Alfred M. Bailey Bird Nesting Area

Background | Criteria | Northwest Colorado | Northeast Colorado
Southwest Colorado | Southeast Colorado

Alfred M. Bailey
Bird Nesting Area
Summit County

Size: 3,904 acres

Elevation: 9575 feet

Habitats: Primary – spruce/fir, wetlands, high elevation riparian

Secondary – aspen, lodgepole, cliff/rock, shore/bank

Ownership: Federal (U.S. Forest Service)

Land Use: Primary – nature and wildlife conservation

Secondary – hunting/fishing, recreation/tourism, research, undeveloped

IBA Criteria: 3, 5

Site description

Location: The Alfred M. Bailey Bird Nesting Area is located in the Eagle’s Nest Wilderness Area of the Arapaho National Forest in the Blue River Valley, northwest of the town of Dillon.

Vegetative/natural features: Representative of the Southern Rockies, the site contains many different habitat types within a small area, including willow-dominated meadow, aspen, spruce-fir, lodgepole pine, bogs, marshes, creeks, and beaver ponds. North Rock Creek runs through a large willow-dominated meadow, which is converged upon by stands of spruce-fir, lodgepole pine, and aspen.

Historic features: The Alfred M. Bailey Bird Nesting Area honors one of North America’s preeminent ornithologists. Alfred Marshall Bailey, born in 1894, was the director of the Denver Museum of Natural History (now known as the Denver Museum of Nature and Science) from 1936 to 1969. He conducted numerous international expeditions, contributed ornithological pieces to such publications as Natural History and National Geographic, and co-authored the two-volume "Birds of Colorado" which is still a standard reference for Colorado birds.

Ornithological Importance

Due to its wide variety of habitats, this site is one of the most biologically diverse mountain breeding grounds in Colorado. The area supports approximately 44 species of breeding birds, of which 29 are migratory.

Red-naped Sapsucker 6 >8

Breeding species:	Average #	Maximum #
Northern Pygmy-Owl	data unavailable
Olive-sided Sapsucker	2	>2
Williamson’s Sapsucker	4	4
Cordilleran Flycatcher	2	2
Dusky Flycatcher	30	>50
MacGillivray’s Warbler	6	12
Wilson’s Warbler	800	>1000
American Dipper	4	>4
Lincoln’s Sparrow	200	>300
Fox Sparrow	5	8

Research and educational activities: Colorado Bird Observatory, Colorado Division of Wildlife, and the U.S. Forest Service have conducted long-term research and education programs at the site, including summer bird studies and public bird banding demonstrations.

Conservation/Management Issues

Minor threats:
1. minimal impact from recreational camping and fishing.

Potential threats:
1. habitat conversion of surrounding forest caused by logging.

Management details:
The site is located within the Eagle’s Nest Wilderness, and is a Colorado Watchable Wildlife site.