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Avian Species Inventory -- Manzanar National Historic Site and Mojave National Preserve

Avian Species Inventory -- Manzanar National Historic Site and Mojave National Preserve. Jan Hart, Matt Johnson, Charles Drost USGS-Southwest Biological Science Center Colorado Plateau Research Station Northern Arizona University. Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus).

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Avian Species Inventory -- Manzanar National Historic Site and Mojave National Preserve

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  1. Avian Species Inventory -- Manzanar National Historic Site and Mojave National Preserve Jan Hart, Matt Johnson, Charles Drost USGS-Southwest Biological Science Center Colorado Plateau Research Station Northern Arizona University Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana)

  2. Study Sites – Manzanar NHS, Mojave NP

  3. Purpose of Inventories • Lack of verified information about biological resources, including avifauna • Inventories needed to identify species of concern and provide biological data to inform management decisions • Baseline information provides foundation for long-term monitoring of biological resources

  4. Data Sources, Mojave NP Literature Review Museum Specimens NPS Records (observation cards, etc.) Breeding Bird Surveys, Christmas Counts Other Unpublished Information

  5. Mojave NP – Museum Records

  6. Results, Mojave NP 300 Species Documented 19 More “Probable” 1 Historic / Former Occurrence 56 Species “Unconfirmed”

  7. Residency Status of Birds at Mojave 64 Confirmed Breeding 42 Resident (Winter or Summer) 108 Migrant 27 Vagrant 135 Unknown Status

  8. Manzanar NHS • Existing Records Search • NPS Records • Museum specimens • Published Accounts • Local Resources • Field Sampling • Habitat Stratification Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia

  9. Field Methods • Point Counts • Mist Netting • Nocturnal Surveys • Area Searches • Nest Searching Townsend’s Warbler Dendroica townsendi

  10. Timing of Avian Surveys at MANZ We conducted thirteen survey sessions during: Spring Migration:April 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Breeding Season:June 2002, 2003, July 2003 Fall Migration:August 2002, September 2003, 2004 Wintering:November 2002, February 2003, 2005

  11. Distribution of Counting Points

  12. Results(Literature and Museum) • No verifiable specimens or records from Manzanar • Local Audubon Society records for nearby areas • Habitat at Manzanar stratified into 4 units: two desert shrub sections, a riparian zone, and a mature woodland section • Four point count transects - 33 count stations

  13. Results (Survey Efforts) • 99 species were detected at point counting stations • 13 additional species were noted as “flyovers” • 20 additional species were detected during nocturnal surveys and area searches • 7 “ duplicate” species were captured in mist nets • Breeding by 19 species verified; evidence for 8 others • Total of 2,639 individuals and 132 species detected

  14. Species Accumulation by SurveyAfter 13 survey sessions we still detected new species

  15. Overall Species Abundance • Species detected in the greatest numbers at Manzanar.

  16. Seasonal Species Abundance Most abundant species in each season Spring………. White-crowned Sparrow Breeding…… California Quail Fall………….. Brewer’s Sparrow Winter…… Horned Lark White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrys

  17. Species by Habitat Association

  18. Discussion…..So What? Bullock’s Oriole Icterus bullockii

  19. Some Key Findings • No State or Federally-listed species detected • Strong habitat affinities exhibited by many species 4 of 10 warblers confined to riparian woodland; 4 of 8 woodpeckers only detected in woodland grove • Species accumulation data suggests continued survey effort will yield additional species • Great Horned Owl activity affected nocturnal surveys

  20. Management Considerations

  21. Habitat Protection I • Largest number of species was detected along Bairs Creek and 25% of those used that habitat exclusively • Remnant orchards provide unusual habitat and food sources for many animal species at MANZ

  22. Habitat Protection II • The large cottonwood (woodland) grove is important to many species but appears threatened by lack of regeneration • Increased visitation may lead to higher impacts from foot traffic

  23. What’s Next? • General Monitoring (as feasible) • “Bird-a-thons” with ESA • Habitat Management • Extended Monitoring(e.g., during migration) Black-throated Gray WarblerDendroica nigrescens

  24. Thank You • This project was funded by an NRPP small-parks grant. • We’d like to thank Kristina Heister and Frank Hays for their vision and guidance in making this effort possible. • We’d also like to thank the staff at Manzanar NHS for their interest and support, especially Richard Potashin, and others in the network who reviewed our report.

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