Gray Hawks & Other Raptors
Nesting in Surprising Numbers
ATCA is working with Scott Wilbor, Conservation Biologist with the Tucson Audubon Societies Important Bird Areas Program, to install IBA signs along the Anza Trail in Santa Cruz County. The IBA project has been ongoing since 2005 with a surprising increase in nesting numbers at the new upper Santa Cruz River Important Bird Area.
June 2007
The Arizona Important Bird Areas (IBA) Program at Tucson Audubon has been investigating the distribution and success of nesting Gray Hawks along the Santa Cruz River since 2005, and continues this study in 2007. This year two IBA Program staff at Tucson Audubon have been surveying for nesting raptors along the Upper Santa Cruz River IBA. Three nest territories were found at Tumacacori National Historical Park, a fourth nesting pair is suspected. Four nest territories were located along the Carmen to Tubac Bridge river reach. Finally three nest territories are within the Esperanza Ranch conservation easement reach, but only one on the easement proper. That’s ten known nest territories(!), and we are still missing the area from to Tubac Bridge north to Esperanza. Esperanza Ranch also hosts nesting Great Horned Owl, Swainson’s Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, and Red-tailed Hawk. Our goal over the summer is to observe which nests are successful (fledging young), and to map the nests in relation to land ownership and vegetation types, and then meet with appropriate landowners to discuss protecting essential nesting and nearby foraging habitat. We hope to ensure the conservation of this special bird population that was key to this area being identified as one of now 30 Important Bird Areas under Audubon's IBA Program in Arizona. Audubon's IBA Program in Arizona is co-administered by Audubon Arizona and Tucson Audubon. The IBA Program at Tucson Audubon conducts the program's avian science and focuses on southern Arizona IBA conservation and protection .
Scott L. Wilbor
AZ Important Bird Areas Program Conservation Biologist
Tucson Audubon Society
300 E. University Blvd. Suite 120
Tucson, AZ 85705
Ph. (520) 628-1730