Wildlife Specialist report

Sensitive Species
Alt. B
Existing Condition
Determination by Alternative
Alt. C Alt. D Alt. E Alt. F Alt. G
Narrow-headed gartersnake MI MI MI MI MI
Reticulate Gila monster MI MI MI MI MI
Rationale For Determination Under alternatives D to G, the potential effects to reptiles and amphibians are
reduced, particularly under alternative E. Under alternative C there is an increase
in motorized routes in the Mexican gartersnake, and Gila Monster analysis areas;
and a 1% decrease in the Arizona toad and narrow-headed gartersnake analysis
area. Under alternatives F and C, the amount of available habitat in riparian
species habitat accessible to motorized big game retrieval remains high. This
activity may not occur often in this habitat type, but as stated with other riparian
species/groups, the potential to cause several years of damage with a single entry
is high. The amount of potentially affected habitat in a given year would be
small, considering the relatively low number of motorized game retrievals that
could occur in a given year and the amount of Forest Service land that this
activity has the potential to occur in. The potential to affect individuals under all
action alternatives still exists; therefore, a determination of “may impact” is
made for all action alternatives. None of the alternatives would affect the
viability of these species or the viability of any other reptile or amphibian that
occurs on the Gila National Forest.
*MI – May impact
Avian Analysis
Analyses for this document in regard to avian species are based on an extensive literature
review, the Gila National Forest Plan, The Mexican Spotted Owl Recovery Plan,
Northern Goshawk Management Recommendations (GTR RM-17), and the New Mexico
Partners in Flight (NMPIF) Draft Land Bird Conservation Plan for the State of New
Mexico (New Mexico Partners in Flight 2010).
Studies examining the effects that motorized roads have on avifauna are relatively
numerous compared to guilds of other species such as large carnivores, and amphibians.
Studies emphasizing the direct effect of road mortality to bird species were historically
most prevalent, with more recent ornithological analyses focusing on habitat
fragmentation, habitat modification, and road effects to migratory bird species. Liddle
(1997) states that road building and particularly alteration of roadside habitat, can have a
major effect on passerine (songbird) species. Volume of traffic was shown to have a
quantitative effect on the density of nesting birds (Reijnen et al. 1995), with noise
identified as the main disturbance factor. Edges of roads with low traffic densities may
actually provide nesting areas for some species, if managed properly (Warner 1992).
Gaines et al. (2003) summarized motorized routes’ effects to focal species of birds
occurring as edge effects, habitat loss or fragmentation, disturbance at specific sites,
collisions, snag reduction, physiological response, and routes for competitors or
predators. Habitats important to bird species vary widely according to each species’ life
history, and occur across the entire forest. As with analyses for the other guilds of species
in this analysis, it is appropriate for focal species to be selected from each habitat type to
be selected. Analysis was conducted for the following guilds of avian species: raptorial
birds, primary cavity nesters, riparian birds, songbirds from forested areas, songbirds
68