United States

Department

of Agriculture

Forest Service

Rocky Mountain

Research Station

Research Paper

RMRS-RP-43

September 2003

A 20-Year Recount of Bird

Populations Along a Great

Basin Elevational Gradient

John Woodyard

Melissa Renfro

Bruce L. Welch

Kristina Heister
Abstract ________________________________________________

Woodyard, John; Renfro, Melissa; Welch, Bruce L.; Heister, Kristina. 2003. A 20-year recount of bird

populations along a Great Basin elevational gradient. Res. Pap. RMRS-RP-43. Ogden, UT: U.S.

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 10 p.

During 1981 and 1982, Dean E. Medin conducted bird censuses along an elevational gradient (5,250

to 11, 400 feet) near and on Wheeler Peak of east-central Nevada. Twenty years later we conducted

bird census on seven of his 12 plots. Data from the bristlecone pine—Pinus longaeva—plot were

collected in 1981 but not published (data on file with the Great Basin National Park). Data for the

remaining six plots were collected in 1982 and published.

In general, all 2002 bird counts from the seven study plots recorded substantially fewer numbers of

total birds and, with the exception of the bristlecone pine and alpine study plots, recorded fewer bird

species as compared to Medin’s counts of 1981 and 1982. Total numbers of birds counted in the 70

visits (10 census visits for seven study plots) to all study plots for 1981 and 1982 was 5,034. This

compares to 1,930 for 2002, or a reduction of 3,104 birds—a 62 percent reduction. Total number of bird

species sighted in 1981 and 1982 was 83 compared to 75 in 2002, or a reduction of eight. Sixty-three

species of birds were common to the 1981/1982, and the 2002 censuses. Twenty species of birds were

sighted in 1981 and 1982 that were not sighted in 2002, and 12 species were sighted in 2002 that were

not recorded in 1981 and 1982.

Keywords: Great Basin National Park, Wheeler Peak, neotropical birds

Authors _________________________________________________

John Woodyard is a retired Case Worker with a B.S. degree from Northwestern State University and

an M.A. degree from Louisiana State University (1967). Since retirement in 1986 he has become an

active Birder, both as a volunteer and paid researcher through Great Basin National Park, Kearn River

Research Center (CA), Nevada Department of Wildlife, Cornell University (Project Feeder Watch), and

Birds in Forested Landscapes. He has done point counts, nest searches, plot transects, and is active

in Great Basin’s Christmas bird counts, Thanksgiving counts, The Great Backyard Bird Counts

(February), Eagle Watch, and the Breeding Bird Survey of Nevada.

Melissa Renfro is an avid Birder and teaches the birding course for the Teachers Workshop held each

year at the Great Basin National Park. She has a B.S. degree in biology from the University of Houston

(1975) with emphasis in ornithology. Her birding experience includes Texas, Arizona, Utah, and

Nevada. She coordinates the Christmas bird count for the Baker, NV, region. She has done point

counts, Eagle Watch, The Breeding Bird Survey of Nevada, and conducted bird studies in the Great

Basin National Park and vicinity.

Bruce L. Welch is a Plant Physiologist with the Rocky Mountain Research Station in Provo, UT. He

earned a B.S. degree from Utah State University in 1965, and an M.S. degree in 1969 and Ph.D. degree

in 1974 from the University of Idaho. He has been a Forest Service Scientist since 1977.

Kristina Heister is the Mojave Network Inventory and Monitoring Coordinator for the National Park

Service in Baker, NV. She earned a B.S. degree in biology from Salisbury State University in 1989 and

an M.S. degree in wildlife and fisheries science from Pennsylvania State University in 1995. She has

been a National Park Service employee since 1992.
USDA Forest Service Res. Pap. RMRS-RP-43. 2003 1

Introduction ____________________

During 1981 and 1982, Dean E. Medin collected bird

census data along an elevational gradient (5,250 to

11,400 feet) near and on Wheeler Peak of east-central

Nevada. The data from his 11 plots in 1982 were

published in Medin and others (2000). Twenty years

later we conducted bird census on six of his 11 plots.

We did not include bird counts on his five ecotone plots

(Medin and others 2000) because they were square

shaped and in our opinion did not represent ecotones.

Narrow rectangular shaped plots would be more representative of ecotones. However, we did locate the

five ecotone plots and took Global Positioning System

(GPS) readings at their corners for future references.

These readings are listed in appendix A. Photographs

of the five ecotones are printed in Medin and others

(2000). Also included in this study are 1981 bird

census of Medin’s bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva,

data on file at the Great Basin National Park) plot.

Our re-censusing of the bristlecone pine would make

a grand total of seven plots.

Study Area _____________________

The study area and many of the individual study

plots have been described in detail in the following

publications: Medin (1984, 1987, 1990a,b, 1992) and

Medin and others (2000). Basically, the study area was

confined to the Snake Valley and Snake Mountain

Range, located in White Pine County, east-central

Nevada. This study area is typical of the basin-andrange topography that characterizes much of the Great

Basin. A large range of environmental conditions

occurs within small distances giving rise to a multiplicity of plant communities. These plant communities are well defined on steep mountain slopes where

they exist as elevational belts. Medin selected study

plots within 12 plant communities (only seven used in

this study) ranging from valley floor to alpine (Medin

1981 unpublished data collected from a bristlecone

pine plot data on file at the Great Basin National Park;

Medin 1984; Medin and others 2000). Precipitation on

the study area ranged from 8 inches (20 cm) at the

valley floor to 30 inches (76 cm) at the alpine zone

(Medin and others 2000). Climatically, the study area

ranged from cold desert with cold winters and hot, dry

summers to wet and cold alpine.

Methods _______________________

Seven of Medin’s study plots (Medin 1981 unpublished data for his bristlecone pine cone plot; data on file

at the Great Basin National Park; Medin and others

2000) were selected for re-censusing of bird populations: shadscale (Atriplex confertifolia) at 5,250 feet

(1,600 m), Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata

ssp. wyomingensis) at 5,700 feet (1,740 m), pinyon/

juniper (Pinus monophylla, Juniperus osteosperma) at

6,800 feet (2,050 m), mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana) at 8,400 feet (2,550 m),

mixed conifer at 9,600 feet (2,900 m), bristlecone pine at

10,500 feet (3,200 m; Medin 1984), and alpine 11,400

feet (3,475). (The bristlecone pine plot was not one of the

study plots in the Medin and others 2000 study.) Study

plots were 49.42 acres (20 ha) in size. All corners of the

various study plots were marked with 5/8 inch by 14 inch

steel reinforcement rods and GPS readings taken. The

GPS readings are given as a footnote at the end of the

tables for the specific study plots.

We followed Medin’s census methods, dates, and

times as outlined in Medin and others (2000). In

general, bird censuses were conducted using the

Williams spot-map method except we recorded the

sighting of birds and did not note their location on a

plot map. The square study plots were surveyed and

griddled by Cartesian Coordinate System using points

and numbered stakes at 246.1 foot (75 m) intervals.

In fact we were able to locate a majority of the original

plastic stakes used by Medin (1981 unpublished data);

Medin and others (2000) in 1981 and 1982. Ten

census visits were made to each plot in 2002. All bird

censuses were conducted between sunrise and early

afternoon. To ensure complete coverage, the study

A 20-Year Recount of Bird

Populations Along a Great

Basin Elevational Gradient

John Woodyard

Melissa Renfro

Bruce L. Welch

Kristina Heister
2 USDA Forest Service Res. Pap. RMRS-RP-43. 2003

plots were censused by walking within 164 feet (50 m)

of all points on the grid. Different census routes

through the plots were used with different starting

and ending points distributed as evenly as practical

among visits (Medin and others 2000).

Data in tables 1 to 7 are mean number of birds for 10

censusing visits to a given plot. Data in tables 8 to 10

are the total number of birds for a given species for all

70 visits to all study plots. Data in tables 1 to 8 were

subjected to a nonparametric Wilcoxon matched pairs

test to test for differences between years for total birds

(Hintze 1992).

Bird nomenclature is from Alsop (2001). Scientific

names of birds cited in the text and tables are listed in

appendix B. Plant nomenclature is after Plummer and

others (1977).

Results and Discussion __________

As with the bird census of 20 years before (Medin 1981

unpublished data; Medin and others 2000), our bird

counts showed bird abundance was relatively low in low

elevation study plots (shadscale, table 1; Wyoming big

Table 1—Comparisons between Medin and others (2000) bird

counts of 1982 and counts conducted in 2002 for the

shadscalea (Atriplex confertifolia) habitat. Data

expressed as mean number of bird for 10 visits.

Bird species 1982 2002

American crow 0.4 0.0

American kestrel .4 .1

Barn swallow .3 .1

Brewer’s sparrow 1.0 .0

Common raven 2.0 1.9

Ferruginous hawk .2 .0

Golden eagle .2 .0

Horned lark 43.0 10.5

Long-billed curlew .6 .0

Mountain bluebird .1 .0

Mourning dove .3 .0

Northern harrier .5 .2

Northern rough-winged

 swallowb .3 .0

Red-tailed hawk .0 .1

Sage sparrow .0 .9

Sage thrasher .1 .0

Savannah sparrow .1 .0

Swainson’s hawk .1 .0

Tree swallow .0 .2

Violet-green swallow .2 .0

Western meadowlark .2 .0

Total birds 50.0 14.0

Total species 18 (13 not 8 (3 not in

in 2002) Medin and

others

2000)

Species common to both counts 5

a

Plot corners were marked by 5/8 by 14 inch steel reinforcement rods.

GPS readings were as follows: NW-N39° 02.767', W114° 7.913'; NEN39° 02.893', W114° 07.650'; SW-N39° 02.567', W114° 07.731'; SEN39° 02.699', W114° 07.470'. b

Called rough-winged swallow by Medin and others 2000.

Table 2—Comparisons between Medin and others (2000) bird

counts of 1982 and counts conducted in 2002 for the

Wyoming big sagebrusha

 (Artemisia tridentata ssp.

wyomingensis) habitat. Data expressed as mean

number of bird for 10 visits.

Bird species 1982 2002

American crow 0.2 0.0

American kestrel .1 .0

Black-billed magpie .1 .0

Black-throated sparrow 11.0 2.8

Brewer’s sparrow 19.0 .3

Broad-tailed hummingbird .2 .1

Chipping sparrow .0 .2

Common nighthawk .1 .0

Common poorwill .2 .0

Common raven 3.0 .5

Golden eagle .5 .0

Greater sage grouseb .1 .0

Green-tailed towhee .1 .0

Horned lark .8 .0

Lazuli bunting .0 .1

Loggerhead shrike .2 .0

Mourning dove .5 .2

Northern harrier .8 .0

Northern rough-winged

 swallowc .1 .0

Pinyon jay .1 1.0

Prairie falcon .1 .0

Red-tailed hawk .1 .0

Rough-legged hawk .1 .0

Sage sparrow 11.0 8.3

Sage thrasher 3.0 .9

Savannah sparrow .0 .1

Vesper sparrow .1 .5

Violet-green swallow .2 .5

Western meadowlark .1 1.6

White-crown sparrow .1 .2

White-throated swift .2 .0

Total birds 52.1 17.3

Total species 28 (16 not 15 (3 not in

in 2002) Medin and

others 2000)

Species common to both counts 12

a

Plot corners were marked by 5/8 by 14 inch steel reinforcement rods.

GPS readings were as follows: NW-N38° 59.687', W114° 08.719'; NEN38° 59.726', W114° 08.409'; SW-N38° 59.436', W114° 08.665'; SEN38° 59.480', W114° 08.358'. b

Called sage grouse by Medin and others 2000.

c

Called rough-winged swallow by Medin and others 2000.
USDA Forest Service Res. Pap. RMRS-RP-43. 2003 3

sagebrush, table 2), increased to a maximum in mid to

upper elevation study plots (pinyon/juniper, table 3;

mountain big sagebrush, table 4; mixed conifer, table 5;

bristlecone pine, table 6), and declined in the alpine

study plot (table 7). A similar trend was followed by the

number of bird species. Both total number of individual

birds and number of bird species reached the highest

value in the mountain big sagebrush study plot.

In general, all 2002 birds counts from the seven

study plots recorded substantially—as determined by

Wilcoxon matched pairs statistical test—fewer numbers of total birds, with the exception of the alpine

study plots, and recorded fewer numbers of bird species as compared to Medin’s count of 1981 (unpublished data) and Medin and others (2000) counts of

1982 (tables 1 to 7).

Total numbers of birds counted in the 70 visits to all

study plots for 1981/1982 censuses were 5,034 (table

8). This compares to 1,930 for 2002, or a decline of

3,104 birds; a 62 percent reduction (table 8). Total

number of bird species sighted in 1981/1982 was 83

compared to 75 in 2002, a decline of eight (table 8).

Sixty-three species of birds were common to both the

1981/1982 and 2002 censuses (table 8). Twenty species

of birds were sighted in 1981/1982 that were not

sighted in 2002 (table 9). Fourteen out of 20 bird

species sighted in 1981/1982 and not in 2002 were

recorded in three or less sightings for the 10 census

visits to the study plots (table 9). These species are

apparently not common, and the failure of sighting in

2002 is not considered meaningful. However, the failure of sightings for these six remaining species does

Table 3—Comparisons between Medin and others (2000) bird

counts of 1982 and counts conducted in 2002 for the

pinyon/junipera (Pinus monophylla, Juniperus

osteosperma) habitat. Data expressed as mean

number of bird for 10 visits.

Bird species 1982 2002

American crow 0.3 0.1

American kestrel .3 .1

American robin .4 .6

Ash-throated flycatcher .2 .1

Barn swallow .2 .0

Bewick’s wren .0 .3

Black-headed grosbeak .1 .2

Black-throated gray warbler 4.0 3.1

Black-throated sparrow .3 .0

Blue-gray gnatcatcher .0 1.9

Brewer’s blackbird .1 .0

Broad-tailed hummingbird 1.0 1.4

Brown-headed cowbird .5 .3

Bushtit 5.0 2.0

Cassin’s finch 4.0 .0

Chipping sparrow 5.0 2.0

Clark’s nutcracker .6 .0

Chukar .0 .2

Common nighthawk .0 .2

Common raven 2.0 .5

Dark-eyed junco 2.0 .6

Dusty flycatcher .3 .0

Evening grosbeak .2 .0

Ferruginous hawk .1 .0

Golden eagle .2 .0

Great horned owl .5 .0

Hermit thrush .2 .0

Hairy woodpecker .0 .1

House wren .0 .1

Juniper titmouseb 6.0 .9

Lark sparrow .1 .0

Lazuli bunting .0 .1

Mountain bluebird 8.0 2.8

Mountain chickadee 9.0 1.1

Mourning dove .7 .2

Northern flicker .6 .4

Northern goshawk .3 .0

Northern harrier .3 .0

Pine siskin 1.0 2.4

Pinyon jay 10.0 2.4

Red-breasted nuthatch .5 .1

Red-naped sapsuckerc .1 .0

Red-tailed hawk .2 .0

Ruby-crowned kinglet 4.0 .5

Sharp-shinned hawk .0 .2

Spotted towheed .2 .2

Townsend’s solitaire .7 .3

Violet-green swallow .3 .0

Western scrub jaye 7.0 .9

Western tanager .4 .1

Bird species 1982 2002

White-crown sparrow .0 .1

White-throated swift .3 .0

Yellow-rumped warbler 1.0 .7

Total birds 78.2 27.2

Total species 44 (18 not 35 (9 not in

in 2002) Medin and

others

2000)

Species common to both counts 26

a

Plot corners were marked by 5/8 by 14 inch steel reinforcement rods.

GPS readings were as follows: NW-38° 59.963', W114° 12.619'; NEN39° 00.017', W114° 12.312'; SW-N38° 59.731', W114° 12.526'; SEN38° 59.728', W114° 12.235'. b

Called plain titmouse by Medin and others 2000.

c

Called yellow-bellied sapsucker by Medin and others 2000.

d

Called Rufous-sided towhee by Medin and others 2000.

e

Called scrub jay by Medin and others 2000.

Table 3—(Con.)
4 USDA Forest Service Res. Pap. RMRS-RP-43. 2003

create some concern about species status. Twelve

species were sighted in 2002 that were not recorded in

1981/1982 (table 10). Nine of the species sighted in

2002 and not in 1981 and 1982 are probable chance

sightings (table 10).

Shadscale Bird Census Plot

In 2002, it was apparent during our bird census

visits to the shadscale plot that most of the shadscale

plants had died out. The plot was basically a winterfatbud sagebrush plot. Extensive shrub dieoff occurred in

the shadscale zone of the Great Basin during the years

1977 to 1986 (Nelson and others 1989). Shrub loss may

be related to record high precipitation during this 10

year period. We also observed that we were sighting

far fewer birds (50 versus 14) and species of birds (18

versus 8, table 1) than reported by Medin and others

(2000). Our concern was that these lower bird counts

may be due to significant vegetative changes that

could have occurred between our counts and those of

Medin’s in 1982 (Medin and others 2000). To check out

this possibility, we conducted bird censuses on healthy

shadscale stands south of the Baker, NV, airstrip,

west of State Road 487 that connects Baker and

Garrison, UT. Our counts were also lower than Medin

Table 4—Comparisons between Medin and others (2000) bird Table 4—(Con.)

counts of 1982 and counts conducted in 2002 for the

mountain big sagebrusha

 (Artemisia tridentata ssp.

vaseyana) habitat. Data expressed as mean number

of bird for 10 visits.

Bird species 1982 2002

American kestrel 2.0 .0

American robin 10.0 2.8

Black-chinned sparrow .0 .2

Black-headed grosbeak .2 .2

Blue-gray gnatcatcher .0 .1

Blue grouse .8 .3

Brewer’s blackbird .2 .0

Brewer’s sparrow 23.0 11.3

Broad-tailed hummingbird 2.0 .8

Brown creeper .1 .0

Brown-headed cowbird .1 .7

Bushtit .4 .3

Calliope hummingbird .2 .0

Cassin’s finch 6.0 7.2

Chipping sparrow 10.0 7.1

Clark’s nutcracker 3.0 .2

Common nighthawk .8 .0

Common raven 1.0 .7

Cooper’s hawk .0 .2

Cordilleran flycatcher .0 .1

Dark-eyed junco .8 2.6

Dusty flycatcher 6.0 .8

Evening grosbeak 10.0 .0

Golden eagle .0 .2

Gray flycatcher .0 .2

Great horned owl .1 .0

Green-tailed towhee 30.0 9.8

Hermit thrush .2 .0

House wren 3.0 .0

Juniper titmouseb .0 .2

Lark sparrow .1 .0

Lazuli bunting .2 .0

MacGillivray’s warbler .5 .1

Mountain bluebird 4.0 .4

Mountain chickadee 5.0 2.0

Mourning dove .8 .1

Northern flicker 3.0 .2

Northern goshawk .2 .0

Northern harrier 1.0 .0

Northern rough-winged

 swallowc .2 .0

Olive-sided flycatcher .2 .0

Orange-crowned warbler .1 .0

Pine siskin 1.0 1.3

Pinyon jay .3 .0

Plumbeous vireo .0 .1

Red-breasted nuthatch .2 .0

Red-naped sapsuckerd 4.0 .8

Red-tailed hawk .3 .0

Ruby-crowned kinglet 2.0 1.3

Sage sparrow .0 .2

Spotted towheee 2.0 .6

Steller’s jay .2 .0

Townsend’s solitaire .1 .0

Bird species 1982 2002

Tree swallow .7 .0

Turkey vulture .0 .1

Vesper sparrow 2.0 1.8

Violet-green swallow .4 .2

Warbling vireo .8 .6

Western scrub jayf .8 .1

Western tanager 1.0 .5

White-crowned sparrow 2.0 .1

White-throated swift .1 .0

Yellow-rumped warbler 8.0 4.4

Total birds 151.1 60.9

Total species 53 (23 not 40 (10 not in

in 2002) Medin and

others

2000)

Species common in both counts 30

a

Plot corners were marked by 5/8 by 14 inch steel reinforcement rods.

GPS readings were as follows: NW-N39° 03.359', W114° 19.151'; NEN39° 03.440', W114° 18.873'; SW-N39° 03.128', W114° 19.057'; SEN39° 03.214', W114° 18.762'. b

Called plain titmouse by Medin and others 2000.

c

Called rough-winged swallow by Medin and others 2000.

d

Called yellow-bellied sapsucker by Medin and others 2000.

e

Called Rufous-sided towhee by Medin and others 2000.

f

Called scrub jay by Medin and others 2000.
USDA Forest Service Res. Pap. RMRS-RP-43. 2003 5

and others (2000) and in agreement with the counts

from their shadscale plot. Medin and others (2000)

reported common raven and horned lark were the

most prominent bird species on the plot (table 1). Our

ranking agrees.

Table 5—Comparisons between Medin and others (2000) bird

counts of 1982 and counts conducted in 2002 for the

mixed conifera habitat. Data expressed as mean

number of bird for 10 visits.

Bird species 1982 2002

American dipper 0.0 .1

American robin 2.0 .3

Brewer’s blackbird .0 .1

Broad-tailed hummingbird .3 .1

Brown creeper 5.0 .4

Cassin’s finch 6.0 .9

Chipping sparrow .7 .2

Clark’s nutcracker 6.0 3.1

Common raven .1 .0

Cooper’s hawk .0 .1

Dark-eyed junco 5.0 1.6

Dusty flycatcher .4 .0

Hairy woodpecker .5 .1

Hermit thrush 8.0 3.0

Mountain bluebird .8 .0

Mountain chickadee 13.0 2.4

Northern flicker 1.0 .2

Pine siskin 11.0 .3

Red-breasted nuthatch 4.0 1.0

Red crossbill .0 .4

Red-naped sapsuckerb .3 .2

Red-tailed hawk .0 .1

Ruby-crowned kinglet 2.0 .1

Sharp-shinned hawk .1 .2

Townsend’s solitaire 9.0 3.0

Tree swallow .3 .0

Violet-green swallow .2 .0

Warbling vireo .0 .2

Western tanager .1 .0

Western wood-pewee .5 .0

White-breasted nuthatch 2.0 .8

Williamson’s sapsucker .1 .0

Yellow-rumped warbler 5.0 .7

Total birds 83.4 19.6

Total species 27 (8 not 25 (6 not in

in 2002) Medin and

others

2000)

Species common to both counts 19

a

Plot corners were marked by 5/8 by 14 inch steel reinforcement rods.

GPS readings were as follows: NW-39° 00.553', W114° 18.056'; NEN39° 00.632', W114° 17.779'; SW-N39° 00.332', W114° 17.975'; SEN39° 00.396', W114° 17.683'. b

Called yellow-bellied sapsucker by Medin and others 2000.

Table 6—Comparisons between bird counts of 1981 (Medin

1981 unpublished data on file at the Great Basin

National Park) and counts conducted in 2002 for the

bristlecone pinea

 (Pinus longaeva) plot. Data

expressed as mean number of bird for 10 visits.

Bird species 1982 2002

American crow 0.1 0.0

American robin 1.9 .2

Black rosy finchb 2.0 .0

Broad-tailed hummingbird 1.1 .5

Brown creeper .0 .1

Cassin’s finch 4.3 3.1

Chipping sparrow .0 .3

Clark’s nutcracker 6.3 6.3

Common raven 1.0 .5

Cordilleran flycatcher .0 .2

Dark-eyed junco 10.0 2.5

Dusty flycatcher 1.9 .0

Golden eagle .1 .0

Gray flycatcher .0 .1

Hairy woodpecker .0 .2

Hermit thrash 1.0 1.0

Mountain bluebird 7.9 1.7

Mountain chickadee 5.5 7.5

Northern flicker 1.7 1.5

Northern goshawk .0 .1

Pine siskin 5.2 .8

Red-breasted nuthatch .1 .3

Red crossbill 1.3 .5

Rock wren .2 .0

Ruby-crowned kinglet .0 .3

Townsend’s solitaire 7.8 1.7

Tree swallow .3 .0

Violet-green swallow .2 .2

Virginia’s warbler .0 .3

White-breasted nuthatch .8 1.0

Yellow-rumped warbler 4.6 3.2

Total birds 65.3 34.1

Total species 23 (6 not 25 (8 not in

in 2002) Medin 1981

unpublished

data)

Species common in both counts 17

a

Plot corners were marked by 5/8 by 14 inch steel reinforcement rods.

GPS readings were as follows: NW-N39° 00.261', W114° 18.357'; NEN39° 00.374', W114° 18.113'; SW-N39° 00.035', W114° 18.286'; SEN39° 00.118', W114° 17.993'. b

Called rosy finch by Medin 1981 unpublished data.

Wyoming Big Sagebrush Bird Census Plot

The Wyoming big sagebrush bird census plot is

interesting from the point of view that due to drought

and over grazing by sheep, its understory of grasses

and forbs was essentially gone. Yet birds were able to
6 USDA Forest Service Res. Pap. RMRS-RP-43. 2003

Pinyon/Juniper Bird Census Plot

Major bird species listed by Medin and others (2000)

for the pinyon/juniper bird census plot were juniper

titmouse, mountain bluebird, mountain chickadee,

pinyon jay, and western scrub jay (table 3). Blackthroated gray warbler, mountain bluebird, pine siskin,

and pinyon jay were the major bird species sighted in

our 2002 count. The blue-gray gnatcatcher was sighted

by us a number of times but was not reported by Medin

and others (2000).

Mountain Big Sagebrush Bird Census Plot

For both our 2002 bird counts and those reported

by Medin and others (2000) in 1982, the mountain

big sagebrush bird census plot supported the greatest number of birds and bird species in both the 1982

and 2002 studies (table 4). Major bird species on this

plot in 1982 (Medin and others 2000) were American

robin, Brewer’s sparrow, chipping sparrow, evening

grosbeak, and green-tailed towhee. For 2002, major

bird species on this plot were Brewer’s sparrow,

Cassin’s finch, chipping sparrow, green-tailed towhee, and yellow-rumped warbler.

Mixed Conifer Bird Census Plot

The mixed conifer bird census plot suffered the

greatest reduction in total number of birds between

the 1982 count and our 2002 count (table 5), an

enormous 77 percent reduction. Number of birds species was nearly the same. Most prominent birds species found on the plot in 1982 (Medin and others 2000)

were Cassin’s finch, Clark’s nutcracker, hermit thrush,

mountain chickadee, pine siskin, and Townsend’s solitaire. Our 2002 counts found the most prominent bird

species to be Clark’s nutcracker, dark-eyed junco,

hermit thrush, mountain chickadee, red-breasted

nuthatch, and Townsend’s solitaire.

Bristlecone Pine Bird Census Plot

The 1981 bird count in table 6 represents unpublished

data on file with the Great Basin National Park. Most

prominent bird species of the 1981 bird counts were

Clark’s nutcracker, dark-eyed junco, mountain bluebird,

and Townsend’s solitaire. Major bird species of our 2002

counts were Cassin’s finch, Clark’s nutcracker, mountain chickadee, and yellow-rumped warbler.

Alpine Bird Census Plot

From a total number of birds and bird species perspective, the Alpine bird census plot was the least

variable between the two counting periods. However,

the domination of the site by American pipit in the 1982

survive. Welch (2002) compared the number of birds

and bird species in burned-over big sagebrush sites

dominated by perennial grasses against sites of unburned big sagebrush. He found that burned-over

sites supported fewer bird species and fewer total

number than sites of unburned big sagebrush.

Medin and others (2000) found the major bird species in this plot were black-throated sparrow, Brewer’s

sparrow, and sage sparrow (table 2). Sage thrasher, a

sagebrush obligate, were sighted by Medin and others

(2000) on this plot. The major bird species on the plot

in 2002 were black-throated sparrow, sage sparrow,

and western meadowlark. We also sighted sage thrashers on the plot but in reduced numbers from the 1982

count.

Table 7—Comparisons between Medin and others (2000) bird

counts of 1982 and counts conducted in 2002 for the

alpinea habitat. Data expressed as mean number of

bird for 10 visits.

Bird species 1982 2002

American kestrel 0.6 0.1

American pipitb 15.0 4.9

Black rosy finchc .0 3.9

Broad-tailed hummingbird .2 .4

Cassin’s finch .1 .5

Chipping sparrow .0 .3

Clark’s nutcracker 1.0 .0

Common raven .2 1.7

Cooper’s hawk .0 .1

Dark-eyed junco .3 .7

Golden eagle .1 .0

Mountain bluebird 3.0 3.7

Mountain chickadee .1 .0

Northern goshawk .1 .0

Pine siskin .2 2.1

Red-tailed hawk .0 .2

Rock wren .8 .6

Townsend’s solitaire .7 .3

Violet-green swallow .8 .1

Virginia’s warbler .0 .2

White-crown sparrow .1 .0

Zone-tailed hawk .0 .1

Total birds 23.3 19.9

Total species 16 (5 not 17 (6 not in

in 2002) Medin and

others

2000)

Species common in both counts 11

a

Plot corners were marked by 5/8 by 14 inch steel reinforcement rods.

GPS readings were as follows: NW-N39° 01.297', W114° 19.594'; NEN39° 01.309', W114° 19.297'; SW-N39° 01.076', W114° 19.567'; SEN39° 01.089', W114° 19.270'. b

Called water pipit by Medin and others 2000.

c

Called rosy finch by Medin and others 2000.
USDA Forest Service Res. Pap. RMRS-RP-43. 2003 7

Table 8—Comparisons between total birds sighted in 70

censuses (10 censuses of seven study plots) of six

Medin’s and others (2000) study plots and Medin’s

1981 (unpublished data on file at the Great Basin

National Park) bristlecone pine—Pinus longaeva—

study plot versus 2002 bird count.

Bird species 1982 2002

American crow 10 1

American dipper 0 1

American kestrel 34 3

American pipita 150 49

American robin 143 39

Ash-throated flycatcher 2 1

Barn swallow 5 1

Bewick’s wren 0 3

Black-billed magpie 1 0

Black-chinned sparrow 0 2

Black-headed grosbeak 3 4

Black-rosy finchb 20 39

Black-throated gray warbler 40 31

Black-throated sparrow 113 28

Blue-gray gnatcatcher 0 20

Blue grouse 8 3

Brewer’s blackbird 3 1

Brewer’s sparrow 430 116

Broad-tailed hummingbird 48 33

Brown creeper 51 5

Brown-headed cowbird 6 10

Bushtit 54 23

Calliope hummingbird 2 0

Cassin’s finch 204 117

Chipping sparrow 157 101

Clark’s nutcracker 169 96

Chukar 0 2

Common nighthawk 9 2

Common poorwill 2 0

Common raven 93 58

Cooper’s hawk 0 4

Cordilleran flycatcher 0 3

Dark-eyed junco 181 80

Dusty flycatcher 86 8

Evening grosbeak 102 0

Ferruginous hawk 3 0

Golden eagle 11 2

Gray flycatcher 0 3

Great horned owl 6 0

Greater sage grousec 1 0

Green-tailed towhee 301 98

Hairy woodpecker 5 4

Hermit thrush 94 40

Horned lark 438 105

House wren 30 1

Juniper titmoused 60 11

Lark sparrow 2 0

Lazuli bunting 2 2

Loggerhead shrike 2 0

Long-billed curlew 6 0

MacGillivray’s warbler 5 1

Mountain bluebird 238 86

Table 8—(Con.)

Bird species 1982 2002

Mountain chickadee 326 130

Mourning dove 23 5

Northern flicker 63 23

Northern goshawk 6 1

Northern harrier 26 2

Northern rough-winged

 swallowe 6 0

Olive-sided flycatcher 2 0

Orange-crowned warbler 1 0

Pine siskin 184 69

Pinyon jay 104 34

Plumbeous vireo 0 1

Prairie falcon 1 0

Red-breasted nuthatch 48 14

Red crossbill 13 9

Red-naped sapsuckerf 44 10

Red-tailed hawk 6 4

Rock wren 10 6

Rough-legged hawk 1 0

Ruby-crowned kinglet 80 22

Sage sparrow 110 94

Sage thrasher 31 9

Savannah sparrow 1 1

Sharp-shinned hawk 1 4

Spotted towheeg 22 8

Steller’s jay 2 0

Swainson’s hawk 1 0

Townsend’s solitaire 183 53

Tree swallow 13 2

Turkey vulture 0 1

Vesper sparrow 21 23

Violet-green swallow 23 10

Virginia’s warbler 0 5

Warbling vireo 8 8

Western meadowlark 3 16

Western scrub-jayh 78 10

Western tanager 15 6

Western wood-pewee 5 0

White-breasted nuthatch 28 18

White-crown sparrow 22 4

White-throated swift 6 0

Williamson’s sapsucker 1 0

Yellow-rumped warbler 186 90

Zone-tailed hawk 0 1

Total species 83 75

Total bird sightings 5,034 1,930

Species common to both years 63

a

Called water pipit by Medin and others 2000.

b

Called rosy finch by Medin and others 2000.

c

Called sage grouse by Medin and others 2000.

d

Called plain titmouse by Medin and others 2000.

e

Called rough-winged swallow by Medin and others 2000.

f

Called yellow-bellied sapsucker by Medin and others 2000.

g

Called Rufous-sided towhee by Medin and others 2000.

h

Called scrub jay by Medin and others 2000.
8 USDA Forest Service Res. Pap. RMRS-RP-43. 2003

Table 9—Total number of birds for 70 censuses (10 censuses

for seven plots) and bird species sighted in six of

Medin’s and others (2000) study plots and Medin’s

1981 (unpublished data on file at the Great Basin

National Park) bristlecone pine—Pinus longaeva—

study plot but not sighted 2002 bird count.

Bird species Number

Black-billed magpie 1

Calliope hummingbird 2

Common poorwill 2

Evening grosbeak 102

Ferruginous hawk 3

Great horned owl 6

Greater sage grousea 1

Lark sparrow 2

Loggerhead shrike 2

Long-billed curlew 6

Northern rough-winged swallowb 6

Olive-sided flycatcher 2

Orange-crowned warbler 1

Prairie falcon 1

Rough-legged hawk 1

Steller’s jay 2

Swainson’s hawk 1

Western wood-pewee 5

White-throated swift 6

Williamson’s sapsucker 1

a

Called sage grouse by Medin and others 2000.

b

Called rough-winged swallow by Medin and others 2000.

Table 10—Total number of birds 70 censuses (10 censuses for

seven plots) and bird species sighted in 2002 and

not by Medin and others (2000) in 1982 and by

Medin 1981 unpublished bristlecone pine plot bird

count (data on file at the Great Basin National Park).

Bird species Number

American dipper 1

Bewick’s wren 3

Black-chinned sparrow 2

Blue-gray gnatcatcher 20

Chukar 2

Cordilleran flycatcher 3

Cooper’s hawk 4

Gray flycatcher 3

Plumbeous vireo 1

Turkey vulture 1

Virginia’s warbler 5

Zone-tailed hawk 1

count was lacking in the 2002 count. Most prominent

birds species in 1982 were American pipit and mountain bluebird. Most prominent in 2002 were American

pipit, black rosy finch, and mountain bluebird.

Summary ______________________

In general, the most prominent bird species on the

various study plots in 1982 were also the most prominent birds in 2002, with some exceptions. The large

reduction in total number of birds seems to parallel

the reports of others (Jehl and Johnson 1994). We do

note that Medin collected his data during a wet period,

and our data was collected during a dry period.

References _____________________

Alsop, Fred J., III. 2001. Birds of North American; western region.

New York: DK. 752 p.

Hintze, Jerry L. 1992. Number cruncher statistical system. Kaysville,

UT. 423 p.

Jehl, Joseph R., Jr.; Johnson, Ned R., eds. 1994. A century of

avifaunal change in western North American. Studies in avian

biology number 15. Lawrence, KS. Vi + 384 p.

Medin, Dean E. 1984. Breeding birds of an ancient bristlecone pine

stand in east central Nevada. Great Basin Naturalist. 44: 272–

275.

Medin, Dean E. 1987. Breeding birds of an alpine habitat in the

southern Snake Range, Nevada. Western Birds. 18: 163–168.

Medin, Dean E. 1990a. Birds of a shadscale (Atriplex confertifolia)

habitat in east central Nevada. Great Basin Naturalist. 50: 295–

298.

Medin, Dean E. 1990b. Birds of an upper sagebrush-grass zone

habitat in east-central Nevada. Res. Pap. INT-433. Ogden, UT:

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain

Research Station. 7 p.

Medin, Dean E. 1992. Birds of a Great Basin sagebrush habitat in

east-central Nevada. Res. Pap. INT-452. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research

Station. 4 p.

Medin, Dean E.; Welch, Bruce L.; Clary, Warren P. 2000. Bird

habitat relationships along a Great Basin elevational gradient.

Res. Pap. RMRS-RP-23. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of

Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station.

20 p.

Nelson, David L.; Harper, Kimball T.; Boyer, Kenneth C.; Weber,

Darrell J.; Haws, B. Austin; Marble, James R. 1989. Wildland

shrub dieoffs in Utah: an approach to understanding the cause.

In: Wallace, Arthur; McArthur, E. Durant; Haferkamp, Marshall

R., comps. Proceedings—symposium on shrub ecophysiology and

biotechnology; 1987 June 30–July 2; Logan, UT. Gen. Tech. Rep.

INT-256. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest

Service, Intermountain Research Station: 119–135.

Plummer, A. Perry; Monsen, Stephen B.; Stevens, Richard. 1977.

Intermountain range plant names and symbols. Gen. Tech. Rep.

INT-38. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. 82 p.

Welch, Bruce L. 2002. Bird counts of burned versus unburned big

sagebrush sites. Res. Note RMRS-RN-16. Fort Collins, CO: U.S.

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain

Research Station. 6 p.
USDA Forest Service Res. Pap. RMRS-RP-43. 2003 9

Appendix A ________________________________________

Global Positioning System (GPS) readings for the corners of Medin and others (2000)

five ecotones bird census plots. Corners were not marked by 5/8 by 14 inches reinforcement bars.

Shadscale (Atriplex confertifolia)/Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp.

wyomingensis) ecotone south of Baker airstrip.

NWN38° 59.212' W114° 07.373'; NE N38° 59.250' W114° 07.194'; SWN38° 59.071' W114°

07.324'; SE N38° 59.110'; W114° 07.145'.

Wyoming big sagebrush/pinyon-juniper (Pinus monophylla-Juniperus osteosperma) ecotone south of Kious Spring.

NW N38° 59.034' W114° 09.371'; NE N38° 59.074' W114° 09.193'; SW N38° 58.497' W114°

09.323'; SE N38° 58.534' W114° 09.141'.

Pinyon-juniper/mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana) ecotone

north west of Baker Creek Campground.

NW N38° 59.356' W114° 14.508'; NE N38° 59.390' W114° 14.325'; SW N38°59.218' W114°

14.439'; SE N38° 59.254 W114° 14.261'.

Mountain big sagebrush/mixed conifer ecotone south of Strawberry Creek.

NWN39° 02.514' W114° 18.462'; NE N39° 02.522' W114° 18.281'; SW N39° 02.372' W114°

18.420', SE N39° 02.411' W114° 18.239'.

Mixed conifer/alpine ecotone west (about 1 mile) of Wheeler Peak Trail Head.

NWN39°00.567' W114° 19.166'; NE N39° 00.559' W114° 18.579'; SW N39° 00.421' W114°

19.173'; SE N39° 00.418' W114° 18.585'.
10 USDA Forest Service Res. Pap. RMRS-RP-43. 2003
USDA Forest Service Res. Pap. RMRS-RP-43. 2003 11

Loggerhead shrike Lanius ludovicianus

Long-billed curlew Numenius americanus

Long-eared owl Asio otus

MacGillivray’s warbler Oporornis tolmiei

Mountain bluebird Sialia currucoides

Mountain chickadee Poecile gambeli

Mourning dove Zenaida macroura

Northern flicker Colaptes auratus

Northern goshawk Accipiter gentilis

Northern harrier Circus cyaneus

Northern rough-winged

 swallowe Stelgidopteryx serripennis

Olive-sided flycatcher Contopus cooperi

Orange-crowned warbler Vermivora celata

Pine siskin Carduelis pinus

Pinyon jay Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus

Plumbeous vireo Vireo plumbeus

Prairie falcon Falco mexicanus

Red-breasted nuthatch Sitta canadensis

Red-naped sapsuckerf Sphyrapicus nuchalis

Red-tailed hawk Buteo jamaicensis

Rock wren Salpinctes obsoletus

Rough-legged hawk Buteo lagopus

Ruby-crowned kinglet Regulus calendula

Sage sparrow Amphispiza belli

Sage thrasher Oreoscoptes montanus

Savannah sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis

Sharp-shinned hawk Accipiter striatus

Spotted towheeg Pipilo maculatus

Steller’s jay Cyanocitta stelleri

Swainson’s hawk Buteo swainsoni

Townsend’s solitaire Myadestes townsendi

Tree swallow Tachycineta bicolor

Turkey vulture Cathartes aura

Vesper sparrow Pooecetes gramineus

Violet-green swallow Tachycineta thalassina

Virginia’s warbler Vermivora virginiae

Warbling vireo Vireo gilvus

Western kingbird Tyannus verticalis

Western meadowlark Sturnella neglecta

Western scrub jayh Aphelocoma californica

Western tanager Piranga ludoviciana

Western wood-pewee Contopus sordidulus

White-breasted nuthatch Sitta carolinensis

White-crowned sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys

White-throated swift Aeronautes saxatalis

Williamson’s sapsucker Sphyrapicus thyroideus

Wilson’s warbler Wilsonia pusilla

Yellow-rumped warbler Dendroica coronata

Zone-tailed hawk Buteo albonotatus

American crow Corvus brachyrhynchos

American dipper Cinclus mexicanus

American kestrel Falco sparverius

American pipita Anthus rubescens

American robin Turdus migratorius

Ash-throated flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens

Barn swallow Hirundo rustica

Bewich’s wren Thryomanes bewickii

Black-billed magpie Pica hudsonia

Black-chinned

 hummingbird Archilochus alexandri

Black-chinned sparrow Spizella atrogularis

Black-headed grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus

Black rosy-finchb Leucosticte atrata

Black-throated gray warbler Dendroica nigrescens

Black-throated sparrow Amphispiza bilineata

Blue-gray gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea

Blue grouse Dendragapus obscurus

Brewer’s blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus

Brewer’s sparrow Spizella breweri

Broad-tailed hummingbird Selasphorus platycerus

Brown creeper Certhia americana

Brown-headed cowbird Molothrus ater

Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus

Calliope hummingbird Stellula calliope

Cassin’s finch Carpodacus cassinii

Chipping sparrow Spizella passerina

Chukar Alectoris chukar

Clark’s nutcracker Nucifraga columbiana

Common nighthawk Chordeiles minor

Common poorwill Phalaenoptilus nuttallii

Common raven Corvus corax

Cordilleran flycatcher Empidonax occidentalis

Cooper’s hawk Accipiter cooperii

Dark-eyed junco Junco hyemalis

Dusky flycatcher Empidonax oberholseri

Evening grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus

Ferruginous hawk Buteo regalis

Golden-crowned kinglet Regulus satrapa

Golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos

Gray flycatcher Empidonax wrightii

Great-horned owl Bubo virginianus

Greater sage grousec Centrocercus urophasianus

Green-tailed towhee Pipilo chlorurus

Hairy woodpecker Picoides villosus

Hermit thrush Catharus guttatus

Horned lark Eremophila alpestris

House wren Troglodytes aedon

Juniper titmoused Baeolophus griseus

Lark sparrow Chondestes grammacus

Lazuli bunting Passerina amoena

Appendix B ______________________________________________________

Common and scientific names of birds in the text and tables (after Alsop 2001).

a Called water pipit by Medin and others 2000.

b Called rosy finch by Medin and others 2000.

c Called sage grouse by Medin and others 2000.

d Called plain titmouse by Medin and others 2000.

e Called rough winged swallow by Medin and others 2000.

f Called yellow-bellied sapsucker by Medin and others 2000.

g Called rufous-sided towhee by Medin and others 2000.

h Called scrub jay by Medin and others 2000.

Common name Scientific name Common name Scientific name
12 USDA Forest Service Res. Pap. RMRS-RP-43. 2003
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