Wildlife Specialist report

2007). To analyze effects to this species from the proposed action and each alternative of
the Travel Management Project on the GNF analysis will focus on two factors:
1) To analyze the potential for harvest effects of motorized activities to Bald Eagles we
will measure road miles within 500 meters of lake habitat with known bald eagle sites, as
these densities pertain to the existing condition and the change proposed in each
alternative.
2) To analyze potential disturbance effects we will use a disturbance zone of 500 meters
from known Bald Eagle sites as it pertains to the existing condition and the change
proposed in each alternative.
Golden Eagle [(Aquila chrysaetos Canadensis)/ NM Species of Greatest Conservation
Need (SGCN) Representative of Plain/Mountain Grasslands and Dessert
Shrub/Grassland Habitat Cover Type, Protected Under the Bald and Golden Eagle
Protection Act of 1962] - Golden Eagles occur in generally open country, in prairies,
arctic and alpine tundra, open wooded country, and barren areas, especially in hilly or
mountainous regions. The species nests on rock ledges of cliffs or in large trees (e.g., oak
or eucalytus in California, white pine in eastern North America). The pairs may have
several alternate nests, and may use the same nest in consecutive years or shift to
alternate nests used in different years (NatureServe Explorer 2010). The Golden Eagle
breeds in open and semi-open habitats from near sea level to 3,630 m (Birds of North
America Online Resource 2010). Golden Eagles occur primarily in mountainous canyon
land, rim-rock terrain of open deserts and grassland areas of western United States. The
Golden Eagle typically forages in open habitats: grasslands or steppe like vegetation.
During Migration in the western United States and Canada this species may hunt over
wetlands, agricultural areas, and grassy foothills. In western Canada, they may select
areas with strong thermal activity and uplifts for energy-efficient migration (Birds of
North America Online Resource 2010). Golden Eagles winter primarily in humid
temperate and dry eco-region domains from southern Alaska and Canada to central
Mexico. Golden Eagles are fairly common breeding permanent residents to the GNF
(Zimmerman, 1995). While Zimmerman (1995) included this species as a fairly common
breeding resident to the GNF, no known nests have been reported by leading
ornithologists working on the GNF, (Roland Shook, Personal Communication) or by the
Raptor Biologist for Hawks Aloft, New Mexico (Personal Communication, Ron
Kellermueller 03/17/2010). Further, Kellermueler stated that while incidents of
Ponderosa Pine nesting was documented on Bison M, he currently knows of no occupied
Golden Eagle territories in New Mexico in Ponderosa Pine Habitat. He stated that the
habitat type preferred by this species in New Mexico is Plains Grassland and Dessert
Shrub (Kellermueler personal communication 03/17/2010). Holmes et al (1993),
document vehicle disturbance to wintering Golden Eagles up to 190 meters. To analyze
effects to this species from the proposed action and each alternative of the Travel
Management Project on the GNF analysis will focus on two factors:
1) To analyze the potential for harvest/direct disturbance effects of motorized activities
to Golden Eagles we will measure road miles within Plains Grassland and Desert
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