Avifauna of central Tule Valley, Western Bonneville Basin

6 Pages·1992·1.8 MB·English

by  P Hovingh

Creat Basin Naturalist52(3),pp.278-283
AVIFAUNA OF CENTRAL TULE X'ALLEY,
W ESTERN BONNEVILLE BASIN
Peter Hoxiiiiih
Ki'ijivnnls:hirds.inifdiaia.dcscii.(UjUdtirliahitiit. Great Ba.siii. uctlaiid-s
Fautiii (1946) (k>scril)ed the flora and fauna ponds).Tln"ee-comeredbulrush (Sciiyiisaincr-
ofsewralnortherndesertbioticconiniunitiesin ic(inus) andsaltgrass [Distichlisspicata) arethe
Tule \alle\-, located80 km west ofDelia, Utah, dominant emergent species, with Phra<j^inifcs
in MillardCountvofwestern Bonnexille Basin. aiistralis, Tijplui doDiiti^cnsis, and Scirpiis
His studydurintj; 1939(Juneto September) and aciittis occurring in highl\- localized stands.
1940 (.'Vpril to September) included a descrip- Tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissiina) is the only
tion of greasewood {Sarcohatiis vcniiicidatiis) shrub gnnxing within some springs-wetlands
and pickleweed {AUenwlfea occiclentaUs) com- butwas not notedby Fautin (1946).
nnuiities. From 1980through 1991whileinven-
torxing the acpiatic habitats of Tule Valley, I Methods
noted the axifamia utilizing wetlands, springs,
adjact^nt greasewood and pickleweed commu- A total ot 36\isits were made toTule Villex'
nities, and saline flats. This note reports on the bet\yeen 1980 and 1991, with 10 \isits oft\yo-
a\ifaunaoc-curringwithin the twocommunities day dvu'ations occvniing in 1981. Imentories
and compares the 1980-91 faunal lisitng with wereconductedduringeachmonth(exceptJan-
thatreportedprexiouslybyFautin(1946).Com- uan) with emphasis during March, Maw and
parisons are also made with Fish Springs June. Birds were inxentoried b\ random
National Wildlife Refuge, located 50 km north encounters, and unidentified species were not
ofthe Tule Valle\ springs. This studyidentifies pursued. NomenclaturefollowsthatofPeterson
changes in raptors and songbirds that ha\e
(1990).
occurredoxer40yearsandnotesthedifferences
bet\yeennaturalspringsandwetlandsandthose
Results and Discussion
dedicated towaterfowl management.
Description of tiik Tiii.k \'alley durTianbgl1e9810l-is9ts1,thtehe80mospnetchisestohfeybiwredsreideennctiofuine-d
AgiATIC EN\ IHONMKNTS
tered,andthosespeciesalsoreportedb\'Fautin
(1946). Mallard(scientificnamesnotedinTable
Within the greasewood and ])icklc>weed 1), Northern Harrier, Horned Lark, Connnon
connnunitiesofcentralTuleValle\ are some25 Raxen, and Marsh Wren xxere encountered
tissure-fault springs and associated wetlands. year-roimdandare consideredpermanentresi-
Saline flats coxeredin partbywaterfrom saline dents. Almost half(31) ofthe species inxento-
seepage springs occiu" to the east and west of lied during this studx' xx'ere obsened t\yo or
these fissiu-e-fault springs. The springs-wetlands fex\t'r times (dates included in Table 1) andare
yar\- in si/.e from 100 nr to o\er 97.000 nr considered casual or transient xisitors. The
(Coyote Springs) with a total of 195,000 nr. single Palm Warbler, a casual bird in Utah
Couductixityoltlieaquaticsxstems\aries from (Belile et al. 1985),xx'asidentifiedbyits charac-
1200 (spring .sources) to greater than 93.000 teristictail moxementasprexiouslxobserxedby
umbos per cm (some wetlands and saline- me on numerous occasions durinti iuuiual
721ScttmclAvenue.Saill,iil;e( \{\ Tl.iliSll(K5.
278
19921 Notes 279
migrations in the Midwest. Tlic salint- ])()ncls \all('\. whicli consists of 5 [)ermaiient residents
west of tlie lissnre-tanlt springs Iiostod gnlls, and a total of 17 summer residents. The larger
nunierons waterfowl, and shorehirds dnring number of species at Fish Springs National
migration. Wildlife Refuge j)r()babl\ reflects the availabil-
Fifteen species (Cw-eat Bine Heron. Turke\ ity of surface water, tlu> presence of trec^s and
\ ultnrc. Sharp-shinned Hawk, Coopers Hawk, buildings, andtlieproximitA'ofthe springs-wet-
Swainsons Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, l-Jnrrowing lands to the momitaiiious Fish Springs Range.
Owl, Conmion Xighthawk, Western kingbird. Tule N'allev springs-wetlands are nndexeloped
Northern Mockingbird, Yellow Warbler, and lack the man-made features. An additional
Yellow-breasted Chat, Cireen-tailed Towhee, factor that mav contribute to the (hfference in
Brewers Sparrow and Lark Bnnting) obsened
a\ifauna constitnencx of Tule \alle\- and Fisli
b\ Fantin (1946) were not enconntered in this Springs is the contribution over man\' \ears of
stndw Bnrrowing Owls, while nesting in the
field ornithologists at Fish Springs National
adjacent shadscale connnnnitw were not
Wildlife Rehige.
obsened in the greasewood commnnits. The Twobirds.Western Sandpiperand Lincoln's
absence of raptors (in particidarthe Swainsons
Sparrow, ha\e not been reported in this region
Hawk) and theTurkey\^ulture ("onl\'occasion-
alK seen,butobser\edthroughoutthesummer in the Latilong study (\\iilters and Soren.son
1983); and the Lincoln's Sparrow was not
ill one conimunit\' or another, " Fautin 1946:
reported at Fish Springs (U.S. Department of
2S5) could reflect the rangeland predator con-
trol programs occurring in Tule \'alle\- since the Interior 1988). Fish SpringsandTuleX'allev
Fautindidhisstudies. Absenceofotherspecies are in the same Latilong region, and Fish
mentioned abo\e could reflect the loss ofwil- Springsolisenationso\en\'helm theTule\'alley
lows(Sdli.xexi^^iia)whichFautin (1946:257)had obsenations within the Latilonestudw
noticed as being prexalent. Most of the birds
Fautinreportedforthegreasewoodcommunit)' CONCMA'SIONS
thatwerenotobsenedduringthepresentstudy
were considered transients b\^Fautin (1946).
Oxer 157 species with 41 permanent resi- A listing of the axilanna lor central Tule
dents (those species that can be found in all \"alle\ is reported.Comparisonsare madetothe
seasons) and 54 nesting species ha\e l)een axifauna List reported b>' Fautin (1946) and to
reported for Fish Springs National Wildlife the species list prepared b\- the Fish Springs
R(4uge (U.S. Departmentofthe Interior 19SS). National Wildlife Refuge. Dillerences in spe-
This contrasts sharpl)-with the axifaunaofTule cies are notedand explanations are offered.
Tablk 1. Distributionofbirdsinthegrea.sevvood-wetlandcoinmunitvofTideX'alle'
MonthofYeiU"
J M M J J O N D Specificdate.s°°
PoniC:il'KDlDAK
Pied-billedCrebe 8/8/81:6/li:y82
Podircpstii'^ricoUis
Eared(irebe 6/20/81
PodiUjinhusanriliis
\kdkidak
'
American Bittern 9/29/84
Bdtaunislcriti<iiii(isus
<•rcat Blue Heron
\i(lcaiwrixlias
Sii()\\-\ E(j;ret 6/1.3/82
l'.-n-clt(itliiila
Hlack-crownedNight Heron 8/18/81: 10/20/90
Sijc^ticoraxtn/ciicorax
.'hreskiohmtiiidae
Wliite4'acedIbis 8/21/87;8/2.3/91
Plc'atlischilli
I
280 (tHEatBasin Naturalist [\V)lume 52
Tablf 1.Continued.
VlonthofYear
M O N D Specificdates"
J J
Anatidak
CanadaCioose 3/7/87
Bratitdcanadensi.H
Creen-wingedTeal 4/27/81
Auciscrecca
°M;JIard
Anasj)hitt/rl)i/tichos
Xortliem Pintail
Aliasacuta
CinnamonTeal
Anascijanoptcra
AmericanWigeon
Anasaincricana
(>an\asback 3/22/82
Ai/tlu/a valisiuciia
Redlif-ad
Aijtlii/aaiiwricana
Merganser
Mcrt^itssj).
RuddyDnck
Oxytirajainaicensis
Caihahtidaf.
"TurkeyX'ultnre
Catliaiicsaura
Acc;iPirHinAK
"Northern Harrier
Circusci/anciis
°Sliaq>-shimied Hawk
Accipitcrstriatus
"('ooper's Hawk
Accipitcrcoopcrii
"Swaiiison's Hawk
Butcoswainsani
°Red-t;iiledHawk
Butcojainaicensis
Rongli-leggedHawk 3/7/81
Butcola<i(rpus
"CJolden Eagle 3/20/90
Acjuilachn/sactos
"Americiui Kestrel 9/25/82:9/29/84
Falcosparvcrius
"PrmiieFalcon 4/4/82:5/11/88
Falcomcxicanus
Rai.lidak
VirginiaRail
Rallusliinicola
Sora
Porz/inaCarolina
AmericanC'oot X \ X \ \ \ X
Fiilicaaincricana
ClIAlUDHIIDAK
"Killdeer X X X X
CJiaradriusvocifcnis
Ri-x;i;n\in()STHii)Ai-;
Black-neckedStilt 8/21/S"
Himautopusmexicann
s
1992] Notes
281
T.^BLE l.ConHnued.
MonthofYear
JA
] ^ ^ ^ ^^ ] S O N D Specificdates"
SCOLOPACIDAE
.S[X5ttedSiuidpiper
Atiitismanddria 8/21/87
WesteniSanclpijxT
Cdlidrisinaiiri 4/20/86
niiiiliii
Calidri-salpiuii XXX 4/20/86
CommonSnipe
Gdllina^oacdlina^o X X X X
Lahidae
Gulls
Liinissp.
COLUMBIDAE
'MourningDo\e
Zcnaidainacro\ira ^ X X X X
Strkmdae
"BurrowingOwl
AtheneciinicuUiria
Caprimulgidae
"CommonNiglithawk
Chordcilesininor
Apodidae
\\'hite-throatedSwift X X X
Aewnautessaxatalls
PlCIDAE
Xorthem Flicker
Colalptcsaiiriitiis X 10/25/81:12/6/81
TVIUXNIDAE
"WesternKingbird
Tijmnnus vciiicalis
Aluimdak
"EHroemnwepdhiLl;aukalpcsths '^ X X X X X X X X X X
HllU\DIMD.\E
\iolet-greenSwallow
Tarhijciiuiathdassinti 8/8/81;6/13/82
"BarnSwallow
Hinindoru.stica 9/19/81
COHMUAK
°{C>o'rovniiumsocnorRaax\cn X X X X X X X X X X X
Trocu.ody'iidae
MiCiirstsohthWnrreiinspalustris X X X X X X X X X X X
MUSCICAPIDAI':
I
Mountain Bluebird
Sialiacumicoidcs 8/24/81
MiMIDAK
"Northern Mockingbird
Mimiispahjolottos
*SageThrasher
Orcoscoptesinoiitanus X X X X
ViOTACILLlDAE
American Pipit X X X X
Anthusndwsccns
-AM DAE
I
"LoggerheadShrike
.
Laniusbidoviciamis
1
1
s °
282 GreatBasin Naturalist [Volume 52
Table1.Continued.
FMAMJMontliof'YeiirASOND
Specificdates"
J J
Stuhmdaf.
Starling 2/21/8L3/7/81
Stunutsvulffiris
Kmbkki/idak
"YellowWarbler
Dcndroicapetechia
"Yellow-nimpedWarbler
Dendroiairoroiiata
PalmWarbler 9/19/81
Dendroicapalmamin
"CommonYellowthroat
GeothUjpistrickas
"Yellow-breastedChat
Icteriavireiis
"Green-tailedTowhee
Pipilochloninis
AmericanTreeSparrow 9/16/80; 12/6/81
Spiz-(dlaarhorea
"Brewer'sSparrow
Spizellahreweri
°\'esperSparrow 9/20/81
Fooecefes^raininrii
Larkspiirrow 5/2/S7
CfiondcstcsiJ^ratnmacHs
"Black-throatedSparrow
Amphispizabilineata
"SageSparrow
j
Amphispizabelli
"LarkBunting
Calamospizdmelaiioconis
Sa\annahSparrow
Passerculussandtcichensis
FoxSparrow 10/20/90
Passerellailiaca
"SongSparrow 12/5/81
MeU)spiza melodia
Lincoln'sSparrow 4/4/81
Melospizalincolnii
"White-crownedSparrow
Zonotrichialeucophnjs
Junco
Jiincosp.
"Red-wingedBlackbird
Afifilaiusphoeniceiis
Western Meadowlark
Stumellam'^lecta
"Yellow-headed Blackbird
Xanthocq)halttsxanthocephahis
"Brewer's Blackbird
Enpha'^uscijanoeephalus
"Brown-headedCowbird
Molothnisater
FKrNCll.l.lDAF,
AmericanCokhincli
12/6/81
Carduelistristis
Passkkidaf.
HouseSparrow
10/25/81
Passerdoinesticus
•Identified\nFaiKin(1946),
•"Datesinrightc-oliiinnarefort%voorfewerobser\ations.
19921 Notes 283
ACKNOW LEDGMENTS F.\L TIN. R.W. 1946. Bioticcommunitiesofnortherndesert
shnibbiomeinwesternUtah. Flcolos^ical Monographs
16:251-,31().
1 wish t(j thank Da\id E. )()\irm"andC."Ia\t()n Pi;iKK.SON, R. T. 1990. ,'\ field guide to western birds.
M. White for reviewingthe niannscript and tor Houghton MifflinCo., Boston.432pp.
snhsecjiient discussions. U.S. Dkpahtmknt of i'iik Intkhioh 1988. Birds ol the
FishSpringsNationalWildlilc Heluge. Dug\va\', Utah.
RFfi-6553i-2.
References W.M.TK.HS. R. E.. ;uid E. Sokknsf.n, f.ds 1983. Utah bird
distril)ution: Latilong study 1983. Utdi Division of
Bkiii.k W. II.. E. D. .SonKNSKN aiulC. M. Wmitk 1985. Wildlife Resources Publication 83-10. 97pp.
Utdi birtls:arevisedchecklist.Occasional Fuhlication
#4. Utah Museum ofNatural Histon-, Salt Lake Cit\. Received10yovcniherimi
108pp. Accepted22jiuw 1992