Wildlife Specialist report

Table90: Upland nongame and song birds New Mexico Partners in Flight high-priority
species determination by alternative
NMPIF High
Priority
Species
White-eared
hummingbird¹
Costa’s
hummingbird²
Alt. B
Existing Condition
Determination by Alternative
Alt. C Alt. D Alt. E Alt. F Alt. G
*NA NA NA NA NA
NA NA NA NA NA
Gray vireo³ NA NA NA NA NA
Rationale For
Determination
Under alternatives D, E, F, and G, the potential effects to these focal species are reduced.
Alternative C slightly increases the overall miles of motorized routes, but reduces the effects
of motorized cross-country travel. The potential to affect individuals under all action
alternatives exists. There will be no measurable negative effects on this focal group of
migratory species. Unintentional take of individuals may occur, but these alternatives will not
negatively affect population levels.
¹ Species with the same determination by alternative – Greater Pewee, Olive Warbler, Virgina’s Warbler, and Grace’s
Warbler.
² Species with the same determination by alternative – Long-billed Curlew.
³ Species with the same determination by alternative – Scott’s Oriole, MacGillivray’s Warbler, Green-tailed Towhee,
Black-chinned Sparrow, Ferruginous Hawk, and Black-throated Gray Warbler.
*NA – No adverse effects to the population or habitat trends
Game Birds
Table91: Game bird species selected to be analyzed and rationale for selection
Species Analyzed Rationale For Selection
Mearn’s quail Gila MIS Species
Merriams’ wild turkey Game Species identified as species of concern during scoping
Blue grouse NMPIF High Priority Species representative of Spruce Fir Vegetation
Game birds may be affected by roads as they may cause habitat fragmentation, increased
access by poachers, collisions, edge effects, displacement or avoidance, increased routes
for competitors and predators, disturbance at specific sites, and physiological response to
vehicles. Hamann et al. (1999) discuss sharp-tailed grouse leks (concentrated breeding
sites) and recommend buffering these specific sites up to 2 kilometers to minimize effects
at these important reproductive locations. This upland game species does not occur on the
Gila National Forest, and no federally listed game birds are found on the forest. Wild
turkeys have been documented to avoid roads during nesting (Badyaev and Faust 1996).
Besides roads allowing access to poaching (Hurst and Dickson 1992), roadway
development has a negative influence in turkey habitat (Beasom and Wilson 1992).
Upland game species can be negatively influenced by habitat fragmentation from road
networks (Brennan et al. 2008). The Blue Grouse, present on the Mogollon rim and in
larger mountain ranges where spruce-fir vegetation cover type occurs, will nest in
montane forest communities with relatively open tree canopies out to 2 kilometers from
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