Recovery Plan for the Northern Spotted Owl - DRAFT

Mammalsoldest trees in a stand. Eight of the species on the list belong to a group ofbirds, the cavity-nesters (pileated woodpecker, white-headed woodpecker,black-backed woodpecker, red-breasted sapsucker, chestnut-backed chickadee,winter wren, red-breasted nuthatch, and flammulated owl), that requiresnags for nesting and/or foraging. Optimal habitat for these species is foundin old-growth forests, where the abundance of large snags is greatest (Nelson1989, Mannan et al. 1980). Of the 23 species of birds, only three (marbledmurrelet, bald eagle, goshawk) were chosen as priority species. The committeeconcluded that the remainder of the species would benefit from a recovery planthat includes mature and old-growth forests, and they did not require anyspecial attention.Eighteen species of mammals are included on the list for consideration in therecovery plan (Table D.2). Two species, the gray wolf and grizzly bear, currentlyare listed federally as endangered, and the western big-eared bat is acandidate for state listing in Washington and Oregon. The marten is a managementindicator species for the Forest Service because of its association witholder forests. The red tree voles, white-footed vole, western red-backed vole,and shrew mole are endemic to the Pacific Northwest (Figures D. 1 and D.2).Twelve of the eighteen species are associated with or strongly associated witholder forests in one or more of the three states, and two of these species arebats for which there is very little information. Five species are associated withriparian areas. Six species belong to a group that are prey of the northernspotted owl, including the northern flying squirrel, red tree voles, western redbackedvole, dusky-footed woodrat, and bushy-tailed woodrat (Thomas et al.1990, Figure D.2). As a group, they represent the major prey species of the owlother than the deer mouse and snowshoe hare (Forsman et al. 1984, Thomaset al. 1990). The red tree voles, red-backed vole, and northern flying squirrelare associated with older forests throughout most of their range in this region(Carey 1989), with the exception of the flying squirrel in the Oregon Cascades,where Rosenberg and Anthony (1992) found similar densities in old- andsecond-growth forests. Of the 18 species, nine were chosen as priority speciesthat would be most likely to benefit from measures taken to recover the owl.However, six of these species are prey of the northern spotted owl and werechosen solely for that reason. The only species considered likely to benefitfrom specific measures included in the recovery plan were the marten, fisher,gray wolf, and grizzly bear, and the last two occur only in northern Washington.It was assumed that the remainder of the species would benefit from anyrecovery plan that conserves older forest as suitable habitat for owls.Amphibians and ReptilesTwenty-six species of amphibians and reptiles are included on the list forconsideration in the recovery plan, including eight salamanders, six toads andfrogs, one snake, and one turtle (Table D.3). None of the species is listedfederally as threatened or endangered, but the western spotted frog has beenpetitioned for listing and four species of salamanders in the genus Plethodonare candidates for listing. Twelve of the species are associated with riparianareas directly and 12 with older forests. All but three of the species are designatedas "species of special concern" in one or more of the three states. Mostof the amphibians are endemic to the Pacific Northwest (Beatty et al. 1991),and some of the species (e.g., Oregon slender, Larch Mountain, SiskiyouMountain, and Van Dyke's salamanders) have very restricted distributions(Figures D.3 - D.5). Most of the species have specific habitat requirements;342