The Argus Mountains lie at the southwestern edge of the Basin and Range geologic province, but are biologically within the Mojave Desert. Several small riparian corridors scattered across a hundred-square-mile region within the southern portion of these mountains west of the town of Trona support the entire global population of the Inyo race of the California Towhee. The habitat occurs both on DoD lands (China Lake Naval Weapons Center) and on BLM land, the latter recognized as Area of Critical Environmental Concern by the BLM.

Ornithological Summary

Aside from the towhee, whose numbers average around 150 individuals, this IBA is not particularly distinguished from other desert springs in the north Mojave.

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Conservation Issues

Grazing by feral horses and burros has been a chronic problem here, as is the case at many desert springs in California. The BLM and the Navy engages in sporadic removal programs.

Ownership

The habitat occurs both on DoD lands (China Lake Naval Weapons Center) and on BLM land, the latter recognized as ?Area of Critical Environmental Concern? by the BLM.