Final Environmental Impact Statement

Vestal Final Environmental Impact Statement Chapter 3
Merriam’s Wild Turkey (Demand Species)
The wild turkey is a non-migratory species. Merriam’s turkeys use many of the
vegetation types occurring on the Forest. Open areas (structural stages 1, 2, 3A, 4A) are
important for foraging during the summer, though meadows are seldom selected for
(Rumble & Anderson 1996). Dense mature ponderosa pine (structural stages 4C and 5)
serves as winter cover and a source of mast (Rumble and Anderson 1996). Roost sites
are typically on top of slopes or ridges in trees >9” dbh with layered horizontal branches
(Rumble 1992). Winter diets consist mainly of ponderosa pine seeds and summer diets
are of grass seed and foliage (Rumble and Anderson 1996). In the southern Black Hills,
successful nest sites were located in pine stands with 41-70 percent canopy cover on
steep slopes, cliff faces and in areas with greater visual obstruction, vegetation height and
shrub cover (Lehman 2005). Primary nest predators consist of coyotes (Canis latrans),
ravens (Corvus corax), magpies (Pica pica), and American crows (Corvus
brachyrhynchos) (Rumble et al. 2003).
The Merriam’s turkey is common and widespread on the Forest, with an estimated
population of 35,000 birds in 2008 in the South Dakota portion of the Black Hills (Huxoll
2009), which has increased to 38,000 in 2010 (Huxoll 2011). The species occurs in a
wide variety of vegetation types, including foothill and montane riparian associations,
pine-juniper shrubland, mixed grass prairie, and ponderosa pine, white spruce, and aspen
forest stands (Panjabi 2003). Turkeys are common in and around the project area.
Migratory Birds
Many species of migratory birds are of international concern due to naturally small
ranges, loss of habitat, observed population declines and other factors. Species of
concern applicable to project-level conservation are identified by many sources,
including the Endangered Species Act, the Regional Forester’s sensitive species list, the
Black Hills National Forest MIS and Species of Local Concern list, internal and public
scoping efforts, and the USFWS Birds of Conservation Concern (BCC) (USFWS 2008).
BCC 2008 publication partitions North America into 37 Bird Conservation Regions
(BCRs, Fig. I). The Black Hills is included in BCR 17 – Badlands and Prairies, and this
table has changed since the existing condition report was written. Of the 28 bird species
found in BCR 17, 15 are duplicated on the Regional Forester’s sensitive species list, and
are evaluated in the BA/BE if they have potential to occur in the Black Hills. Six species
are not expected to occur in the Black Hills due to lack of habitat. There are 7 remaining
species that could potentially occur in the Black Hills: golden eagle, prairie falcon,
upland sandpiper, black-billed cuckoo, red-headed woodpecker, pinyon jay, and
dickcissel. Of these seven species, only the golden eagle has the potential to occur within
the project area. The prairie falcon, upland sandpiper, black-billed cuckoo, red-headed
woodpecker, pinyon jay, and dickcissel will not be analyzed because suitable habitat is
not present in the Vestal project area.
Golden Eagle (Migratory Bird)
The golden eagle is typically found in open country from desert grasslands to above
timberline. It usually avoids densely forested areas. Typical habitat is grass-shrub,
shrub-sapling and/or open coniferous forests (Johnsgard 1990). This species prefers large
trees and cliffs for nesting, roosting and perching. Additionally, cliffs overlooking
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