Recognized Important Bird Areas in Utah

The following provides more details on the 21 Important Bird Area sites that are now recognized in Utah.

The initial phase of the Utah IBA recognized five IBAs in 2003. These were Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, Ouray National Wildlife Refuge, Deseret Land and Livestock Ranch, Fremont River within Capitol Reef National Park, and Clear Lake Waterfowl Management Area.

In 2004, ten IBAs were established. These were the five major bays on Great Salt Lake (Farmington, Ogden, Bear River, Gilbert (or South Arm), and Gunnison (or North Arm); Provo and Goshen Bay on Utah Lake; Cutler Marsh/Amalga Barrens in Cache County; the Upper Strawberry Watershed in Wasatch County; and the Lytle Preserve in Washington County.

Two additional sites were recognized in 2005. These sites were Wellsville Mountain Raptor Migration and San Juan County/Gunnison Sage-Grouse.

In 2008 four additional sites were added. These sites are Middle Provo River, Pelican Lake, Parker Mountain and Zion National Park.

This brings the total to 21 sites. As the program continues additional sites will very likely be added.

Important Bird Areas form the cornerstone for future monitoring and conservation efforts by National Audubon Society in conjunction with a worldwide bird conservation effort coordinated by BirdLife International. Worldwide, IBAs are placed into categories (state, continental, or global) depending on their area of influence.

The significance of Utah for birds is illustrated by having ten Global IBAs in the state. The Global IBAs include the five bays of the Great Salt Lake, Deseret Land and Livestock Ranch, Upper Strawberry Watershed, Parker Mountain, Zion National Park, and the San Juan County/Gunnison Sage-Grouse IBA.

Much of the information to establish the five bays of the Great Salt Lake as global IBAs comes from waterbird surveys conducted from 1997-2001. This information is available on the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources website -www.wildlife.utah.gov/gsl/waterbirdsurvey. Landowner permission is required for an area to be recognized as an IBA in Utah. The Utah IBA program provides recognition and potential assistance, but it does not have any management oversight or authority.

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This page updated on 12 December 2008
copyright 2008 by National Audubon Society, Inc. All rights reserved.