Wildlife Specialist report

Francisco Valley and casual elsewhere and are considered rare to fairly common. This
species breeds in North America and winters primarily south of the US-Mexico border.
Bell's vireo is a rare summer resident that breeds in Gila National Forest. They are
summer residents and they probably occur in the riparian and wooded lowland areas
(including cienegas). The V.b. arizonae race occurs in southwestern New Mexico, with
known populations in the lower Gila Box, San Simon Cienaga and Guadalupe Canyon
(NM Partners in Flight Online Resource 2009).
Abert’s Towhee (Forest Service Sensitive Species and Partners In Flight High
Priority Migratory Bird Species Representative of Low to Middle Elevation
Riparian Vegetation Cover Type) - The Abert’s Towhee occupies dense brush and
woodland areas in the Sonoran Desert, primarily riparian areas or adjacent to dense
agricultural edges (NM Partners In Flight Online Resource 2009). Its preferred
streamside habitat consists of well-developed cottonwood-willow gallery forest with a
dense understory of shrubs (NM Partners In Flight Online Resource 2009). In New
Mexico, this species is especially common along the edges of mature mixed broadleaf
forest along the Gila River (NM Partners In Flight Online Resource 2009). It is
uncommon to nonexistent in early successional habitats such as pure Russian olive or
willow (NM Partners In Flight Online Resource 2009). Along the Gila, nests have been
observed in mesquite, boxelder, Russian olive, New Mexico locust and Fremont
cottonwood (NM Partners In Flight Online Resource 2009). Abert’s Towhees also occur
in desert riparian deciduous woodlands or marsh woodlands, especially of cottonwoods,
that occur where desert streams provide sufficient moisture for a narrow band of
deciduous trees and shrubs along the margins (BISON-M 2009). In New Mexico, Abert's
towhees are known only in the Gila Valley and at San Simon Cienaga, Grant and Hidalgo
counties, where they inhabit riparian thickets and similar habitats. Albert’s Towhees are
rare permanent residents that breed in Gila National Forest (BISON-M 2009).
Gila Woodpecker (Forest Service Sensitive Species and Partners In Flight High
Priority Migratory Bird Species Representative of Low to Middle Elevation
Riparian Vegetation Cover Type) - The Gila Woodpecker is a characteristic species of
Sonoran Desert regions of the United States and Mexico (NM Partners in Flight Online
Resource 2009). It is found in river bottoms with mesquite or cottonwood groves and dry
washes (NatureServe Explorer 2009). In New Mexico, Gila Woodpeckers are confined
to lower elevation woodlands, especially those dominated by mature cottonwoods and/or
sycamores, along stream courses (BISON-M 2009). Gila woodpeckers are residents in
the lower Gila Valley and in Guadalupe Canyon and are considered rare to fairly
common (NMDGF, 1994). Gila woodpeckers are rare summer residents that breed in
Gila National Forest (Zimmerman, 1995).
Common Ground Dove (Forest Service Sensitive and Partners In Flight High
Priority Migratory Bird Species Representative of Low to Middle Elevation
Riparian Vetation Cover Type) - Common Ground Doves are found in woodlands,
especially of cottonwoods, that occur where desert streams provide sufficient moisture
for a narrow band of trees and shrubs along the margins (BISON-M 2009). They are
often associated with Sonoran Desert Scrub. Open to dense vegetation of shrubs, low
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