WYOMING’S IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS PROGRAM

In 1999, Audubon Wyoming signed a one-year contract with the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (RMBO) to launch the Wyoming Important Bird Area (IBA) Program. Since then, 27 sites have been nominated as Candidate IBAs and 16 of these sites have been formally identified as Important Bird Areas. In 2000 Audubon Wyoming became the sole organization responsible for the Important Bird Areas Program. An IBA Coordinator has been hired and numerous efforts are underway, state-wide, to advance the program. A new technical committee has also been established bringing together ornithological experts from around the state. This committee will be responsible for reviewing all new nominations for IBAs. Efforts to move from the site identification phase to the conservation phase are beginning to take shape. Conservation efforts have been initiated at two IBA sites located on the Green River corridor. These activities seek to restore wetlands and monitor the avian community at the IBAs. Actions are also underway at Pathfinder Wildlife Refuge. Steps will be taken here to address habitat deterioration, define refuge boundaries, further develop an interpretive site and conduct wildlife monitoring activities.

Map of Yellowstone Courtesy National Park Service

FEATURED IMPORTANT BIRD AREA
Name: Yellowstone National Park (2,219,823 acres)
State: Wyoming
County: Park County
Nearest Community: Bozeman, Montana

Site Description: Yellowstone National Park is perhaps the most intact natural area in the temperate zone of North America, with the largest concentration of free-roaming wildlife in the lower 48 states. The Park is located on a high elevational plateau located in one of the world’s largest calderas. The area houses 10,000 thermal features, including 200-250 active geysers. Approximately 5% of the park is covered by water; 15% is meadow and range; and 80% is coniferous forest, precipitation range from 10-80 inches annually. Yellowstone has approximately 1050 vascular plant species, including eight species of conifers, although the forested areas are mostly comprised of lodgepole pine. There are also large expanses of sub-alpine meadows and montane sagebrush/grasslands.

Photo of Mountain Bluebird near Old Faithful courtesy National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Ornithological Summary: Yellowstone National Park qualified as an Important Bird Area for several reasons, it provides critical habitat for several endangered, threatened and vulnerable species, its habitats contain representative bird communities, and it holds 10,000 or more waterbirds during given times of the year. Some endangered, threatened or vulnerable species congregating in the park include Bald Eagles, Great Gray Owls and nesting Peregrine Falcons. The Park also has one of the most significant American White Pelican colonies in the northern Rockies and is also an important migratory stopover and wintering area for the WatchListed Trumpeter Swan. The area also has an important regional area for molting waterfowl (Yellowstone Lake), nesting area for Harlequin Ducks and it is home to one of highest concentrations of Barrow’s Goldeneyes in North America. During the breeding season the park also provides habitat for over 100 nesting pairs of Osprey. Long-term research and monitoring has also been a part of Yellowstone since approximately the 1920’s. Yellowstone biologists were instrumental in monitoring the status of Trumpeter Swans and the Park is often used as a control area since humans have modified it very little.

Conservation Issues: While Yellowstone is the world’s first and oldest National Park and serves as contiguous natural habitat for thousands of wildlife and plant species, it also has some critical and local conservation issues. The primary threat to the area is in the form of tourism and outdoor recreation. Increased human developments within and bordering the park threaten different habitats as well as the escape of non-native fauna (i.e. lake trout and New Zealand mud snail) and flora (i.e. exotic weeds such as knapweed) from the surrounding area. Lake trout are currently being gill netted by park officials in Yellowstone Lake while the degree of establishment in the Madison River by the New Zealand mud snail is being evaluated.

To Learn More About Audubon Wyoming’s
Important Bird Areas Program

Contact:
Alison Lyon
Conservation Coordinator
Audubon Wyoming
168 N. Cedar Street
Laramie, WY 82072
(307) 721-8779
alyon@audubon.org