (SC2 and BC2, respectively). They show some signs of vulnerability, and may warrant careful monitoring. The Species Conservation and Biodiversity Conservation categories are established based on the vulnerability factor “Importance of New Mexico to Breeding”. The species under Species Conservation are ranked as level 1 or level 2 based on the Combined Scores (greater than 16 for level 1 and 15 or 16 for level 2). Species with a slightly lower Combined Score of 14 still qualify as level 2 if they have moderate to high state-based vulnerability, as reflected in “Breeding Season Threats in New Mexico” and “Local Population Trend” scores. Species under Biodiversity Conservation are ranked as level 1 or level 2 according to the degree of threat they face in New Mexico, as indicated by “Breeding Season Threats in New Mexico” scores; however, those with Combined Scores of 11 or less are excluded. Table 3.2   Criteria for priority listings Priority List Abbreviation Formula Species Conservation           SC1 Importance of New Mexico to Breeding > 1 and  Level 1 Combined Score > 16 Species Conservation          SC2 Importance of New Mexico to Breeding > 1 and  Level 2 Combined Score = 15 or 16 or Importance of New Mexico to Breeding > 1 and  Combined Score = 14 and    Breeding Season Threats in New Mexico + Local Population Trends > 5 Biodiversity Conservation           BC1 Importance of New Mexico to Breeding = 1 and  Level 1 Breeding Season Threats in New Mexico > 3 Biodiversity Conservation           BC2 Importance of New Mexico to Breeding = 1 and  Level 2 Breeding Season Threats in New Mexico = 3 and Combined Score > 11       3.2   Stewardship Species In addition to assessment and prioritization of vulnerable species, Partners in Flight also stresses the importance of regional responsibility for all species for which a significant portion of the global population occurs in the planning region. The Partners in Flight North American Landbird Conservation Plan (Rich et al. 2004) designates stewardship species for very large areas designated as “avifaunal biomes”, each of which contains multiple Bird Conservation Regions. New Mexico lies at the intersection of three of these areas: the Intermountain West Avifaunal Biome (covering much of the western U.S. and southwestern Canada); the Southwest Avifaunal Biome (covering the Southwest and northern Mexico); and the Prairie Avifaunal Biome (covering the Midwest and north-central U.S.). Partners in Flight stewardship species are those with at least 50 or 75 percent (depending on biome size) of their global population occurring within one of these regions.  To identify stewardship species at the state level, New Mexico Partners in Flight consulted the Partners in Flight database of population estimates for the four Bird Conservation Region segments occurring in New Mexico. Species with an estimated 15 percent or more of their breeding population occurring in the state are considered state stewardship species, for which New Mexico has a high conservation responsibility. A small number of species were added to the stewardship list based on qualitative assessment of regional importance, in cases for which no numerical population estimate was available. The list of stewardship species for the state includes 16 species appearing on the SC1 or SC2 lists, and an additional 3 non-priority species.     It should be emphasized that Partners in Flight estimates of species populations and distribution by region are still being tested and refined. Efforts are currently underway to determine how best to “step down” global estimates to states and Bird Conservation Regions, and to assess the general validity of these totals based on local knowledge. As state and global population estimates are improved, percentage estimates and stewardship species lists are likely to change. However, New Mexico Partners in Flight believes the current system employed by Partners in Flight provides a solid foundation and accurately identifies the majority of species for which New Mexico bears particular conservation responsibility.   3.3   New Mexico Priority and Stewardship Species Lists Priority and stewardship species lists for New Mexico are shown in Table 3.3. Species are arranged taxonomically (not in order of priority) within each list. A”W” following the species name indicates national Partners in Flight Watch List status. “S-NM” indicates stewardship species for New Mexico. Stewardship species that are not also conservation priority species appear on a separate list below. “NM-E” or “NM-T” signifies state endangered or threatened status, as determined by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.  Table 3.3   New Mexico Priority and Stewardship Bird Species  Species Conservation 1  Species Conservation 2  Biodiversity Conservation 1  Biodiversity Conservation 2  Ferruginous Hawk  Eared Grebe  American Bittern  Western Grebe  Lesser Prairie-Chicken (W, S-NM)  Clark's Grebe  Common Black-Hawk (NM-T)  Neotropic Cormorant (NM-T)  Snowy Plover  Mississippi Kite  Aplomado Falcon (NM-E)  Least Bittern  Mountain Plover  Swainson's Hawk  Peregrine Falcon (NM-T)  Snowy Egret  Long-billed Curlew  Prairie Falcon  White-tailed Ptarmigan (NM-E)  Golden Eagle  Flammulated Owl (W)  Scaled Quail (W, S-NM)  Common Ground-Dove (NM-E)  Bald Eagle (NM-T)  Mexican Spotted Owl (W, S-NM)  Montezuma Quail  Yellow-billed Cuckoo  Northern Harrier  Lewis's Woodpecker (W)  Band-tailed Pigeon (W)  Boreal Owl (NM-T)  Blue Grouse  S. Willow Flycatcher (W, S-NM, NM-E)  Northern Pygmy-Owl  Black Swift (W)  Least Tern (NM-E)  Bell's Vireo (W, NM-T)  Elf Owl  Violet-crowned Hummingbird (NM-T)  Whiskered Screech-Owl (NM-T)  Gray Vireo (W, NM-T)  White-throated Swift (W)  Lucifer Hummingbird (NM-T)  Whip-poor-will  Pinyon Jay (W, S-NM)  Black-chinned Hummingbird (S-NM)       Elegant Trogon (W, NM-E)  Broad-billed Hummingbird (NM-T)       Juniper Titmouse (S-NM)  Broad-tailed Hummingbird (S-NM)  Red-headed Woodpecker  Magnificent Hummingbird  Bendire's Thrasher (W, S-NM)  Williamson's Sapsucker  Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet (NM-E)  Costa's Hummingbird (W, NM-T)  Virginia's Warbler (S-NM)  Red-naped Sapsucker  Thick-billed Kingbird (W, NM-E)  Belted Kingfisher  Lucy's Warbler (W)  Cordilleran Flycatcher (S-NM)  Bank Swallow  Gila Woodpecker (NM-T)  Grace's Warbler (W, S-NM)  Cassin's Kingbird (S-NM)  Veery  Arizona Woodpecker (W)  Red-faced Warbler (W)  Loggerhead Shrike  Sprague's Pipit (winter)  Olive-sided Flycatcher (W)  Black-chinned Sparrow (W)  Plumbeous Vireo (S-NM)  Abert's Towhee (W, NM-T)  Greater Pewee  Arizona Grasshopper Sparrow (NM-T)  Warbling Vireo  Botteri's Sparrow  Mexican Jay  McCown's Longspur (winter) (W)  Western Scrub-Jay  Baird's Sparrow (winter) (NM-T)  Bridled Titmouse  Total Species = 21  Western Bluebird (S-NM)  Yellow-eyed Junco (NM-T)  Mexican Chickadee    Mountain Bluebird  Painted Bunting (W)  Sage Thrasher  Additional Stewardship Species:  Crissal Thrasher (S-NM)  Bobolink  Wilson's Warbler  Say's Phoebe  Black-throated Gray Warbler  Total Species = 24  Olive Warbler  Chihuahuan Raven  Vesper Sparrow    Painted Redstart  Cassin's Sparrow  Black-throated Sparrow    Summer Tanager    Sage Sparrow    Grasshopper Sparrow    Lazuli Bunting    Varied Bunting (W, NM-T)    Bullock's Oriole    Dickcissel (W)    Total Species = 30    Hooded Oriole        Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (W)        Total Species = 32   3.4   Patterns of Diversity and Vulnerability The following sections describe some general patterns in the distribution of New Mexico’s priority bird species, from taxonomic, regional, and habitat-based perspectives. Such patterns can be useful in determining underlying causes of species vulnerability, and in informing and prioritizing conservation and management efforts for species and habitats.    3.4.1   Taxonomic Patterns Distribution of New Mexico’s breeding birds by taxonomic group and priority status is shown in Table 3.4. Taxonomic divisions are by family, although in a few cases, two or more closely related and ecologically similar families have been lumped together. Families with a high degree of representation on the priority lists may be the groups from which additional priority species are most likely to emerge in the future, and managers are urged to keep an eye on the status and trends of all species in these taxa.  Overall, 38% of New Mexico’s regularly breeding bird species appear on one of the four priority lists. Taxonomic groups which include three or more species overall and that show a disproportionately high degree of vulnerability (the priority species represent 50% or more of the group’s member species) include grebes, falcons, grouse/quail, plovers, owls, swifts, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, vireos, and warblers. Taxonomic groups which include three or more species but that show a disproportionately low degree of vulnerability (the species in priority lists represent less than 25% of the group’s member species) include waterfowl, rails, swallows, nuthatches/creepers, wrens, and finches.  As may be expected, many of the taxa with the largest number of members contain the largest number of priority species. Overall numbers of priority species are highest for sparrows (11), warblers (8), hawks (7), owls, and woodpeckers (6 each). Conversely, some taxonomic groups with a large number of members contain few, if any, priority species (e.g., geese and ducks). Groups in which a quarter or more of the membership is considered to be of highest conservation priority in either the Species or Biodiversity Conservation categories (SC1 or BC1) include falcons, grouse/quail, plovers, owls, vireos, warblers, and sparrows. Groups with three or more species in the Species Conservation category (SC1 or SC2) include hawks, grouse/quail, owls, woodpeckers, flycatchers, vireos, warblers, and sparrows. Groups with three or more species in the Biodiversity Conservation category (BC1 or BC2) include herons, hawks, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, flycatchers, warblers, sparrows, and blackbirds. High vulnerability is present both in groups that are highly migratory and in groups comprised of predominantly resident species. The concentration of level 1 and 2 species is somewhat difficult to interpret in terms of biological or ecological characteristics of these taxa. Most of these groups include priority members representing a variety of different habitat types. Raptors, water-associated species, gallinaceous species, woodpeckers, thrashers, foliage-gleaning insectivores (warblers and vireos), and lowland sparrows all are strongly represented, encompassing a broad range of migratory, foraging, and life history strategies. Table 3.4   Priority status by taxonomic group  Taxonomic Group                                  NM Regular Breeding Species Species Conservation 1 Species Conservation 2 Biodiversity Conservation 1 Biodiversity Conservation 2 Total Priority Species   Grebes  4  -  2   -   1  3 (75%)  Cormorants  2  -  -  -  1  1 (50%)  Bitterns & Herons  9  -  -  1  2   3 (33%)   Ibises  1  -  -  -  -  -   Vultures  1  -  -  -  -  -  Geese & Ducks  15  -  -  -  -  -  Kites, Eagles & Hawks  15  1  2  1  3  7 (47%)  Falcons  3  -  1  2  -  3 (100%)  Grouse, Turkeys & Quail  8  1  2  1  1  5 (56%)  Rails, Gallinules & Coots  4  -  -  -  -  -  Plovers  3  2  -  -  -  2 (67%)  Stilts & Avocets  2  -  -  -  -  -  Sandpipers & Phalaropes  4  1  -  -  -  1 (25%)  Gulls & Terns  1  -  -  -  1  1 (100%)  Pigeons & Doves  5  -  1  1  -  2 (40%)  Cuckoos & Roadrunners  2  -  -  1  -  1 (50%)  Owls (Including Barn Owl)  12  2  2  1  1   6 (50%)   Nighthawks  4  -  -  -  1  1 (25%)  Swifts  3  -  1  1  -   2 (67%)   Hummingbirds  7  -  2  2  3   7 (100%)   Trogons  1  -  -  1  -  1 (100%)  Kingfishers  1  -  -  -  1  1 (100%)  Woodpeckers  12  1  2  1  2  6 (50%)  Flycatchers  21  1  2  2  2  7 (33%)  Shrikes  1  -  1  -  -  1 (100%)  Vireos  5  2  2  -  -  4 (80%)  Jay, Magpies & Crows  11  1  1  -  1  3 (27%)  Larks  1  -  -  -  -  -  Swallows  8  -  -  1  -  1 (12%)  Chickadees, Titmice & Bushtits  7  1  -  -  2  3 (43%)  Nuthatches & Creepers  4  -  -  -  -  -  Wrens  6  -  -  -  -  -  Dippers  1  -  -  -  -  -  Kinglets  2  -  -  -  -  -  Gnatcatchers  2  -  -  -  -  -  Thrushes  8  -  2  1  -  3 (37%)  Mockingbirds & Thrashers  7  1  1  -  1  3 (43%)  Pipits  1  -  -  1  -  1 (100%)  Silky-Flycatchers  1  -  -  -  -  -  Warblers (Including Olive Warbler)  14  4  1  -  3  8 (57%)  Tanagers  3  -  -  -  1  1 (33%)  Sparrows  23  3  3  4  1  11 (48%)  Cardinals, Grosbeaks & Buntings  8  -  1  1  1  3 (37%)  Blackbirds, Orioles & Other Icterids  15  -  1  1  2  4 (27%)  Finches  10  -  -  -  1  1 (10%)   3.4.2   Regional Patterns New Mexico contains portions of four Bird Conservation Regions (see section 2.6 for a description). Table 3.5 shows the total number of breeding and priority-status species within each of the state’s four Bird Conservation Regions (including only the portion of those regions within New Mexico). The totals shown are for regularly-breeding species in each region; irregular or marginal breeders are not included.  Breeding species diversity is fairly consistent across Southern Rocky Mountains, Chihuahuan Desert, and Sierra Madre Occidental regions of New Mexico. Each of these regions contains roughly three-fourths of the species breeding in the state. High regional diversity is maintained in each of these areas by the presence of multiple habitats ranging from high elevation coniferous forests to arid lowlands. The portion of the Sierra Madre Occidental region in New Mexico is significantly smaller, however, and thus when area is considered, this Bird Conservation Region is certainly the most species-rich region of the state. The number of breeding species decreases somewhat in the mostly prairie Shortgrass Prairie region. The pattern for priority species totals is similar to that of breeding species. The priority species component of regional species pools ranges from a low of 22% in the Shortgrass Prairie (Bird Conservation Region 18) to a high of 37% in the Sierra Madre Occidental (Bird Conservation Region 34). In each region, there are more species in the species conservation (SC1 and SC2) categories than the biodiversity conservation (BC1 and BC2) categories. The difference is smallest in the Sierra Madre Occidental (Bird Conservation Region 34), which contains the highest number of Biodiversity Conservation priority species.  The last two columns list numbers of species unique to a single Bird Conservation Region within New Mexico. Together, the portion of Bird Conservation Regions 16 and 34 in New Mexico contain a significant majority of the state’s unique breeding and unique priority species. In this respect, these two regions may be of particular conservation importance. Note also that 13 of the 15 unique breeding species in the Sierra Madre Occidental are considered conservation priorities.  Table 3.5   Distribution of priority status for breeding species by BCR segment. Unique species are those breeding regularly in only one region.    Bird Conservation Region                                                  Total Breeding Species  Total Priority Species Species Conservation (SC1 & SC2) Species  Biodiversity Conservation (BC1 & BC2) Species  Unique Breeding Species Unique Priority Species  16. Southern Rocky Mountains  223  67 (30%)  42  25  22  8  34. Sierra Madre Occidental  208  76 (37%)  41  35  15  14  35. Chihuahuan Desert  222  72 (32%)  40  32  7  3  18. Shortgrass Prairie  157  35 (22%)  22  13  4  2   3.4.3   Habitat Associations The breeding status of New Mexico’s species across habitat types was recently reviewed by New Mexico Partners in Flight. The state’s avifauna includes specialist species present in only one or two habitat types, and generalists that range across many types. The set of species associated with a particular habitat type may in a loose sense be considered an avian “community”, as many of these species will likely co-occur in areas where the habitat is present. However, no attempt was made to identify “typical” bird communities associated with different habitat types. Some habitats, such as Mixed Conifer Forest or Plains-Mesa Grassland, may differ markedly in species composition in different parts of the state. It should also be noted that the association of a species with a habitat type does not mean the species is likely to be present in all areas where the habitat occurs. Species known only from Guadalupe Canyon, for example, will be associated with Southwest Riparian habitat, but this habitat is distributed across a much wider area.  A complete list of habitat associations for all New Mexico species is provided in Appendix D. Associations for priority species are also shown in Table 3.6 below. In each case, an effort was made to identify all habitats in which the species breeds on a regular basis, and also to single out one or two “primary” habitat types with which the species is principally associated in New Mexico. Primary habitats are those which experts believe may contain a third or more of a species population in the state. Species have no primary designation if breeding is spread out fairly evenly across multiple habitat types.  As every birder knows, species often show up in areas that might not be considered the “right” habitat. Thus, habitat designations are necessarily imprecise and subjective, and are meant to serve only as a rough guide to species-habitat relationships of particular conservation importance. Additional details on habitat requirements for priority species can be found in the species accounts. Figure 3.1 shows the distribution of New Mexico’s breeding bird species across habitat types. For comparative purposes, habitats are loosely arranged from higher elevation and/or more northern types, on the left, to lower/southern types on the right. Cliff, agricultural, and urban types are separated on the far right. Breeding species diversity in New Mexico is highest in low and middle elevation riparian areas, and in forests ranging from pinyon-juniper woodland up to mixed conifer. Shrublands and grasslands show less overall diversity, although some grassland types show strong species-habitat relationships, as indicated by a relatively high percentage of species with primary breeding associations. The same is true for wetlands, due to the many water-associated species that breed largely or exclusively in these areas. Note that agricultural and urban habitats contain moderately high species totals, though a low degree of primary association.  Figure 3.1   New Mexico breeding birds by habitat type.   3.4.4   Distribution of Vulnerability by Habitat Type Understanding the distribution of priority and stewardship species across habitat types is essential to effective conservation planning. The identification of habitats where priority species occur in the largest numbers, or where threats are perceived to be the greatest, can help prioritize conservation management for these areas.  Several different approaches can be taken for analyzing vulnerability by habitat type, each of which may yield important but somewhat different information. This section presents the results of three such approaches. The first is a simple tally of priority species in each habitat type. This shows where the largest numbers of priority species are located. The second approach compares percentages of priority and non-priority species among habitat types. This highlights habitat types that may be lower in overall species richness but whose breeding species tend to be more vulnerable. The third approach compares averages of species assessment scores across habitat types, regardless of priority list designation. This reveals habitats where certain indices of vulnerability, such as population trend or threat, are particularly high. A list of habitat associations of New Mexico priority species appears in Table 3.6. Species are grouped by priority list (Species Conservation, SC, and Biodiversity Conservation, BC) and level of concern (level 1 and 2). Within each group, species are listed in taxonomic order. Table 3.6   Habitat associations for New Mexico’s priority bird species Species List Primary Breeding Habitats Additional Breeding Habitats Ferruginous Hawk SC1 PMG PJW, GBS, PMS, AGR Lesser Prairie-Chicken SC1 PMS - Snowy Plover SC1 WET - Mountain Plover SC1 PMG CDG Long-billed Curlew SC1 PMG - Flammulated Owl SC1 MCF, PPF MPO Mexican Spotted Owl SC1 MCF, PPF SFF, MOR, MPO Lewis’s Woodpecker  SC1 PPF, MER MOR, AGR Southwestern Willow Flycatcher  SC1 MER, SWR MOR Bell’s Vireo SC1 MER, SWR CDS Gray Vireo SC1 PJW, MOS GBS, CDS Pinyon Jay  SC1 PJW PPF Juniper Titmouse  SC1 PJW MPO Bendire’s Thrasher  SC1   PJW, GBS, PMG, CDS Virginia’s Warbler  SC1 PPF, MOS MCF, PJW, MPO Lucy’s Warbler SC1 SWR MER Grace’s Warbler  SC1 PPF MCF, MPO Red-faced Warbler  SC1 MCF, PPF MOR Black-chinned Sparrow  SC1 MOS PJW Grasshopper Sparrow (ammolegus) SC1 CDG - McCown’s Longspur (winter) SC1 (CDG) (AGR) Eared Grebe SC2 WET - Clark’s Grebe SC2 WET - Mississippi Kite SC2 URB AGR, MER Swainson’s Hawk SC2 - PMG, PMS, CDG, CDS, AGR, GBS Prairie Falcon SC2 CLI (Forages widely) Scaled Quail  SC2 PMG, CDG GBS, PMS, CDS, AGR Montezuma Quail SC2 PJW, MPO PPF Band-tailed Pigeon SC2 MCF, PPF SFF, MPO Northern Pygmy-Owl SC2 MCF, PPF SFF, MPO Elf Owl SC2 MPO, SWR - White-throated Swift SC2 CLI (Forages widely) Black-chinned Hummingbird SC2 MER, SWR URB Broad-tailed Hummingbird SC2 MCF, PPF SFF, PJW, MOR, WMG Williamson’s Sapsucker  SC2 MCF PPF Red-naped Sapsucker SC2 MCF SFF, PPF, MOR Cordilleran Flycatcher SC2 MCF SFF, PPF, MOR Cassin’s Kingbird SC2 - PPF, PJW, MPO, MER, SWR, AGR Loggerhead Shrike SC2 - PJW, GBS, PMS, PMG, CDS, CDG, AGR Plumbeous Vireo SC2 MCF, PPF PJW, MOR, MPO, SWR Warbling Vireo SC2 MCF, MOR SFF, PPF, MER Western Scrub-Jay SC2 PJW MPO, MOS, URB Western Bluebird SC2 PJW, MPO PPF, MOR Mountain Bluebird  SC2 PJW MOR, WMG, GBS Crissal Thrasher  SC2 PJW, CDS MOS, MER, SWR Black-throated Gray Warbler SC2 PJW, MPO - Vesper Sparrow SC2 GBS, PMG PJW, WMG, PMS Black-throated Sparrow SC2 CDS GBS, PMS Sage Sparrow SC2 GBS - Lazuli Bunting SC2 MOS, MER - Bullock’s Oriole SC2 MER SWR, CDS, AGR American Bittern BC1 WET - Common Black-Hawk BC1 SWR MER Aplomado Falcon BC1 CDG - Peregrine Falcon BC1 CLI (Forages widely) White-tailed Ptarmigan BC1 ALP - Common Ground-Dove BC1 SWR CDS, AGR Yellow-billed Cuckoo BC1 MER, SWR AGR, URB Boreal Owl BC1 SFF - Black Swift BC1 MOR (Forages widely) Violet-crowned Hummingbird BC1 SWR - Lucifer Hummingbird BC1 MOS, CDS - Elegant Trogon BC1 MOR, SWR - Red-headed Woodpecker BC1 MER AGR Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet BC1 SWR - Thick-billed Kingbird BC1 SWR - Bank Swallow BC1 MER PMS (Forages widely) Veery BC1 MOR - Sprague’s Pipit (winter) BC1 (CDG) - Abert’s Towhee BC1 SWR - Botteri’s Sparrow BC1 CDG - Baird’s Sparrow (winter) BC1 (CDG) - Yellow-eyed Junco BC1 MCF PPF Painted Bunting BC1 MER, CDS AGR Bobolink BC1 WMG, AGR - Western Grebe BC2 WET - Neotropic Cormorant BC2 WET MER Least Bittern BC2 WET - Snowy Egret BC2 WET MER Golden Eagle BC2 CLI - Bald Eagle BC2 MER, WET, SWR - Northern Harrier BC2 WET PMG, CDS, CDG Blue Grouse BC2 MCF SFF, PPF Least Tern BC2 WET - Whiskered Screech-Owl BC2 MPO, MOR, SWR - Whip-poor-will BC2 PPF MCF, MPO Broad-billed Hummingbird BC2 SWR - Magnificent Hummingbird BC2 PPF, MPO MCF, SWR Costa’s Hummingbird BC2 MOS, CDS SWR Belted Kingfisher BC2 MER MOR, SWR, WET Gila Woodpecker BC2 SWR - Arizona Woodpecker BC2 MPO, SWR - Olive-sided Flycatcher BC2 MCF SFF, PPF Greater Pewee BC2 MCF, PPF - Mexican Jay BC2 MPO SWR Bridled Titmouse BC2 MPO, SWR PJW Mexican Chickadee BC2 MCF PPF, MPO Sage Thrasher BC2 GBS - Wilson’s Warbler BC2 MOR - Olive Warbler BC2 MCF, PPF - Painted Redstart BC2 MOR MCF, MPO, SWR Summer Tanager BC2 MER, SWR - Grasshopper Sparrow BC2 PMG CDG, AGR Varied Bunting BC2 CDS SWR Dickcissel BC2 PMG, AGR - Hooded Oriole BC2 SWR MER, CDS Brown-capped Rosy-Finch BC2 ALP -   ALP Alpine Tundra; SFF Spruce-Fir Forest; MCF Mixed Conifer Forest; PPF Ponderosa Pine Forest; PJW Pinyon-Juniper Woodland; MOR Montane Riparian; MPO Madrean Pine-Oak Woodland; MOS Montane Shrub; WMG Wet Meadows and Montane Grasslands; MER Middle-Elevation Riparian; SWR Southwest Riparian; WET Emergent Wetlands and Lakes; GBS Great Basin Shrub; PMS Plains-Mesa Sand Shrub; PMG Plains-Mesa Grassland; CDS Chihuahuan Desert Shrub; CDG Chihuahuan Desert Grassland; CLI Cliff/Cave; AGR Agricultural; URB Urban.   Priority Species Totals The number of priority species (Species Conservation Concern and Biodiversity Concern) by habitat type is shown in Figure 3.2. Figure 3.2   Priority species by habitat type Overall, the pattern for priority species numbers is similar to that for all breeding species (see Figure 3.1), with a peak in riparian areas and a second peak in montane coniferous forests. Southwest Riparian contains the largest number of priority species, with 31. Note, however, that when only species on the Species Conservation list (SC1 and SC2) are considered, the pattern is somewhat different. The habitats containing the highest number of SC1 and SC2 species are Pinyon-Juniper Woodland and Ponderosa Pine Forest with 18 each and Madrean Pine-Oak Woodland with 14.  Riparian and wetland areas contain only a moderate number of SC1 and SC2 species, but far more species on the Biodiversity Conservation list (BC1 and BC2) than other habitat types. These habitats support high biodiversity and are critical to many species considered vulnerable in the state of New Mexico. It should be remembered that the New Mexico state list includes a number of Partners in Flight Watchlist species of continental importance (see Table 3.3). However, it is the state’s non-riparian woodlands and dry pine forests that contain the highest numbers of species of range-wide conservation concern.  Figure 3.2 also shows that some grassland and shrubland habitats contain fairly high numbers of SC1 and SC2 species, despite the fact that overall diversity in these habitats is lower than in montane forests. This pattern is explored further in the following section.    Community Composition Priority species (Species Conservation Concern and Biodiversity Concern) as a percentage of the total species pool for each habitat type is shown in Figure 3.3. Figure 3.3   Priority species representation in habitat assemblages Priority species (all types) comprise between 22 and 47 percent of the breeding species pool in all major natural habitat types in New Mexico. Habitats with the greatest percentage of priority species include Madrean Pine-Oak Woodland (47%), Southwest Riparian (44%), Great Basin Shrub (43%), and Chihuahuan Desert Grassland (43%). Habitats with the highest percentage of Species Conservation concern (SC1 and SC2) species include Great Basin Shrub (39%), Pinyon-Juniper Woodland (31%), Ponderosa Pine Forest (25%), and Montane Riparian (25%). These high percentages indicate that although other habitats may contain more priority species, community-wide vulnerability is greatest in several grassland, shrubland, and dry woodland habitats. Figure 3.3 also shows that Biodiversity Conservation concern (BC1 and BC2) species constitute a significant percentage of the breeding species in Chihuahuan Desert and riparian habitats. Particularly remarkable is Southwest Riparian, for which 31% of the total breeding species are considered biodiversity priorities. It should be kept in mind here that biodiversity list species are ones for which less than 1% of the total breeding population resides in New Mexico, and which also rank highly for other vulnerability factors. That such species comprise over a quarter of the breeding birds present along southern New Mexico’s rivers and streams highlights the fragile nature of riparian communities and the importance of remaining riparian habitat. This analysis shows how species vulnerability may translate into ecological vulnerability at the community and ecosystem level. A number of habitat types in New Mexico show a significant percentage of their breeding bird species to be at risk. New Mexico Partners in Flight believes a high priority should be placed on maintaining the integrity of bird assemblages and communities in habitats where vulnerability is high. Particularly important from this perspective are habitats that might be overlooked if conservation efforts focused solely on those types containing the highest overall numbers of priority species. The importance of non-riparian woodland and riparian habitat types has already been noted. This analysis suggests that Great Basin Shrub and Chihuahuan Desert Grassland types also warrant careful attention.     Average Species Assessment Scores Average species assessment scores for selected variables, by habitat, are shown in Tables 3.7 – 3.9. The averages are for all species designated as having a primary breeding affiliation with a particular habitat (not just conservation priority species). The tables present average assigned vulnerability scores for Breeding Season Threats in New Mexico, Local Population Trend, and the Combined score which is the total of all vulnerability factors. (For each factor a numerical score from 1 to 5 was assigned, with 5 indicating the highest degree of vulnerability. Species assessment and scoring are explained in detail in section 3.1.)  Table 3.7 below shows the ranking of average Breeding Season Threats in New Mexico scores by habitat, among species with a primary habitat affiliation. The number of such species is shown in parentheses. For all species across all habitats, the average Breeding Season Threats in New Mexico score is 2.37.  The local threat score reflects degree of concern over present and future breeding habitat conditions. Habitat types for which the greatest concern exists, based on species vulnerability scoring, are Chihuahuan Desert Grassland, Southwest Riparian, Pinyon-Juniper Woodland, Alpine Tundra, and Great Basin Desert Shrub.  Table 3.7  Breeding Season Threats in New Mexico scores by habitat  1.  Chihuahuan Desert Grassland (9)  3.11  2.  Southwest Riparian (34)  2.91  3.  Pinyon-Juniper Woodland (12)  2.75  4.  Alpine Tundra (4)  2.75  5.  Great Basin Desert Shrub (6)  2.67  6.  Montane Riparian (14)  2.64  7.  Montane Shrub (11)  2.64  8.  Madrean Pine-Oak Woodland (13)  2.62  9.  Plains-Mesa Sand Shrub (6)  2.50  10.  Cliff/Cave (10)  2.50  11.  Plains-Mesa Grassland (20)  2.45  12.  Ponderosa Pine Forest (25)  2.44  13.  Middle-Elevation Riparian (37)  2.38  14.  Wet Meadows and Montane Grasslands (6)  2.33  15.  Mixed Conifer Forest (43)  2.30  16.  Chihuahuan Desert Shrub (19)  2.26  17.  Emergent Wetlands and Lakes (46)  2.26  18.  Spruce-Fir Forest (17)  2.18 Table 3.8 below shows the ranking of average Local Population Trend scores by habitat, among species with a primary habitat affiliation. The number of such species is shown in parentheses. For all species across all habitats, the average LPT score is 2.73. Table 3.8   Local Population Trend scores by habitat  1.  Great Basin Shrub (6)  4.00  2.  Pinyon-Juniper Woodland (12)  3.58  3.  Plains-Mesa Grassland (20)  3.25  4.  Chihuahuan Desert Grassland (9)  3.00  5.  Plains-Mesa Shrub (6)  3.00  6.  Cliff/Cave (10)  2.90  7.  Montane Riparian (14)  2.86  8.  Wet Meadows and Montane Grasslands (6)  2.83  9.  Spruce-Fir Forest (17)  2.76  10.  Emergent Wetlands and Lakes (46)  2.76  11.  Alpine Tundra (4)  2.75  12.  Mixed Conifer Forest (43)  2.74  13.  Ponderosa Pine Forest (25)  2.68  14.  Middle-Elevation Riparian (37)  2.62  15.  Madrean Pine-Oak Woodland (13)  2.62  16.  Chihuahuan Desert Shrub (19)  2.58  17.  Montane Shrub (11)  2.55  18.  Southwest Riparian (34)  2.53 Because habitat loss is the most common cause of population decline, local trend scores MAY reflect the condition of New Mexico breeding habitat in recent decades. However, negative  trends locally may be caused by other factors, such as conditions elsewhere in the breeding range or on wintering grounds. Habitat types for which affiliated species show the most negative population trends in New Mexico and surrounding regions are Great Basin Desert Shrub, Pinyon-Juniper Woodland, Plains-Mesa Grassland, Chihuahuan Desert Grassland, and Plains-Mesa Sand Shrub. Although only six species have a primary breeding affiliation with Great Basin Desert Shrub, the very high average Local Population Trend score of 4 among these species is noteworthy. Table 3.8 also indicates that declines in grassland species are significant and widespread. The habitat types Plains-Mesa Grassland and Chihuahuan Desert Grassland include the vast majority of New Mexico grassland areas, and both rank in the top 5 in this index of species population decline.  Table 3.9 shows the ranking of average Combined Scores by habitat, among species with a primary habitat affiliation. The number of such species is shown in parentheses. For all species across all habitats, the average Combined Score is 12.28. Table 3.9   Ranking of average Combined Scores by habitat  1.  Pinyon-Juniper Woodland (12)  16.33  2.  Great Basin Shrub (6)  15.17  3.  Plains-Mesa Sand Shrub (6)  15.00  4.  Chihuahuan Desert Grassland (9)  14.67  5.  Montane Shrub (11)  14.55  6.  Plains-Mesa Grassland (20)  13.95  7.  Ponderosa Pine Forest (25)   13.80  8.  Madrean Pine-Oak Woodland (13)  13.77  9.  Chihuahuan Desert Shrub (19)  13.53  10.  Southwest Riparian (34)  13.15  11.  Cliff/Cave (10)  12.60  12.  Montane Riparian (14)  12.36  13.  Mixed Conifer Forest (43)  12.19  14.  Alpine Tundra (4)  12.00  15.  Middle-Elevation Riparian (37)  11.95  16.  Emergent Wetlands and Lakes (46)  11.46  17.  Wet Meadows and Montane Grasslands (6)  10.50  18.  Spruce-Fir Forest (17)  10.35 The data presented in Table 3.9 may be seen as a direct translation of species assessment scoring to habitat types. The habitats shown are ranked in overall vulnerability, as indicated by the status of the species that depend on these environments for breeding. Several biases in this presentation should be noted. Habitats with higher species diversity overall are likely to have more common and non-priority species, lowering their average combined vulnerability score. Note also that Biodiversity Conservation concern species (BC1 and BC2) and other species estimated to have less than one percent of their global population present in the state receive a low score of 1 for the variable Importance of New Mexico to Breeding. Consequently, average Combined Scores are lowered somewhat for habitats like Southwest Riparian, which contain a large percentage of such species. Overall vulnerability scores among primary habitat affiliates are highest for Pinyon-Juniper Woodland, Great Basin Desert Shrub, Plains-Mesa Sand Shrub, Chihuahuan Desert Grassland, and Montane Shrub. Additional perspective may be provided by comparing these average scores with the criteria for priority listing used for individual species. Note that the average Pinyon-Juniper-affiliate, with a Combined Score of 16.33, qualifies for Species Conservation Level 1 (SC1) designation. Additionally, average affiliated breeding species for Great Basin Desert Shrub, Plains-Mesa Sand Shrub, Chihuahuan Desert Grassland, and Montane Shrub meet criteria for Species Conservation Level 2 (SC2) designation. Plains-Mesa Grassland, Ponderosa Pine Forest, and Madrean Pine-Oak Woodland have averages just below the SC2 cutoff. This analysis shows that in a number of New Mexico habitats, vulnerability of the most habitat-dependent species is not unusual, but rather the norm. Average Combined Scores for ALL species known to breed in each habitat tend to be lower than the scores shown in Table 3.9, which only include species with a primary breeding affiliation to a given type. This may be simply because of the larger sample size when all breeding species are included; alternatively, it may suggest a correlation between habitat-dependence and vulnerability. Species for which Pinyon-Juniper is primary breeding habitat, for example, have a Combined Score average of 16.33; the average for all species breeding in Pinyon-Juniper is 12.47. The same pattern holds for 8 of the top 10 habitats in Table 3.9, although the differences between the two scores are usually less. Among 37 New Mexico landbird species for which no primary breeding affiliation was assigned, the average combined vulnerability score was 10.19. Among 197 landbird species with primary affiliations to one or more habitats, the average was 12.75.   Distribution of Vulnerability – Summary Species groups characteristic of different habitat types show different degrees of vulnerability.  The analyses presented above are intended to highlight habitats in New Mexico that have the greatest need for bird conservation. Some habitat types rank highly in all three analyses, others in only one or two. Ponderosa Pine and Mixed Conifer habitats, for example, contain some of the highest priority species totals overall, although they do not rank among the most vulnerable habitats as measured by scoring averages. Other habitats with more restricted distributions in New Mexico contain high percentages of priority species with high average scores.  Overall, habitats that stand out as showing the greatest need for conservation attention include Southwest Riparian, Chihuahuan Desert Grassland, Great Basin Desert Shrub, Pinyon-Juniper Woodland, Madrean Pine-Oak Woodland, and Ponderosa Pine Forest.    3.5   Priority Habitats Based on the results of the avifaunal analysis, and expert opinion regarding conservation issues and opportunities in New Mexico, New Mexico Partners in Flight has divided the state’s habitat types into three levels of concern. The system used for prioritizing habitats is the same one used by the Intermountain West Joint Venture for its Coordinated Implementation Plan for Bird Conservation in New Mexico. Under this system, habitats are ranked according to three criteria: 1) importance to birds, including but not restricted to priority species; 2) degree of threat; and 3) opportunities for habitat protection, restoration and enhancement. Habitats were sorted into Highest, High, and Moderate priority categories based on combined scores for importance and threat, with opportunity scores noted. Results of the habitat ranking are shown in Table 3.10.     Table 3.10   New Mexico Habitat Rankings. The number in parentheses is the score given for conservation opportunity: 1 = high, 2 = moderate, 3 = low.  Priority A: Highest  Priority B: High  Priority C: Moderate to Low  Chihuahuan Desert Grassland (2)  Plains-Mesa Grassland (2)  Spruce-Fir Forest (3)  Southwest Riparian (1)  Wet Meadows and Montane Grassland (2)  Cliff/Cave (3)  Middle Elevation Riparian (1)  Alpine Tundra (3)  Agricultural (1)  Emergent Wetlands and Lakes (1)  Montane Riparian (2)  Urban (1)  Madrean Pine-Oak Woodland (3)  Chihuahuan Desert Shrub (3)    Pinyon-Juniper Woodland (2)  Plains-Mesa Sand Shrub (1)    Ponderosa Pine Forest (2)  Montane Shrub (3)      Great Basin Shrub (1)      Mixed Conifer Forest 2)     3.6   Developing Management Recommendations, Conservation Goals and Biological Objectives After assessing the status of species and habitats, and setting conservation priorities, the next step in the Partners in Flight planning process is to develop detailed species and habitat accounts including management recommendations and biologically-based conservation objectives. Over time, New Mexico Partners in Flight will develop comprehensive guidelines and best management practices for individual habitat types, based on priority and opportunity as summarized in section 3.5. Management recommendations for species are drawn from the ornithological and ecological literature, aided by expert knowledge within New Mexico.  Ideally, a conservation plan should include specific, quantifiable objectives for the maintenance and/or recovery of all priority species and habitats. Such objectives provide a standard towards which conservation efforts may be applied and their success evaluated. Frequently, however, the information needed to set biologically sound and measurable recovery goals is not yet available.  In such cases, carrying out the research and monitoring needed to better understand species status, requirements, and trends may itself be a primary objective. Until precise data become available, additional objectives are often expressed in broadly qualitative terms, such as maintaining known populations or reversing negative trends.  New Mexico Partners in Flight has developed a set of broad, statewide goals towards which its activities and this Bird Conservation Plan are directed. In addition, biological objectives have been developed and are being refined. Species objectives appear at the end of each priority species account in Chapter Four. We view all statements concerning biological objectives as flexible and in need of improvement in subsequent revisions of this plan. The general trend should be towards scientifically justifiable, practically achievable targets, expressed in (for example) population sizes or habitat acres.    3.6.1   Integrating State and National (or Continental) Goals and Objectives New Mexico Partners in Flight recognizes species population objectives set by Partners in Flight in its Continental Plan (Rich et al. 2004), which may be “stepped down” to state and regional levels. We are currently working with Partners in Flight and its Western Working Group to develop protocols for stepping down national objectives, testing the accuracy of state population estimates, and determining the relative contribution each state can make towards achieving population targets. This will ultimately require improved data on species distributions and breeding population densities, and area of suitable or potentially restorable habitat statewide. As this process moves forward, the precision, utility, and achievability of conservation objectives will increase.  Our broad goals for bird conservation in New Mexico are to: Keep all common species reasonably common Keep all native species well distributed throughout their natural range Keep all priority species populations stable and self-sustaining Accomplish all of the above by maintaining or restoring sufficient quality habitat of all types. Additional goals of New Mexico Partners in Flight are to: Help agencies and conservation organizations develop programs to satisfy research and monitoring needs for effective, biologically-based conservation planning Further the development of on-the-ground conservation projects by fostering cooperative partnerships for habitat protection and restoration Increase public awareness and active involvement in bird and habitat conservation through education and outreach Recognize and carry out New Mexico’s stewardship responsibilities for North American bird species, through cooperation in planning and implementation efforts at regional and national levels Continually update and revise this plan as an adaptive and incrementally improving document, based on the best available information.