Priority Landbird Wetland Areas in the Western US

These data depict areas of the U.S. where NAWCA projects should be developed and favored based on benefits to wetland-associated landbirds. Landbirds is a term used to encompass families of birds dependent on terrestrial habitats to complete portions of their life cycles, including warblers, thrushes, sparrows, finches, hummingbirds, flycatchers, raptors and other groups.Technical Question #3 for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) asks applicants to describe how the proposed grant and match activities will address the national and/or continental geographic priorities for wetland habitat conservation as outlined in the four major migratory bird conservation plans and makes reference to geographic priority maps for these bird groups. These data were compiled by the Partners in Flight Science Committee in collaboration with the Bird Habitat Joint Ventures to develop a national-scale map that depicts areas where habitat acquisition, restoration and management would yield the greatest benefits for the highest priority wetland-associated landbird species, including White-crowned Pidgeon, Mangrove Cuckoo, Willow Flycatcher (southwestern subspecies), Yellow-billed Cuckoo (western subspecies), Nelson’s Sparrow, Seaside Sparrow, Saltmarsh Sparrow, Tri-colored Blackbird, Rusty Blackbird, & Prothonotary Warbler. This map was created through consultation with Bird Habitat Joint Ventures (JVs). JV Science Coordinators were asked to identify and justify priority areas, reconfiguring, adding, or eliminating areas identified on the previous version of this map (2005). Justifications were requested to be based on best-available, referenced population data, although no specific criteria were provided for inclusion. The development of consistent inclusion criteria is stymied by the absence of national and regional scale information on abundance and densities for most birds. This lack of data, coupled with the wide diversity and habitat usage of wetlands by landbirds, makes it very difficult to derive a consistent data-driven method for describing important landscapes for wetland-associated landbirds and setting standard thresholds for national importance. Fortunately, the data we need to generate a data-driven map of important areas during the annual cycle is being collected in disparate geographies and more areas are coming online every year; these efforts will lead to a greater understanding of the distribution / relative abundance / trends of landbirds which will improve subsequent map revisions. JVs were also asked to provide digital shape files based on actual spatial data (wetland, soils, or topographic data), wherever possible, for compilation into a modern GIS. Once submissions from JVs were compiled, they were reviewed by the Partners in Flight Science Committee, whose combined knowledge and experience encompassed the taxonomic diversity of landbirds across the U.S. The committee considered the map and justifications holistically as well as specifically according to their expertise.The committee endorsed the submissions, recognizing that the short timeline given to Joint Ventures precluded better coordination of priority areas across JV boundaries. The map is an improvement to the previous version, but additional iteration would be improved by additional deliberation and decisions about stringency and comparability of justifications; use of objective criteria to the extent possible given data limitations or at least attempts towards consistent philosophies underpinning subjective decisions; appropriate levels of resolution in depiction of identified areas, and most importantly, inclusion of additional field information or mapping refinements as they become available in the future.For more information, contact Ken Rosenberg at kvr2@cornell.edu and/or relevant JV staff for particular areas.