A multi-species conservation strategy for species at risk in the Milk River basin ... progress report

260 Pages·2003·22.9 MB·English

by  Alberta. Fish and Wildlife Division

A M ulti-Species Conservation
Strategy for Species at Risk
in the Milk River Basin:
Year 1 - P rogress Report
Alberta Species at Risk Report No. 72

A M ulti-Species Conservation Strategy for Species at
Risk in the Milk River Basin:
Year 1 - P rogress Report
Compiled and Edited by
Richard W. Quinlan, Brad A. Downey, Brad N. Taylor,
Paul F. Jones, and Terry B. Clayton
Technical Editor
Kathryn A. Romanchuk
Alberta Species at Risk Report No. 72
March 2003
Liberia
SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE
Fish & W ildlife Alberta Conservation
Association
Fundeadn d l Oyt h Aelrb e rCtoan sAenigvlaetriso. n iHsutnst ers,
Publication No. 1/113
ISBN: 0-7785-2850-2 (Printed Edition)
ISBN: 0-7785-2851-0 (On-line Edition)
ISSN: 1496-7219 (Printed Edition)
ISSN: 1496-7146 (On-line Edition)
Cover Photograph: Sam Wirzba
For copies of this report, contact:
Information Centre- Publications
Alberta Environment/ Alberta Sustainable Resource Development
Main Floor, Great West Life Building
9920- 108 Street
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5K 2M4
Telephone: (780) 422-2079
OR
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#100,3115- 12 Street NE
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2E 7J2
Telephone: (403) 297- 3362
OR
Visit our web site at:
http://www3.gov.ab.ca/srd/fw/riskspecies/
Suggested citation formats:
Entire report
Quinlan, R.W., B.A. Downey, B.N. Taylor, P.F. Jones, and T.B. Clayton (eds.). 2003. A m ulti-
species conservation strategy for species at risk in the Milk River Basin: year 1 -progress report.
Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, Fish and Wildlife Division, Alberta Species at
Risk Report No. 72, Edmonton, AB. 229 pp.
Chapter of the report
Downey, B.A. and B.N. Taylor. 2003. Loggerhead shrike surveys of the Milk River Basin. Pages
136-144 in Quinlan, R.W., B.A. Downey, B.N. Taylor, P.F. Jones, and T.B Clayton (eds.). A
multi-species conservation strategy for species at risk in the Milk River Basin: year 1 -progress
report. Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, Fish and Wildlife Division, Alberta
Species at Risk Report No. 72, Edmonton, AB.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ii
CHAPTER 1 - I NTRODUCTION TO THE MILK RIVER BASIN
SPECIES AT RISK PROJECT
Introduction 2
Richard W. Quinlan
Study Area 5
Brad N. Taylor and Brad A. Downey
Summary of Species at Risk in the Milk River Basin 8
Brad A. Downey
CHAPTER 2 - F ISH AND WILDLIFE INVENTORIES
Milk River Basin Fisheries Project: Overview 11
Terry B. Clayton
Milk River Basin Tributaries Project 22
Terry B. Clayton
Fish Species of Concern Survey on the Milk River 38
P&E Environmental Consultants Ltd.
Milk River 2002 Aerial Raptor Survey 73
Richard W. Quinlan, Gary L.Erickson, and Brad N. Taylor
Loggerhead Shrike Surveys of the Milk River Basin 85
Brad A. Downey and Brad N. Taylor
Amphibian Surveys of the Milk River Basin 93
Brad N. Taylor and Brad A. Downey
Reptile Surveys of the Milk River Basin 104
Brad A. Downey and Brad N. Taylor
Page
CHAPTER 3 - H ABITAT SUITABILITY INDEX MODELS
Introduction 115
Paul F. Jones
Species Selection Process 122
Richard W. Quinlan
Sharp-tailed Grouse 127
Paul F. Jones
Loggerhead Shrike 136
Brad A. Downey
Sprague’s Pipit 145
Julie P. Landry
Short-horned Lizard 154
Brad N. Taylor
Weidemeyer’s Admiral 161
Brad N. Taylor
CHAPTER 4 - B ENEFICIAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR THE
MILK RIVER DRAINAGE
Rangeland Conservation Service Ltd.
Introduction 167
Study Area 167
Methods 168
Natural Processes of the Milk River Basin Area 168
Overview of Grazing Management 175
Grazing Systems 179
Beneficial Management Practices for Sharp-tailed Grouse 204
Literature Cited 212
ii
Page
CHAPTER 5 - C ONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Richard W. Quinlan
Conclusion 225
Recommendations 226
APPENDICES
Appendix A - S ampling Site Photographs 32
Appendix B - S ampling and Fish Data 49
Appendix C - H abitat Data 60
Appendix D - A ctive Raptor Nests 81
Appendix E - I nactive Raptor Nests 82
Appendix F - R aptor Observations 83
Appendix G - L oggerhead Shrike Habitat Data Sheet 90
Appendix H - R oute Call Survey Data Sheet 102
Appendix I - H abitat Data Entry Form 103
Appendix J - S nake Den Survey Data Sheet 108
Appendix K - R oadkill Snake Monitoring Program Ill
Appendix L - S hort-homed Lizard Data Sheet 112
Appendix M - S ite Evaluation - summer 2002 113
Appendix N - H istograms of habitat variables for occupied sites (sharp-tailed
grouse lek sites on the Milk River Ridge, n=42) and available
lek sites 133
Appendix O - P otential sharp-tailed grouse habitat within the Milk River Basin ... 135
Appendix P - P otential loggerhead shrike habitat within the Milk River Basin 144
Appendix Q - P otential Sprague’s pipit habitat within the Milk River Basin 153
Appendix R - P otential short-homed lizard habitat within the Milk River Basin ... 160
Appendix S - P otential Weidemeyer’s admiral habitat within the Milk River
Basin 165
Appendix T - S ummary of species at risk within the Milk River Basin (map) 230
in
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2016
https://archive.org/details/multispeciescons72albe
Page
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1.1 Birds 8
Table 1.2 Fish 9
Table 1.3 Herptiles 9
Table 1.4 Mammals 9
Table 2.1.1 Common and scientific names, species codes, and status for
fish species collected from the Milk River basin, 1979-2002 1 1
Table 2.1.2 Numbers per fish species captured in Milk River drainage
tributaries in 2002 24
Table 2.1.3 Catch-per-unit-effort by electrofishing by stream for fish
species captured in Milk River tributaries in 2002 25
Table 2.1.4 Catch-per-unit-effort by electrofishing at individual sites for
fish species captured in Milk River tributaries in 2002 29
Table 2.2.1 Number of sites sampled in each study section during the fish
species of concern survey on the Milk River, 22 to 27 October
2002 41
Table 2.2.2 Percent composition of fish species encountered in the Milk River,
22 to 27 October 2002 43
Table 2.2.3 Percent occurrence of fish species encountered at 35 sites in the Milk
River, 22 to 27 October 2002 44
Table 2.2.4 Catch rate summaries for fish species encountered in the Milk River,
22 to 27 October 2002 45
Table 2.2.5 Summary of biological characteristics of fish species sampled from
the Milk River, 22 to 27 October 2002 45
Table 2.2.6 Summary of the water quality characteristics at sites sampled
during the fish survey on the Milk River, 22 to 27 October 2002 46
Table 2.2.7 Summary of the habitat characteristics at sites sampled during the
fish survey on the Milk River, 22 to 27 October 2002 47
Table 2.3.1 Numbers of raptors observed on the Milk River 2002 aerial raptor
survey 74
Table 2.3.2 Numbers of non-raptorial birds observed on the 2002 Milk River
aerial raptor survey 75
Table 2.3.3 Comparison between observations on 2000 survey and same
portion of 2002 survey (Milk and North Milk River upstream of
Aden Bridge) 76
Table 2.4. 1 Loggerhead shrike habitat within 400 meters of initial sightings 86
Table 2.5.1 Relative abundance classification 94
Table 2.5.2 Native prairie classifications 95
Table 2.5.3 Relative abundance of amphibians at survey sites 96
Table 2.5.4 Plains spadefoot native prairie analysis 98
Table 2.6.1 Bullsnake and prairie rattlesnake observations within the Milk River
basin 105
Table 3.1.1 Status of the 1 5 h abitat suitability index models for application
within the Milk River Basin species at risk project area, 2002 -2003 ...116
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Table 3.1.2 Model variables available for selection during the development of
the 15 habitat suitability index models for the Milk River Basin
project area, 2002-2003 118
Table 3.1.3 Potential habitat categories and the corresponding habitat suitability
index values used in the Milk River basin species at risk project 120
Table 3.2.1 Selected management species for the Milk River basin species
at risk project 124
Table 3.2.2 Species excluded from Milk River basin modelling process 125
Table 3.5.1 Nest characteristics of nest sites (n=47) in Saskatchewan 146
Table 4.1 Deferred-rotational grazing system 190
Table 4.2 Three-herd four field merrill grazing system 192
Table 4.3 Rest-rotational grazing system 194
Table 4.4 Days of grazing and recovery time for short-duration grazing
based on number of paddocks 196
Table 4.5 Grazing systems and sharp-tailed grouse habitat enhancement: a
comparative evaluation 206
v