Distribution and Status of Bird, Small Mammal, Reptile, and Amphibian Species, South Dakota ...

75 Pages·2014·2.27 MB·English

Distribution and Status of Bird, Small
Mammal, Reptile, and Amphibian Species,
South Dakota Field Office-BLM

Prepared for:
Bureau of Land Management
South Dakota Field Office

Prepared by:
Daniel A. Bachen and Bryce A. Maxell

Montana Natural Heritage Program
a cooperative program of the
Montana State Library and the University of Montana

November 2014

Distribution and Status of Bird, Small
Mammal, Reptile, and Amphibian Species,
South Dakota Field Office-BLM

Prepared for:
Bureau of Land Management
South Dakota Field Office

Agreement Number:
L13AC00190

Prepared by:
Daniel A. Bachen and Bryce A. Maxell

© 2014 Montana Natural Heritage Program
P.O. Box 201800 • 1515 East Sixth Avenue • Helena, MT 59620-1800 • 406-444-3290
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This document should be cited as follows:
Bachen, D. A, and B. A. Maxell. 2014. Distribution and status of bird, small mammal, reptile, and
amphibian species, South Dakota Field Office-BLM. Report to the Bureau of Land Management, South
Dakota Field Office. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, Montana 25 pp. plus appendices.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

To date, federal lands administered by the central South Dakota we captured a Least
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in South Shrew (Cryptotis parva), which not only was the
Dakota have received limited attention for first record of the species in Stanley County, but
baseline inventories of nongame species also is one of the northern most observations of
including bird, terrestrial small mammal, bat, this specie in the state (Backlund 2002). In
amphibian and reptile species. Documenting Northwest South Dakota we captured a shrew
baselines for distribution, habitat association, in sagebrush steppe that is likely a range
and relative status of these species, particularly extension for Montane Shrew (Sorex
species listed as Sensitive by the BLM or rare, monticolus) or Dwarf Shrew (S. nanus), but are
threatened, or endangered by the state, can aid still working on definitive identification of this
in conservation of these species. To address specimen. Although we documented several
this need we conducted structured surveys to amphibian and reptile species listed as
document these species within BLM Sensitive, we documented one particularly rare
administered lands in western South Dakota, species. In a small area of badlands in Western
using point count surveys for birds, trap arrays Butte County we incidentally encountered a
for small mammals, passive acoustic bat Greater Short-horned Lizard (Phrynosoma
detectors for bats, night time calling surveys for hernandesi). In this area we also documented
amphibians, and visual encounter surveys of other rare species like the Sage Thrasher
wetlands for amphibians and reptiles. (Oreoscoptes montanus) and Brewer’s Sparrow
(Spizella breweri).
Using structured surveys over the spring and
summer of 2014, we documented 100 bird For birds, we found the highest species diversity
species, including 13 listed as Sensitive by the in Central South Dakota, where the prairie
BLM, 15 terrestrial small mammal species, 6 bat transitions to conifer forests, and the lowest
species, and 5 amphibian species, including 2 species diversity within the conifer forests of
Sensitive species. While conducting this work the Black Hills, although this low diversity may
we also incidentally recorded 1,260 additional reflect inclement weather conditions at the
animal observations, including an additional 25 time of the survey. For small terrestrial
bird species, 17 mammal species, and 8 reptile mammals, we found the greatest species
species. While conducting surveys for birds we diversity in the conifer forests of the Black Hills
documented several BLM Sensitive species of and the lowest species diversity in the
note, including the Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus mixedgrass prairies of west central South
spragueii), Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila Dakota. For bats, we found a cessation of
caerulea), Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus activity at all five of our prairie dominated
leucocephalus), and Baird’s Sparrow monitoring sites between December 2013 and
(Ammodramus bairdii). Although we did not March 2014. For amphibians, we detected the
capture any Sensitive small mammal species, highest diversity of species in the mixedgrass
we did capture 2 species of shrew that prairies of central South Dakota in close
represent significant records for the state. In proximity to the Belle Fourche River and the
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lowest species diversity in mixedgrass prairie in fire, and flood regimes. More broadly,
west central South Dakota. management regimes that mimic the natural
frequency and intensity of disturbances to all
Overall, we found riparian woodland habitats to
major habitat cover types should be
be extremely limited on BLM lands within the
encouraged across the South Dakota BLM Field
South Dakota BLM Field Office with some
Office.
evidence of lack of regeneration of Plains
Cottonwoods. We encourage management In order to make survey and detection
focus on this habitat to conserve existing information from this and other surveys more
riparian woodlands and restore riparian readily available for resource management
woodland areas that are becoming deforested plans and project-level planning, we have made
by promoting management regimes that mimic it available online through the Montana Natural
the natural frequency and intensity of Heritage Program’s MapViewer
disturbances resulting from historical grazing, http://mtnhp.org/mapviewer/

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We extend considerable thanks and Montana Natural Heritage Program’s central
appreciation to Rebecca Newton, wildlife animal observation database, and Paul
biologist with the BLM South Dakota Field Hendricks for originally proposing the project.
Office, for recognizing the importance of this Also we acknowledge and thank the South
project and shepherding the project through Dakota Game and Fish for allowing us to
BLM channels. Thanks to Scott Blum, Braden conduct small mammal trapping and amphibian
Burkholder, and Shannon Hilty for analyzing bat and reptile surveys within the state.
calls, Scott Blum for appending the data to the

This project was supported by an agreement between the Bureau of Land Management and the
Montana Natural Heritage Program, a cooperative program of the Montana State Library and the
University of Montana (BLM L13AC00190)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................1
STUDY AREA .....................................................................................................................................1
METHODS .......................................................................................................................................... 11
BIRD SURVEYS ................................................................................................................................. 11
SMALL MAMMAL SURVEYS ................................................................................................................. 11
BAT SURVEYS .................................................................................................................................. 12
AMPHIBIAN AND REPTILE SURVEYS ....................................................................................................... 12
INCIDENTAL OBSERVATIONS ................................................................................................................ 12
ANALYSIS ....................................................................................................................................... 12
AVAILABILITY OF DATA ...................................................................................................................... 13
RESULTS ............................................................................................................................................ 14
BIRDS ............................................................................................................................................ 14
MAMMALS ..................................................................................................................................... 18
AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES ................................................................................................................ 20
LITERATURE CITED ................................................................................................................................ 24

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Primary survey areas in western South Dakota ............................................................................. 2
Figure 2. Butte County primary area survey locations ................................................................................. 3
Figure 3. Newell primary area survey locations ............................................................................................ 4
Figure 4. Fort Meade primary area survey locations .................................................................................... 5
Figure 5. Lead primary area survey locations ............................................................................................... 6
Figure 6. Southern Black Hills primary area survey locations ....................................................................... 7
Figure 7. Pedro primary area survey locations ............................................................................................. 8
Figure 8. Mission Ridge primary area survey locations ................................................................................ 9
Figure 9. Two Rivers primary area survey locations ................................................................................... 10

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. Bird surveys: effort. ....................................................................................................................... 14
Table 2. Bird species: number of points detected, incidental observations,
proportion of primary areas detected, global and state ranks ..................................................... 15
Table 3. Mammal surveys: effort ................................................................................................................ 18
Table 4. Mammal species: number of points detected, incidental observations,
proportion of primary areas detected, global and state ranks. .................................................... 19
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TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONT.)

Table 5. Amphibian calling surveys: effort .................................................................................................. 21
Table 6. Amphibian and reptile species: number of points detected, incidental observations,
proportion of primary areas detected, global and state ranks ..................................................... 21

APPENDICES
APPENDIX A: Global/ State Rank Definitions .............................................................................................A 1-3
APPENDIX B: Echolocation Call Characteristics of Montana Bats ............................................................. B 1-6
APPENDIX C: Baseline Status Indices of Detected Species: Bird Surveys ................................................ C 1-13
APPENDIX D: Baseline Status Indices of Detected Species: Small Mammal Surveys ............................... D 1-8
APPENDIX E: Baseline Status Indices of Detected Species: Bat Surveys .................................................... E 1-3
APPENDIX F: Baseline Status Indices of Detected Species: Amphibian Calling Surveys ............................ F 1-2

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INTRODUCTION
Federal lands administered by the South Dakota STUDY AREA
Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management
Across western South Dakota, the BLM
(BLM), have received limited attention for
manages lands in dispersed blocks of varying
baseline inventories of birds, small terrestrial
size. These lands are characterized by a
mammals, bats, amphibians, or aquatic reptiles.
diversity of soil types, elevations, geographic
Current observation data in the Montana
features, and vegetation cover. Except in the
Natural Heritage Program (MNHP) database for
Black Hills, soils throughout the study area are
these lands are limited to a few bird point
predominantly clays and sandy loams. In the
counts, miscellaneous small mammal surveys
Black Hills soils are primarily rocky and silty
and incidental observations. Thus, there is a
loams, transitioning to sandy and clay loams in
need for structured surveys to provide baseline
the foothills (NRCS 2014). Elevations range
information on the distribution and status of
from approximately 500 m near the Missouri
these taxa, especially those with state or global
river in the east, to approximately 1,750 m in
conservation status ranks of S1-S3 or G1-G3
the Black Hills to the west.
(Appendix A) and those listed as Sensitive by
the BLM. This information is vital to broad- Lands in the north of the state are dominated
scale resource management plans and project- primarily by mixedgrass prairie with sparse low
level decisions. shrub cover and occasional badlands. Lands in
the Black Hills are dominated by conifer forests
To address this need we conducted structured
with occasional stands of aspen and open
surveys to document these species within BLM
meadows surrounding woody riparian areas
administered lands in western South Dakota,
dominated by willows. At the southern end of
using point count surveys for birds, trap arrays
the Black Hills the vegetation transitions to
for small mammals, acoustic bat detectors for
patchy ponderosa pine and juniper forests,
bat, night time calling surveys for amphibians,
interspersed with large areas of mixedgrass
and visual encounter surveys of wetlands for
prairie. In the eastern foot hills of the Black
amphibians and reptiles. In addition to
Hills, conifer forests are interspersed with
increasing the data within the MNPH database,
deciduous forests dominated by burr oak and
conducting surveys to document the
there is a transition to mixedgrass prairie. In the
distribution, habitat association, and relative
central portion of western South Dakota the
status of species across state BLM lands will
vegetation is primarily mixedgrass prairie in the
provide managers with valuable information
uplands transitioning to juniper and ponderosa
that can be used to manage lands for the
pine forests, and badlands in the river breaks,
benefit of wildlife and the people that work and
with deciduous forests dominated by
recreate on these lands. Documentation of
cottonwoods in the river bottoms. In the east
species, particularly species that are listed as
along the Missouri river, the uplands are
sensitive by the BLM can help guide land
primarily dominated by mixedgrass prairie and
management planning and practices to facilitate
large areas have been converted to agriculture.
conservation of these species.
The river breaks in this area are primarily
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