111

 Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – Potentially Vulnerable

Species: Animals

The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or

plant: ‘What good is it?’ If the land mechanism as a whole is good,

then every part is good, whether we understand it or not. If the

biota, in the course of aeons, has built something we like but do not

understand, then who but a fool would discard seemingly useless

parts? To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent

tinkering.

—Aldo Leopold (1953)

Key Questions

• Which species are rare or at risk in

the coastal mountains and foothills

of southern California?

• What is known about the status and

distribution of each?

• What factors threaten their

continued persistence?

• What is the potential for conserving

on existing public lands?

• To what extent are they vulnerable to

current agents of change?

In chapters 4 and 5 we examine the current status and trends of species that, for a

variety of reasons, may be vulnerable to extinction in the assessment area. Here in chapter

4 we address animals, and plants are considered in chapter 5. Taxa were selected using

various “species of concern” lists that state and

federal wildlife agencies and private conservation organizations have developed (fig. 4.1).

Also identified were species that are considered common elsewhere but are rare or

potentially at risk within the assessment area.

Each identified species possesses one or more

of the following traits: (1) occurs in only a

few limited areas, (2) is particularly vulnerable to prevailing landscape changes, (3) has a

small population size, (4) has large area requirements, or (5) there is a great deal of uncertainty about its distribution and abundance.

Using the fine-filter screening criteria, we

identified 181 animals occurring within or

near the assessment area which warrant individual consideration (fig 4.2). Thirty-one of

these species are officially listed as threatened

or endangered (table 4.1), and thus legally

protected under the federal Endangered Species Act. The remaining 150 species could

become candidates for federal listing in the

future if measures are not taken to assure their

conservation. Our primary objective was to

use the available data on these species to

Figure 4.1. The fine-filter criteria used to

identify rare or at-risk species. These species

are addressed individually in this chapter.

• Threatened, Endangered, and Proposed

Species (federal and state lists)

• A former USFWS Candidate (C1 and C2)

Species

• A Forest Service, Region 5 Sensitive

Species

• A California Species of Special Concern

• A Riparian Obligate Species of Concern

(as defined by California Partners in

Flight)

• A species determined to have viability

concerns at a local level
112

Evaluating Status and

Conservation Potential

The potential for conservation, and the

actions needed to conserve, vary considerably

depending on the individual characteristics of

each species. To evaluate those characteristics,

we compiled information on species-habitat

associations and used GIS coverages to predict habitat suitability across the landscape.

Databases of habitat and life history information were compiled for both animals and

plants. In addition, the locations of current

assess their current status and vulnerability

within the assessment area, and identify their

conservation needs. This information can then

be used when developing management

priorities.

Several species that occurred within the

assessment area as recently as 50 to 150 years

ago are not addressed here because they are

known to have been extirpated. These are the

California grizzly bear (Ursus arctos

californicus), gray wolf (Canis lupus fuscus),

long-eared kit fox (Vulpes macrotis macrotis),

and pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra

americana) (Williams 1986).

Determinations were made after analyzing available information on life history

characteristics, degree of rarity or endemism,

regional context, response to land use, extant

population size and trend, and other variables

as necessary. A matrix of species-specific characteristics was created to assist in this process.

The categories and their associated criteria are

described in table 4.2. A complete listing of

all species by conservation category is located

in appendix A. The findings from our species

evaluations are summarized in the following

sections.

and historic observations of these species were

compiled and stored in a GIS database.

For vertebrate animals, we utilized information on distribution and habitat relationships from the CWHR database, but with

modifications to tailor it more specifically to

the habitats and geographic subregions in

southern California. Following the ideas of

Hansen and Urban (1992), we also collected

available information on territory size, patch

size requirements, resilience to stressors, feeding strategy, and nest height. This type of life

history information was not available for many

species.

There are some clear differences in the

distribution of various taxa that have important ramifications for conservation and

management. For example, many rare plants

and invertebrates are narrowly endemic to a

particular area (e.g., restricted to a single

mountain range or watershed), while most rare

vertebrates tend to be more widespread (fig.

4.3). Successful conservation strategies for

more widespread species generally require a

higher level of coordination and cooperation

between landowners and jurisdictions.

Borrowing an approach developed by the

Southern Orange County NCCP Scientific

Advisory Committee (Atwood et al. 1996),

we evaluated each species and placed it into a

conservation category based on criteria that

(1) consider its conservation needs, (2) assess

the ability to meet those needs on public lands

within the assessment area, and (3) evaluate

the type of actions needed.

Figure 4.2. The breakdown of rare or at-risk species

by taxonomic group.

Plants

255

Inverts

24

Fish 11

Mammals

 38

Herps

35

Birds

72
Invertebrates:

Smith’s blue butterfly Euphilotes enoptes smithi Endangered 1976 y

Quino checkerspot butterfly Euphydryas editha quino Endangered 1997 y p p

Laguna Mountains skipper Pyrgus ruralis lagunae Endangered 1997 y

Longhorn fairy shrimp Branchinecta longiantenna Endangered 1994 p

Vernal pool fairy shrimp Branchinecta lynchi Threatened 1994 p p

Fish:

Southern steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss Endangered 1998 h/p h h y

Mojave tui chub Gila bicolor mohavensis Endangered 1970 yhyb

Unarmored 3-spined Gasterosteus aculeatus Endangered 1970 y y h

 stickleback williamsoni

Tidewater goby Eucyclogobius newberryi Endangered 1994 p

Amphibians:

Arroyo toad Bufo californicus Endangered 1994 y y y y

California red-legged frog Rana aurora draytonii Threatened 1996 h/p h/p y y

Reptiles:

Desert tortoise Xerobates agassizii Threatened 1980 p p

Blunt-nosed leopard lizard Gambelia silus Endangered 1967 p

Birds:

California brown pelican Pelecanus occidentalis Endangered 1970 y

 californicus

Western snowy plover Charadrius alexandrinus Threatened 1993 p

 nivosus

Marbled murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus Threatened 1992 y

California condor Gymnogyps californianus Endangered 1967 h h h/p y

Bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus Threatened 1978 y y y y

American peregrine falcon* Falco peregrinus anatum Endangered 1970 y y y y

Southwestern willow Empidonax traillii extimus Endangered 1995 y y y p

 flycatcher

California gnatcatcher Polioptila californica californica Threatened 1993 y p

Least Bell’s vireo Vireo bellii pusillus Endangered 1986 y p p y

Mammals:

Pacific pocket mouse Perognathus longimembris Endangered 1994 p

 pacificus

Giant kangaroo rat Dipodomys ingens Endangered 1987 h/p

Stephens’ kangaroo rat Dipodomys stephensi Endangered 1988 p p

San Bernardino kangaroo rat Dipodomys merriami parvus Endangered 1998 y p

San Joaquin kit fox Vulpes macrotis mutica Endangered 1967 y

Peninsular bighorn sheep Ovis canadensis “cremnobates” Endangered 1998 y

Southern sea otter Enhydra lutris nereis Threatened 1977 y

Steller sea lion Eumetopias jubatus Threatened 1990 y

Table 4.1. The thirty-one federally listed animal species occurring within or near the assessment area and

their distribution by national forest (y = occurs, h = historically occurred, p = potential to occur, hyb = hybrid).

Federal Year

Common Name Scientific Name Status Listed

C

N

F

SB

N

F

A

N

F

LP

N

F

* delisted in 1999 (USFWS 1999)
Figure 4.3. The distribution of rare species varies by type. Invertebrate and plant species tend to be much

more localized, with over 80 percent occurring on only one national forest (NF) in the assessment area. Rare

vertebrates are more widely distributed, with 41 percent occurring on all four national forests.

Minimal Influence: Minimal ability to conserve on public lands within the assessment area

Species whose conservation is affected minimally by management of public lands in the mountains and

foothills. Suitable habitat for these species occurs outside the assessment area (or at least outside of

public lands within the assessment area), but they occur within the area only incidentally or in

insignificant numbers.

Landscape Level: Species best conserved through habitat or landscape-level management

Species that can be conserved through management activities at the habitat or landscape scale. These

species have relatively robust populations and/or have life history characteristics that respond to

habitat-scale conservation. They tend to be predictable occupants of a broad habitat type or structural

stage; thus, species-specific surveys are not crucial in order to conserve. Their persistence can be

relatively accurately inferred in a well-managed, functioning landscape that is within the natural range

of variability.

Site Specific: Species requires site-specific conservation attention

Organisms requiring species-level conservation action (including protection of individual locations) in

order to ensure their persistence in the planning area. Species in this category have one or more of the

following characteristics: extremely small populations, narrow endemism within the landscape, highly

specialized life history requirements, high sensitivity to small changes in habitat, dependence on

intensive conservation activities (e.g., exotic species control). The species in this category require one

or more of the following conservation actions: (1) site-specific protections or habitat enhancements, (2)

reintroductions, (3) additional data collection and research to determine basic needs.

Table 4.2. The categories and criteria used to evaluate each species’ conservation potential and needs on

public lands within the assessment area.

Invertebrates

(n = 156)

2 NFs

17%

1 NF

83%

Plants

(n = 255)

3 NFs

4%

2 NFs

14%

1 NF

82%

Vertebrates

(n = 156) 1 NF

30%

3 NFs

8%

4 NFs

41%

2 NFs

21%
115

 Chapter 4

Species Accounts

In the following sections, organized by

habitat groups, we summarize what is known

about the 165 potentially vulnerable animal

species. We focus primarily on information

that is specific to populations in or near the

assessment area. The individual accounts vary

considerably in length and specificity, reflecting the variability of available information.

Some species have received a lot of research

attention, while others have been almost entirely ignored. Because of the public interest

and regulatory requirements associated with

listed T&E species, there tends to be much

more information about them. For many of

the nonlisted species, the amount of information on specific occurrences or even habitat

associations within the assessment area is remarkably small. Thus, we have tried to identify

important information needs in the species

accounts.

Tables in each section summarize the distribution of each species within the assessment

area. Also provided are general estimates of

(1) how much information exists documenting locations of the species in the southern

California region, (2) what percentage of those

locations are on national forest system lands,

and (3) how vulnerable the species is to land

uses and habitat changes occurring on national

forest system lands in the assessment area.

Population trend information is also shown if

available and the assigned conservation category, based on criteria in table 4.2, is provided.

The estimates of distributional knowledge,

percent of occurrences on national forest system lands, and overall vulnerability should be

regarded as educated guesses based on available information and consultations with local

experts. There is a particularly high level of

uncertainty associated with the estimated percentage of occurrences that fall on national

forest system lands. The vulnerability categories were based on sensitivity to the prevailing

agents of change described in chapter 3, such

as current fire and stream flow regimes, nonnative species, human land use activities, and

pollution.

Habitat Generalists

Seventeen animal species that warrant individual consideration are best described as

habitat generalists. Key habitat management

issues identified for species in this group include (1) conservation of mesic microhabitats

in arid upland plant communities, (2) protection of raptor cliff-nesting sites during the

breeding season, and (3) protection of abandoned mine shafts that serve as important

hibernacula and roosting habitat for several bat

species. We conclude that only one of these

species, the California condor, is highly vulnerable to existing agents of change on public

lands within the assessment area (table 4.3).

To structure the evaluation process, we

separated species into groups based on primary habitat associations. The groupings are

clearly generalizations and few of the species

fit perfectly within their assigned habitat

group. Many species occupy additional habitats and others, particularly invertebrates,

occur in only a small portion of the defined

habitat association. Still, it is useful to organize species based on general factors that help

predict their occurrence. The groups are defined

primarily by associations with vegetation types,

but soil, geology, moisture, and elevation were

also used as habitat indicators.

California legless lizard (Anniella pulchra)

Status and Distribution: The legless lizard is a Forest Service Region 5 Sensitive

Species and a California Species of Special

Concern. Its geographic range overlaps extensively with the assessment area, although it is

primarily found at low elevations. Its reported

elevation range extends from sea level to approximately 5,700 feet in the Sierra Nevada

foothills, but most historic localities along the

central and southern California coast are below 3,500 feet (Jennings and Hayes 1994).

Legless lizards are particularly well documented in coastal dune habitats, but the

distribution map in Jennings and Hayes
Habitat Generalist

Animals of Concern

federal status

(1)

Knowledge

of SoCal

Locations

(% on NFs)

(5)

Conservation

Category

(4)

 Pop.

Trend

(3)

Vulnerability

on NFs

(2) areas occupied or estimated # of occurrences if spp. localized

Cleveland NF San Bern. NF Angeles NF Los Padres NF

San

Diego

Rngs

San

Jac

Mts

Snta

Ana

Mts

San

Bern

Mts

No.

SL

Rng

So.

SL

Rng

San

Gab

Mts

Castaic

Rngs

So.

LP

Rngs

Table 4.3. Habitat generalist animals that received individual consideration.

Displayed for each species: (1) the level of knowledge about where it occurs in southern California and, in

parentheses, the estimated percentage of locations that are on national forest system lands; (2) the mountain

subareas occupied (y = occurs in breeding season, h = historically occurred, p = potentially occurs, t = transient,

w = winter visitor)—if the species is localized and data are available, the approximate number of occurrences may be

displayed; (3) the vulnerability of populations on national forest system lands to existing threat factors; (4)

population trends; and (5) the assigned conservation category.

Reptiles

California legless lizard Mod-Low y y y p y y y y y Low Unkn Landscape

(10-40%) level

Coronado skink Mod y y Low Unkn Landscape

(10-50%) level

San Bernardino Mod-Low y y y p p Low Unkn Landscape

 ringneck snake (10-40%) level

San Diego Mod-Low y p y Low Unkn Landscape

 ringneck snake (10-30%) level

Cliff-Nesting Birds

California condor High h h h h h h/p 16 12 p High Incr Site

 endangered (> 70%) specific

Golden eagle High y y y y y y y y y Mod Decl1 Landscape

(30-60%) level

Peregrine falcon Mod y p p p p p p p y Mod Incr2 Site specific

 endangered* (< 20%) (nest sites)

Prairie falcon Mod y p y y y y y y y Mod Unkn Landscape

(30-60%) level

Mammals

Yuma myotis bat Mod y y y y y y y y y Low Unkn Landscape

(20-40%) level

Western small-footed Mod y y y y y y y y y Low Unkn Landscape

 myotis bat (40-70%) level

Spotted bat Low y p y y y y p Low Unkn Landscape

(?) level

Townsend’s big-eared Mod y y y y y y y y y Mod Unkn Site specific

 bat (30-60%) (mine roosts)

Pallid bat Low y y y y y y y y y Low Unkn Landscape

(10-30%) level

Western mastiff bat Mod y y y y y y y p p Low Unkn Landscape

(10-50%) level

California chipmunk Mod y y Low Unkn Landscape

(40-70%) level

Western spotted skunk Low y y y y y y y y y Low Unkn Landscape

(30-70%) level

American badger Low y y y y y y y y y Mod Decl3 Site

(< 20%) specific

1 Declining in San Diego County based on monitoring done by San Diego Golden Eagle Study Group

2 Based on rangewide information from Cade et al. 1997

3 Williams 1986

* formally removed from the Endangered Species List in 1999 (USFWS 1999)
117

 Chapter 4

(1994) suggests they probably occur in the

lower reaches of all our mountain subareas

with the possible exception of the San Bernardino Mountains.

Habitat: The California legless lizard is a

burrowing species associated with sandy or

loose loamy soils under the sparse vegetation

of beaches, chaparral, or pine-oak woodland,

or under sycamores, cottonwoods, or oaks

growing on stream terraces (Jennings and

Hayes 1994). It also occurs in desert scrub

along the western edge of the Mojave Desert

near Lancaster and in western portions of

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Legless lizards are often found under surface objects such

as logs, rocks, and leaf litter. Soil moisture is

essential for them and legless lizards die if they

are unable to reach a moist substrate (Bury

and Balgooyen 1976).

Fisher and Case (1997) describe finding

legless lizards at several locations in the eastern Santa Ana Mountains (i.e. Indian Canyon,

Ortega Highway, and upper Tenaja Truck

Trail) under oak woodland, chaparral, and

coastal scrub vegetation in decomposing granite soils. They suggest that the distribution of

these lizards in foothill and lower montane

areas may be closely tied to decomposing granite soils.

Conservation Considerations: Given the

legless lizard’s habitat requirements, life history characteristics, and relatively broad

distribution, we believe it is not highly vulnerable to existing agents of change in the

mountains and foothills. Thus, populations on

public lands within the assessment area can

be adequately conserved through landscapescale, habitat-based management. However,

given the limited amount of information on

the distribution and abundance of this species in foothill and lower montane areas, we

do wonder if these upper-elevation habitats

are productive enough to support self-sustaining populations. Habitat connections to

wildland reserves in the coastal and inland

valleys may be important for this species. Also,

Jennings and Hayes (1994) describe problems

associated with invasive non-native plants in

coastal dune habitats. Exotic plants could be

a problem for legless lizards in other habitats

too, especially if they affect soil moisture.

Coronado skink

(Eumeces skiltonianus interparietalis)

Status and Distribution: A subspecies of

western skink, the Coronado skink is a California Species of Special Concern. It reportedly

inhabits the coastal plain and Peninsular

Ranges west of the deserts from approximately

San Gorgonio Pass southward into Baja California (Jennings and Hayes 1994). However,

there are problems with the taxonomy of Pacific Coast skinks in general and with the

morphological characteristics used to distinguish the Coronado skink in particular

(Jennings and Hayes 1994).

Fisher and Case (1997) report that the

characteristics used to identify the Coronado

subspecies are ill defined and the main character (shape of the interparietal) is variable and

never occurs in a large proportion of individuals, even at locations within the range of the

proported subspecies. They found Eumeces

skiltonianus at study sites near Big Bear in the

San Bernardino Mountains; at the James Reserve in the San Jacinto Mountains; at Palomar

Mountain, Otay Mountain, and Japatul in San

Diego County; and at Starr Ranch in the Santa

Ana Mountains. However, they could not reliably separate E. s. interparietalis from the

more common E. s. skiltonianus based on

morphological characteristics (Fisher and Case

1997).

Habitat: The Coronado skink reportedly

occurs in a variety of plant associations including coastal sage scrub, chaparral, oak

woodlands, pinyon-juniper woodlands, riparian woodlands, and coniferous forests.

However, within these associations it is often

restricted to more mesic microhabitats

(Jennings and Hayes 1994).

Conservation Considerations: As suggested by Jennings and Hayes (1994) and

Fisher and Case (1997), a review of the systematic status of the Coronado skink relative

to other western skinks is needed to determine

if it really warrants subspecies status and, if
118

so, to better describe identifying characteristics. The Coronado skink has a relatively broad

distribution, and the work of Fisher and Case

(1997) suggests it is fairly common in areas of

suitable habitat. Thus, we believe it can be

adequately conserved through landscape-scale,

habitat-based management. Jennings and

Hayes (1994) express concern about the drying up of mesic microhabitats due to human

use of surface and underground water resources and the effect it may have on this

species. Management consideration should be

given to identifying and conserving these microhabitats. It appears that trends in skink

abundance can be effectively monitored using pitfall trap arrays (Fisher and Case 1997).

San Bernardino ringneck snake

(Diadophis punctatus modestus)

Status and Distribution: The San Bernardino ringneck snake is a Forest Service Region

5 Sensitive Species. Information on its distribution within the assessment area is scant.

Most museum specimens are from coastal basins and inland valleys. Blanchard (1942)

documents occurrences in Miller Canyon in

the San Gabriel Mountains, Mill Creek and

the upper Santa Ana River (near Lost Creek)

in the San Bernardino Mountains, and in

Trabuco Canyon in Orange County (potentially within the Santa Ana Mountains). Fisher

and Case (1997) found ringneck snakes on

Starr Ranch at the foot of the Santa Ana Mountains but did not identify them to subspecies.

Habitat: Ringneck snakes are found in a

wide variety of habitats from sea level to 6,400

feet (Blanchard 1942). Existing distributional

information is spotty, but it appears that these

snakes are more common at low elevation sites

(i.e., below 3,000 feet). Ringneck snakes are

not strongly associated with riparian habitats,

but the apparent importance of tree frogs and

slender salamanders in their diet (Blanchard

1942; Stebbins 1972) suggests they may seek

out and require moist microclimates. This is

also suggested by their reported absence from

desert-side habitats (Blanchard 1942). Ringneck snakes are rarely seen on the surface but

rather are found under rocks, logs, or leaf litter.

Conservation Considerations: The ringneck snake’s secretive nature, relatively broad

distribution, and generalized habitat associations suggest it can be conserved through

landscape-scale, habitat-based management. It

does not seem particularly vulnerable to existing change agents on public lands. Mesic

microhabitats in otherwise arid, upland vegetation types appear to be important to this

species. Management consideration should be

given to identifying and conserving these microhabitats. It would be very difficult to

monitor population trends of ringneck snakes

across a broad region in a reliable manner.

San Diego ringneck snake

(Diadophis punctatus similis)

Status and Distribution: The San Diego

ringneck snake is a Forest Service Region 5

Sensitive Species. Recent information on its

distribution within the assessment area is scant.

Fisher and Case (1997) found ringneck snakes

in Hall Canyon in the San Jacinto Mountains,

and on Otay Mountain in San Diego County

and also report them as being widespread at

low-elevation inland valley sites in Riverside

and San Diego counties. Other recently reported localities in the San Jacinto Mountains

include Apple Canyon, upper Hurkey Creek,

Idyllwild, Dark Canyon, and Vista Grande

Fire Station (D. Freeman, San Jacinto Ranger

District, unpubl. notes). In San Diego County,

they have recently been detected in Pamo Valley and Barona Creek (D. Mayer, Merkel &

Associates, pers. comm.).

Blanchard (1942) documents occurrences

in Strawberry Canyon in the San Jacinto

Mountains and in Pine Valley, Santa Ysabel,

Warner Springs, Witch Creek, and Wynola in

the mountains of San Diego County. Unpublished maps based on Laurence Klauber’s work

from the 1920s through the 1940s show the

San Diego localities reported by Blanchard and

also additional ones within the assessment area

at Pine Valley, Laguna Mountain, Cuyamaca

Lake, Boulder Creek, Pine Hills, and the south

side of Palomar Mountain.
119

 Chapter 4

Habitat: Similar to that described for the

San Bernardino ringneck snake. The highest

recorded elevation is 5,500 feet. Blanchard

(1942) reports that most specimens of this

subspecies came from coastal areas, with

smaller numbers from inland valleys and foothills, and only a few from the mountains. This

pattern is also reflected in the maps of

Klauber’s collections. Fisher and Case (1997)

report that ringneck snakes were widespread

in coastal sage scrub and oak woodland habitats at coastal sites in San Diego and Orange

counties and at inland valley sites in Riverside

County. Holland and Goodman (1998) found

this snake on Camp Pendleton in coastal sage

scrub, chaparral, oak woodland, grassland, and

riparian areas.

Conservation Considerations: Same as

those described for the San Bernardino ringneck snake.

California condor

(Gymnogyps californianus)

Status and Distribution: The California

condor was federally listed as an endangered

species in 1967. In 1987, after years of steady

population declines, the last nine wild condors were captured on the Los Padres National

Forest and brought into captivity. Since that

time successful captive breeding programs have

been ongoing at the Los Angeles Zoo and San

Diego Wild Animal Park (AZA 1995).

In January 1992, the first two California

condors were reintroduced into the Los Padres National Forest’s Sespe Condor Sanctuary,

along with two Andean condors. A total of

thirteen California condors were released at

the Sespe Sanctuary from 1992 to 1994. Five

of these died, four from collisions with power

lines and one from ingesting ethylene glycol,

a poisonous ingredient of antifreeze (AZA

1995). The remaining eight were recaptured

in March 1995 because of their tendency to

use powerlines poles for day perches and overnight roosts.

Since that time, negative conditioning has

been used prior to release to train the condors

to avoid powerlines. Alternative release sites,

in more remote locations, have also been used.

Release sites on the Los Padres National Forest include the Sierra Madre Mountains and

the Castle Crags area (Fig. 4.4) (AZA 1995).

These actions have improved the success of

subsequent releases. As of February 1999, there

were reportedly 28 wild condors in the vicinity of the Los Padres National Forest release

sites (CDFG 1999). Another 22 condors are

in the wild on the Vermillion Cliffs of Arizona and 97 remain in captivity at three different breeding facilities, for a total population of 147 birds (CDFG 1999).

Habitat: Condors generally nest on cliffs,

although they have been observed using cavities in large redwood trees (Jurek 1997). They

are carrion feeders and often travel long distances in search of large dead animals such as

deer, antelope, cattle, and sheep.

Conservation Considerations: Factors

that led to the condor’s century-long decline

include illegal collection of adults and their

eggs, poisoning from substances put out by

ranchers to eradicate livestock predators, poisoning from ingesting lead fragments from

bullets embedded in animal carcasses the condors feed on, and collisions with structures

such as power lines. In addition, the roads,

cities, housing tracts, and weekend mountain

retreats of modern civilization have replaced

much of the open country condors need to

find food. Their slow rate of reproduction and

years spent reaching breeding maturity undoubtedly make the condor population as a

whole more vulnerable to these threats.

Keys to the success of the recovery program include successful breeding in the wild

and maintenance of an ample food supply. The

first nesting of released condors cannot be expected for at least three to five more years

(sometime between 2000 and 2010) (Jurek

1997). Currently, supplemental food is hauled

in for the wild birds. It remains to be seen if

the natural supply of large carrion is sufficient

to support a stable condor population.

Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)

Status and Distribution: The golden eagle

is a California Species of Special Concern. It
120

Figure 4.4. Areas currently occupied by California condors on the Los Padres National Forest.

is uncommon, but widely distributed throughout the assessment area, particularly in foothill,

lower montane, and desert-montane habitats.

Monitoring of historic territories by the San

Diego Golden Eagle Study Group has documented a substantial decline in the San Diego

County population (D. Bittner and J. Oakley,

pers. comm.). Drops in territory occupancy

are most apparent in the coastal foothills where

there is rapid urban growth.

Habitat: Golden eagles nest primarily on

cliffs and hunt for rabbits and other small

mammals in nearby open habitats such as

grasslands, oak savannas, and open shrublands.

Conservation Considerations: Developments on private lands that encroach on key

foraging areas are a problem for golden eagles,

particularly in the southern half of the assessment area. There appears to be ample nesting

habitat on public land, but in many places the

highest quality foraging areas are on private

land. Increased recreational activity in the vicinity of cliff nests, particularly rock climbing, is also a problem in some areas and can

cause eagles to abandon a site. Management

consideration should be given to identifying

and protecting active nest sites during the

breeding season.
121

 Chapter 4

American peregrine falcon

(Falco peregrinus anatum)

Status and Distribution: The peregrine

falcon was removed from the Endangered Species List in August 1999. (USFWS 1999). It is

rare but widely distributed across southern and

central California, usually near the coast or in

other areas where migrant waterfowl or shorebirds are concentrated (e.g., inland reservoirs)

(Garrett and Dunn 1981). Peregrine falcons are

more common in northern portions of the assessment area that are relatively close to coastal

wetlands (i.e., the northern and southern Santa

Lucia Ranges and the Santa Ynez Mountains).

Widespread and indiscriminate use of

DDT in the middle of the century caused a

drastic decline in U.S. peregrine populations.

The pesticide, which accumulates in the

aquatic food chain, causes a thinning of peregrine egg shells which lowers reproductive

success. Bans on the use of DDT in the 1970s

and a major reintroduction campaign led by

the Peregrine Fund have resulted in an impressive increase in the distribution and

abundance of this bird over the last twenty

years (Cade et al. 1997). The population increase has been substantial enough to warrant

the peregrine’s delisting (Mesta et al. 1995; Cade

et al. 1997), although this decision is controversial (Pagel et al. 1996; Pagel and Bell 1997).

In the 1980s, a number of peregrine reintroductions were attempted on the southern

California national forests. Most of these birds

did not remain in the vicinity of release sites.

Habitat: Peregrine falcons nest high on

cliffs, usually near water. Much of the assessment area is not high-quality habitat for this

species because of the lack of water bodies that

concentrate its preferred prey.

Conservation Considerations: Protection

of cliff nesting sites from human disturbance

is an important conservation measure for peregrine falcons.

Prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus)

Status and Distribution: The prairie falcon is a California Species of Special Concern.

It is uncommon but widely distributed in the

assessment area. Like the golden eagle, it has

declined in the coastal foothills, probably due

to the loss of foraging habitat (Garrett and

Dunn 1981).

The prairie falcon’s diet of nonaquatic

birds helped it escape the widespread, DDTinduced declines experienced by the peregrine

falcon. However, localized occurrences of egg

thinning in prairie falcons have been reported.

Habitat: Prairie falcons nest on cliffs, generally in arid open areas. Desert scrub and

grasslands are preferred foraging habitats

(Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Conservation Considerations: Same as

those described for the golden eagle and peregrine falcon.

Yuma myotis bat (Myotis yumanensis)

Status and Distribution: The Yuma

myotis bat is currently a California Species of

Special Concern, although it may soon be removed based on a recent status review (P.

Collins, Santa Barbara Nat. History Museum,

pers. comm.). In bat surveys conducted by the

Forest Service from 1996 to 1998, Yuma

myotis was detected at eighteen of seventy-six

sites surveyed (Simons et al. in prep.). It was

observed at three or more locations on each

of the four national forests. Yuma myotis was

found at elevations ranging from 1,400 to

7,700 feet, but was most commonly detected

at sites below 5,000 feet (thirteen of the eighteen sites).

Habitat: Yuma myotis occurs in a variety

of habitats including riparian, arid scrublands,

deserts, and forests (Bogan et al. 1998a). It is

usually associated with permanent sources of

water, typically rivers and streams, where it

does most of its foraging. Yuma myotis roosts

in bridges, buildings, cliff crevices, caves,

mines, and trees (Bogan et al. 1998a).

Conservation Considerations: The Yuma

myotis bat appears to be well represented on

public lands in the assessment area, particularly at elevations below 5,000 feet on both

coastal and desert slopes. The ability of this

species to utilize a wide range of roost types

reduces its vulnerability. Identification and

protection of maturity colony sites (e.g., in
122

caves, mines, or structures) is important to the

conservation of this species.

Western small-footed myotis bat

(Myotis ciliolabrum)

Status and Distribution: The small-footed

myotis bat is a former C2 candidate species.

It was detected at twenty-four of seventy-six

sites surveyed from 1996 to 1998, at elevations ranging from 3,800 to 7,800 feet

(Simons et al. in prep.). It was the fourth most

commonly detected bat species in that survey

and was observed at four or more locations

on each of the four national forests.

Habitat: The small-footed myotis is said

to occur in deserts, chaparral, riparian zones,

and coniferous forest, and, most commonly,

in pinyon-juniper forests (Bogan et al. 1998b).

Local surveys found this species most frequently in montane conifer forests and desert

montane habitats (Simons et al. in prep.). This

bat utilizes a variety of roost types.

Conservation Considerations: The western small-footed myotis bat appears to be well

represented on public lands in the assessment

area and its habitat requirements indicate relatively low vulnerability to existing agents of

change. The ability of this species to use a variety of roost types reduces its vulnerability.

Identification and protection of maturity

colony sites (e.g., in caves, mines, or structures) is important to the conservation of this

species.

Spotted bat (Euderma maculatum)

Status and Distribution: The spotted bat

is a California Species of Special Concern.

There is little current information on its distribution in the assessment area. It was

detected at only two of seventy-six sites surveyed from 1996 to 1998 (on Palomar

Mountain and in the Sierra Madre Mountains), but it is not a species that is often caught

in mist nets (Simons et al. in prep.).

Habitat: Spotted bats forage in a wide

variety of habitats but roost strictly in cliffs,

which may limit their distribution (Luce

1998).

Conservation Considerations: More information is needed on the distribution and

abundance of spotted bats within the assessment area. Their habit of roosting in cliffs

reduces vulnerability to land use activities.

Townsend’s big-eared bat

(Corynorhinus townsendii)

Status and Distribution: The Townsend’s

big-eared bat is a Forest Service Region 5 Sensitive Species and a California Species of

Special Concern. It was detected at six of seventy-six sites surveyed from 1996 to 1998 in

the mountains and foothills of southern California (one site on San Bernardino National

Forest and five sites on Cleveland National

Forest) (Simons et al. in prep.). More importantly, it was found at fourteen abandoned

mine locations in the northeastern San Bernardino Mountains, with fifty-five individuals

observed in one mine (Simons et al. in prep.).

It has also been documented in several abandoned mines in the Laguna Mountains.

Habitat: The distribution of this species

is strongly correlated with the availability of

caves and cave-like roosting habitat, with

population centers occurring in areas dominated by exposed, cavity forming rock and/or

historic mining areas (Sherwin 1998a). Abandoned mines are particularly important in

areas where there are not well developed caves.

Conservation Considerations: The

Townsend’s big-eared bat’s dependence on

abandoned mines for roosting makes it moderately vulnerable to ongoing activities. Mine

vandalism and over-utilization of these sites

are problems in a number of areas. Identification and protection of significant roost sites is

key to the conservation of this species. Additional surveys are needed to identify roost sites.

Several important roost sites have recently been

identified and protected (by installing bat gates

across mine entrances) in the San Bernardino

Mountains (Lisa Underwood, Mountaintop

District, pers. comm.).

Pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus)

Status and Distribution: The pallid bat is

a Forest Service Region 5 Sensitive Species and
123

 Chapter 4

a California Species of Special Concern. It was

detected at seven of seventy-six sites surveyed

from 1996 to 1998 in the mountains and foothills of southern California (four sites on Los

Padres National Forest, three sites on Angeles

National Forest), at elevations ranging from

1,100 to 6,600 feet (Simons et al. in prep.). It

was not detected in abandoned mine surveys

in the northeastern San Bernardino Mountains

(Simons et al. in prep.).

Habitat: Pallid bats roost in rock crevices,

tree hollows, mines, caves, and a variety of

man-made structures (Sherwin 1998b). Local data suggest that this species may be most

common at elevations below 6,000 feet on

both coastal and desert sides (Simons et al. in

prep.).

Conservation Considerations: It is difficult to determine how widely distributed or

abundant pallid bats are in the assessment area

and more information is needed. Their ability to roost in a wide variety of sites may help

reduce their vulnerability to human activities.

Western mastiff bat (Eumops perotis)

Status and Distribution: The western

mastiff bat is a California Species of Special

Concern. It was detected at twenty-five of seventy-six sites surveyed from 1996 to 1998 in

the mountains and foothills of southern California (Simons et al. in prep.). It was the third

most commonly detected bat species in that

survey and was found on all four national forests, in a variety of habitats, and across a broad

elevation range (1,100 to 7,600 feet).

Habitat: The mastiff bat is primarily a

cliff-dwelling species, where maternity colonies of thirty to several hundred (typically

fewer than one hundred) roost generally under exfoliating rock slabs (e.g., granite, sandstone, or columnar basalt) (Pierson 1998). It

can also be found in similar crevices in large

boulders and buildings. Mastiff bats are found

in a wide variety of habitats, but the species’

distribution may be geomorphically determined, occurring primarily where there are

significant rock features offering suitable roosting habitat (Pierson and Rainey 1996; Pierson

1998).

Conservation Considerations: The western mastiff bat appears to be widespread in

the assessment area, although its abundance

is unknown. The habitat requirements of this

species indicate relatively low vulnerability to

existing agents of change on public lands.

Management attention should be given to

conserving cliff and rock habitats that provide

important roost sites. More complete information is needed on the distribution and

abundance of this species in the assessment

area.

California chipmunk

(Tamias obscurus davisi)

Status and Distribution: The California

chipmunk is not considered to be rare, but

we include it as a local species of concern because its distribution is small and largely within

the assessment area (Callahan 1977; Zeiner et

al. 1990). The subspecies T. o. davisi is known

only from the San Bernardino, Little San Bernardino, Eagle, San Jacinto and Santa Rosa

mountains of southern California (fig. 4.5)

(Callahan 1977). It is reportedly common on

desert-facing slopes of the eastern San Bernardino Mountains eastward through the desert

ranges of Joshua Tree National Monument and

in montane conifer habitats in the San Jacinto

and Santa Rosa mountains.

Habitat: North of San Gorgonio Pass, T.

o. davisi is largely restricted to rocky areas in

pinyon-juniper woodland below about 6,700

feet. It is replaced at higher elevations by the

closely related Merriam’s chipmunk (Tamias

merriami). South of San Gorgonio Pass, the

species are distributed in an opposite pattern:

The California chipmunk replaces the

Merriam’s chipmunk in plant communities

higher than pinyon-juniper woodlands and

occurs at elevations up to 8,700 feet (Callahan

1977).

Conservation Considerations: It would be

helpful to have some current information on

the status of this narrowly distributed species.

However, most of the California chipmunk’s

range is on public land and its habitat requirements generally indicate low vulnerability to

existing agents of change.
124

Figure 4.5. The known distribution of the California chipmunk.

Western spotted skunk (Spilogale gracilis)

Status and Distribution: The spotted

skunk is not on any concern lists and it is believed to be relatively widespread (P. Collins,

Santa Barbara Nat. Hist. Museum, pers.

comm.). We include it as a local viability concern because there is essentially no recent,

documented information on its distribution

or status in the assessment area.

Habitat: Vaughan (1954) found spotted

skunks in rocky canyons on the coastal side

of the San Gabriel Mountains. He thought

they also probably occurred in desert slope

canyons. Grinnell et al. (1937) report an

elevational range for spotted skunks in southern California of near sea level to at least 4,500

feet.

Conservation Considerations: Some current information is needed on the distribution

and abundance of this species on public lands

within the assessment area.

American badger (Taxidea taxus)

Status and Distribution: The badger is a

California Species of Special Concern. Its geographic range is large and takes in the entire

assessment area, but its local distribution is

spotty and not well documented. Badgers can

occur at high elevations in meadows near timberline, but we could find little information

documenting occurrences at high elevations
125

 Chapter 4

in the southern California mountains. Distributional records in Williams (1986) indicate

the presence of badgers on Mount Pinos, but

they are not reported from high meadows in

the San Bernardino and San Jacinto mountains or the large mid-elevation meadows on

Palomar and Laguna mountains.

Documented localities from the San Bernardino and San Jacinto mountains are largely

from desert montane areas (e.g., Highway 243

south of Banning, Coxey Creek, Burnt Flats,

Redonda Ridge, Lone Pine Canyon) and the

Cajon Wash area (D. Freeman, San Bernardino NF, unpubl. notes). A similar pattern was

reported by Vaughan (1954) for the San

Gabriel Mountains, with badger sign being

most common in Joshua tree woodlands and

pinyon-juniper associations on the desert

slope.

Localities in the San Diego County mountains are mainly from valleys in the coastal

foothills (e.g., Ramona, Pamo Valley, Santa

Ysabel, Witch Creek, and Sweetwater Reservoir) (Bond 1977). Most of these areas are on

private land.

Habitat: Badgers can occur in a wide variety of arid open habitats but are most

commonly associated with grasslands, savannas, mountain meadows, and openings in

desert scrub. The principal requirements seem

to be sufficient food (burrowing rodents), friable soils, and relatively open, uncultivated

ground (Williams 1986). They seem to occur

primarily in areas of low to moderate slope.

Conservation Considerations: Current

information is needed on the distribution and

abundance of this species on public lands

within the assessment area, particularly in the

mountain subareas where historic localities are

mainly on private lands (e.g., San Diego ranges

and Santa Lucia Ranges). The presence of this

species can often be determined by sign of

diggings and burrows.

Animals of Aquatic, Aquatic/

Upland, Riparian, and Lake

Habitats

Aquatic and riparian habitats are important to a lot of species and they are of limited

extent in arid southern California. Therefore,

it is not surprising that thirty-nine rare or potentially at risk animals are closely associated

with these habitat types. To address all of these

species, we have further subdivided this group

into six categories: fish (fully aquatic), aquatic/

upland amphibians and reptiles, riparian birds,

mammals, invertebrates, and lake-associated

species.

Fish

There are few native fish in southern California streams and essentially all of them are

rare and at risk. Nine native fish species are

considered individually below (table 4.4).

Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata)

Status and Distribution: This anadromous lamprey is not on any official concern

lists, but we include it as a local viability concern species because its habitat requirements

are similar to the steelhead (Swift et al. 1993)

and it faces many of the same threat factors.

Lampreys still maintain runs in several creeks

along the coast in Monterey and San Luis

Obsipo counties, in parts of the Santa Maria

and Santa Ynez rivers, parts of the Ventura

River, and the Sespe Creek portion of the Santa

Clara River drainage (Swift et al. 1993).

Habitat: Similar to that described for the

southern steelhead.

Conservation Considerations: See southern steelhead account.

Southern steelhead

(Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Status and Distribution: West coast steelhead populations have been divided into

fifteen evolutionarily significant units (ESUs)

based on natural geographic boundaries that

foster genetic isolation (NMFS 1997a). Each

ESU is treated as a distinct population by the

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for

determinations on the need for listing as

threatened or endangered. Our assessment area

spans two ESUs: the south-central California

coast ESU, which has been listed as threatened, and the southern California coast ESU,
126

Fish of Concern

federal status

(1)

Knowledge

of SoCal

Locations

(% on NFs)

(5)

Conservation

Category

(4)

 Pop.

Trend

(3)

Vulnerability

on NFs

(2) areas occupied or estimated # of occurrences if spp. localized

Cleveland NF San Bern. NF Angeles NF Los Padres NF

San

Diego

Rngs

San

Jac

Mts

Snta

Ana

Mts

San

Bern

Mts

No.

SL

Rng

So.

SL

Rng

San

Gab

Mts

Castaic

Rngs

So.

LP

Rngs

Pacific lamprey Mod h/p h h h 3-4 1 5 Mod Unkn Landscape

(< 20%) level

Southern steelhead High h h/p h h 7-10 ~6 ~11 High Decl1 Site

endangered/threatened (25-50%) specific

Mojave tui chub High 1Hyb Mod Unkn Site

 endangered (50-75%) specific

Arroyo chub High 2 3 2 2 7-8 5 Int 9 Int 3 Int Mod Unkn Landscape

(40-60%) level

Santa Ana speckled Mod 2 1-2 6-7 ~9 h 2SL 2 SL Mod Unkn Landscape

 dace (40-60%) level

Santa Ana sucker High h h h/p 4-5 2Int 2 Int High Decl2 Site

(50-75%) specific

Unarmored three- High 2Sh 1 2 High Site

 spine stickleback (40-60%) specific

 endangered

Partially armored Mod h/p y y y Int y Int p y y y Mod Unkn Landscape

 threespine stickleback (40-70%} level

Tidewater goby High p None Decl MinimaI

Influence

which has been listed as endangered (NMFS

1997b).

The south-central coast ESU encompasses

streams that drain the northern and southern

Santa Lucia Ranges down to (but not including) the Santa Maria River in San Luis Obispo

County. The primary rivers supporting steelhead runs in this ESU are the Pajaro, Salinas,

Table 4.4. Rare or potentially at risk fish that are native to southern California.

Displayed for each species: (1) the level of knowledge about where it occurs in southern California and, in

parentheses, the estimated percentage of locations that are on national forest system lands; (2) the mountain

subareas occupied (y = occurs in breeding season, h = historically occurred, p = potentially occurs, t = transient,

w = winter visitor)—if the species is localized and data are available, the approximate number of occurrences may be

displayed; (3) the vulnerability of populations on national forest system lands to existing threat factors; (4)

population trends; and (5) the assigned conservation category.

1 Source: NMFS (1997b).

2 Source: Swift et al. (1993)

Hyb Mojave tui chubs in San Bernardino Mountains (Deep Creek) have hybridized with arroyo chubs.

Int Introduced populations, not part of historic range.

SL San Luis Obispo speckled dace may be a distinct subspecies (Swift et al. 1993).

Sh Unarmored 3-spine stickleback in San Bernardino Mountains is genetically distinct Shay Creek form (Haglund and

 Buth 1988).

Carmel, Little Sur and Big Sur rivers. However, an additional fifteen to twenty smaller

streams along the Monterey and San Luis

Obispo coast also support steelhead. Streams

specified in the final rule on this ESU that

occur at least partially on national forest system lands (all within the Los Padres National

Forest) include Little Sur River, Big Sur River,
127

 Chapter 4

Habitat: The following synopsis is from

Moyle et al. (1995). Major streams in southern California originate in the coastal

mountains and many cross broad alluvial areas before flowing into the sea. These

low-elevation alluvial flats present inhospitably warm and fluctuating temperatures and

streamflows tend to be intermittent in these

sections. The higher elevation headwaters,

therefore, are the primary spawning and rearing areas for steelhead. It is likely that the

largest steelhead populations historically occurred in major streams where the upstream

Big Creek, Alder Creek, San Carpoforo Creek,

and Morro Creek.

Maps of the southern California ESU in

the west coast steelhead status review (NMFS

1997a) show it extending from the Santa

Maria River south to the Mexican border.

However, the final rule on listing (NMFS

1997b) defines the ESU as extending south

to “the southern extent of the species’ range,”

which is defined as Malibu Creek. This leaves

some uncertainty as to whether a re-established

population south of Malibu Creek would be

considered part of this ESU and recognized

as an endangered species. The primary streams

supporting steelhead runs in this ESU are the

Santa Ynez River, Gaviota Creek, Ventura

River, Santa Clara River (including Sespe

Creek) and Malibu Creek. Total run sizes in

all of these streams were less than two hundred adults.

Historically, winter-run southern steelhead

or coastal rainbow trout moved up most

coastal streams in central and southern California (Behnke 1992), although spawning

success south of the Los Angeles Basin may

have been sporadic (Swift et al. 1993). Now

Malibu Creek, Los Angeles County, is the

southernmost stream recognized as supporting a persistent spawning steelhead population

(NMFS 1997b)(fig. 4.6). However, in April

1999 trout believed to be southern steelhead

were found in a tributary of San Mateo Creek

in San Diego County (A. Vejar, CDFG pers.

comm). Tissue samples of these fish were collected for DNA analysis to determine if they

are indeed steelhead.

spawning and rearing habitats were closest to

the ocean, such as in the Ventura, Santa Clara,

and Santa Ynez rivers. Streams still supporting steelhead runs today are primarily in small

drainages whose headwaters are in mountains

very close to the coast (e.g., the Santa Lucia,

Santa Ynez, and Santa Monica mountains).

These streams tend to be the only ones that

don’t have impassible barriers between spawning habitats and the ocean.

Conservation Considerations: The extensive decline of steelhead in central and

southern California is due mostly to in-stream

water developments that have resulted in inadequate flows, flow fluctuations, blockages,

and dewatering of portions of rivers (NMFS

1997a). Suitable spawning and rearing habitats on national forest system lands are

frequently located in upper elevation areas

above currently impassable barriers. Efforts are

ongoing to develop a strategy for restoring

steelhead populations along the central coast

and within the Los Padres National Forest.

There has also been interest in trying to restore habitat conditions for steelhead on San

Mateo Creek in San Diego County (A. Vejar,

CDFG, pers. comm.).

Mojave tui chub (Gila bicolor mohavensis)

Status and Distribution: The Mojave tui

chub was federally listed as endangered in

1970. The one remaining population within

the assessment area is on lower Deep Creek

on the San Bernardino National Forest. Unfortunately, this population has hybridized

extensively with introduced arroyo chub (Swift

et al. 1993).

Habitat: The Mojave tui chub’s native

range is restricted to the Mojave River and its

tributaries (Swift et al. 1993).

Conservation Considerations: Moyle

(1976) believed that the arroyo chubs had

eliminated the Mojave chubs in Deep Creek,

but a hybrid collected in 1991 showed that

the parental influence of both species still exists (Swift et al. 1993). It is important to prevent further introductions of arroyo chubs into

Deep Creek.
128

Figure 4.6. Current distribution of southern steelhead in the assessment area and the boundary between the

south-central and southern California ESUs.

Arroyo chub (Gila orcutti)

Status and Distribution: The arroyo chub

is a California Species of Special Concern. Its

status is interesting in that it is now most abundant in areas outside of its native range (Swift

et al. 1993). It was widely introduced in the

1930s and 1940s, as bait with trout plants or

with mosquitofish, and now occurs in many

reservoirs and in central-coast and desert-side

streams that are outside its native range (Swift

et al. 1993). Arroyo chubs are native to the

Los Angeles, San Gabriel, Santa Ana, Santa

Margarita, and San Luis Rey rivers and to

Malibu and San Juan creeks (Moyle et al.

1995). They have been successfully introduced

into the Santa Clara, Santa Ynez, Santa Maria,

Cuyama, and Mojave river systems and other

smaller coastal streams (e.g., Arroyo Grande

Creek) (Swift et al. 1993; Moyle et al. 1995).

A number of native arroyo chub populations occur in the assessment area. On the

Angeles National Forest, it is in Pacoima

Creek, Big Tujunga Creek, the west, east, and

north forks of the San Gabriel River, Cattle

Canyon and Bear Creek. On the Cleveland

National Forest, it is in San Juan Creek,

Trabuco Creek, the West Fork of the San Luis

Rey River and Agua Caliente Creek (above

Lake Henshaw). The largest population is
129

 Chapter 4

considered to be in the West Fork of the San

Gabriel River (Wells et al. 1975).

Habitat: Arroyo chubs are found in slowmoving or backwater sections of low-elevation

streams (Moyle et al. 1995). Wells et al. (1975)

describe physical characteristics of stream sites

where arroyo chub were collected.

Conservation Considerations: It is important to identify and maintain arroyo chub

populations within the species’ native range.

This can be achieved by ensuring that there

are adequate stream flows to maintain areas

of permanent, year-round water in each of the

occupied streams. Moyle et al. (1995) identify the West Fork of the San Gabriel River as

a particularly important refugia for this species. A potential problem in some areas is

introduced red shiners, which may competitively exclude chub in some areas (Moyle et

al. 1989). Red shiners are known to occur in

Big Tujunga Creek below Big Tujunga Reservoir.

Santa Ana speckled dace

(Rhinichthys osculus)

Status and Distribution: The Santa Ana

speckled daceis a Forest Service Region 5 Sensitive Species and a California Species of

Special Concern. Its historic range is lowelevation streams in the Los Angeles, San

Gabriel and Santa Ana river systems (Swift et

al. 1993). The largest remaining population

is within the Angeles National Forest on lower

reaches of the east, north, and west forks of

the San Gabriel River including Cattle Canyon, Bear Creek and Fish Canyon (Swift et al.

1993). Other reported occurrences on the

Angeles include Pacoima Creek, Little Tujunga

Creek and Big Tujunga Creek (Moyle et al.

1989), but more recent information indicates

these populations may now be extinct (Moyle

et al. 1995).

On the San Bernardino National Forest,

small speckled dace populations are reported

from the North Fork of Lytle Creek, Cajon

Wash, Lone Pine Canyon, Strawberry Creek,

Plunge Creek, City Creek, Mill Creek (this

population is actually just downstream of the

San Bernardino National Forest boundary),

and the South Fork of the San Jacinto River

(Moyle et al. 1995; S. Loe, SBNF, pers.

comm.). On the Cleveland National Forest,

there is a small population on Santiago Creek

(R. Fisher, USGS Biological Resource Division, pers. comm.) and potentially in Silverado

Canyon (a historic population that may have

been extirpated) (Moyle et al. 1995).

A genetically different form of speckled

dace occurs in San Luis Obispo and northern

Santa Barbara counties. The “San Luis Obispo

speckled dace” occurs within the Los Padres

National Forest on the Cuyama and Sisquoc

rivers, and Manzana and San Luis Obispo

creeks (Swift et al. 1993).

Habitat: The Santa Ana speckled dace requires permanent flowing streams with summer water temperatures of 17 to 20 degrees

Centigrade. The dace inhabit shallow cobble

and gravel riffles (Wells et al. 1975). Deinstadt

et al. (1990) provide a detailed description of

speckled dace habitat in the West Fork of the

San Gabriel River.

Conservation Considerations: Surveys are

needed to better determine the current distribution and abundance of speckled dace. The

primary threat to most of the small populations is maintaining areas of permanent,

year-round surface water. Some populations

(e.g., Silverado Canyon) suffered severe losses

or extirpation during the drought in the late

1980s because streams dried up. Habitat degradation and the establishment of red shiners

in Big Tujunga Canyon are cited as a cause of

speckled dace decline (Moyle et al. 1989). The

west, north, and east forks of the San Gabriel

River are identified as the best remaining habitat for Santa Ana speckled dace (Moyle et al.

1995).

Santa Ana sucker

(Catostomus santaanae)

Status and Distribution: The U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service has made a determination that listing of the Santa Ana sucker as

threatened or endangered is warranted but

precluded at this time due to other pressing

concerns (P. Barrett, USFWS, pers. comm.).
130

Figure 4.7. Current distribution of the Santa Ana sucker.

The historic range of this species is

low-elevation streams in the Los Angeles, San

Gabriel and Santa Ana river systems (Swift et

al. 1993). Remaining native populations are

concentrated within the Angeles National

Forest in the east, north, and west forks of the

San Gabriel River (including Cattle Canyon

and Bear Creek), and Big Tujunga Creek (fig

4.7). The only other native population is in

the lower Santa Ana River, outside the assessment area. Santa Ana suckers historically

occurred in the upper Santa Ana River, on

Cajon and City creeks in the foothills of the

San Bernardino Mountains, and in Santiago

Creek in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains (Moyle et al. 1995).

Introduced populations of the Santa Ana

sucker are present in the Santa Clara River,

Sespe Creek, Piru Creek and San Francisquito

Creek. Some of these introduced populations

are within the Los Padres and Angeles national

forests. Hybridization with the non-native

dusky sucker (Catostomus fumeiventris) is apparently a problem in the Sespe Creek and

lower Santa Clara River populations, but the

upper Santa Clara River (Soledad Canyon)

population has not been affected (Greenfield

et al. 1970, Swift et al. 1993).

Habitat: Santa Ana suckers are native to

many of the same streams as the speckled dace

and have similar habitat requirements. Preferred substrates are generally coarse gravel and
131

 Chapter 4

Habitat: Sticklebacks prefer quiet-water

habitat like pools with abundant aquatic vegetation, backwater areas, and stream margins

where water velocity is low (Moyle et al. 1995).

Conservation Considerations: Currently,

arundo is being removed along San

Francisquito Creek and Soledad Canyon to

increase available surface water and improve

habitat for the stickleback. These localized

populations are vulnerable to a wide variety

of threats and require site-specific attention.

The Shay Creek stickleback is highly vulnerable to extinction because of the tenuous

nature of the water supply in Shay Creek. Efforts are ongoing to secure a dependable supply

of water and to establish additional populations.

Partially armored threespine stickleback

(Gasterosteus aculeatus microcephalus)

Status and Distribution: The partially armored threespine stickleback is a Forest Service

Region 5 Sensitive Species. Swift et al. (1993)

report that native populations of this subspecies are widespread north of Point Conception

but declining rapidly to the south. Recent

records (1991 onward) south of the Los

boulders, and suckers are often associated with

algae, but not macrophytes (Moyle et al.

1995). Additional habitat and life history information for this species can be found in

Greenfield et. al. (1970) and Moyle et al.

(1995).

Conservation Considerations: The Angeles National Forest is the primary refugia for

the Santa Ana sucker, and its few remaining

populations require site-specific management

attention. The primary threats to these populations are habitat degradation, streamflow

alterations, and introduced species. Mining activities such as suction dredging are occurring

in the upper San Gabriel River and have been

implicated in the decline of suckers in Cattle

Canyon (Moyle et al. 1995).

Variable and sometimes extreme releases

of water from Big Tujunga and Cogswell reservoirs are constant threats to sucker

populations on Big Tujunga Creek and the

West Fork of the San Gabriel River (Moyle et

al. 1995). Red shiners, which have been introduced into Big Tujunga Creek, are a

potential egg predator, and green sunfish are

likely to prey on juveniles. The elimination of

Santa Ana suckers from the upper Santa Ana

River in the San Bernardino Mountains is

largely attributed to predation by introduced

brown trout (Moyle et al. 1995). The west,

north, and east forks of the San Gabriel River

are identified as the best remaining habitat for

Santa Ana suckers (Moyle et al. 1995).

Unarmored threespine stickleback

(Gasterosteus aculeatus williamsoni)

Status and Distribution: The unarmored

threespine stickleback was federally listed as

endangered in 1970. Historically widespread

and abundant in the Los Angeles Basin, it is

now restricted to three areas in the upper Santa

Clara River watershed: an 8-mile stretch of

Soledad Canyon, a portion of upper San

Francisquito Canyon and in Escondido Canyon (a tributary of Agua Dulce Canyon) (Swift

et al. 1989). All of these populations are within

or near the Angeles National Forest (fig. 4.8).

A recovery plan exists for this species (USFWS

1985) and a recovery team is in place that coordinates conservation activities.

The Shay Creek threespine stickleback is

a morphologically similar, yet genetically distinct population that occurs at elevations over

6,000 feet in Baldwin Lake and its main tributary, Shay Creek, in the eastern San Bernardino

Mountains (Haglund and Buth 1988). This

stickleback is highly imperiled. Baldwin Lake

is ephemeral; thus, Shay Creek is the primary

refugia for the fish. However, Shay Creek is

predominantly on private land and extraction

of surface and groundwater in this basin has

reduced the availability of water in the creek.

The one remaining population within Shay

Creek exists in a small pool that must have

water artificially pumped in to sustain it. A

transplant population from Shay Creek has

become established on the San Bernardino

National Forest in an artificial pond in

Sugarloaf Meadows (Malcolm 1992).
132

 Angeles Basin are from the Santa Ana Mountains (Trabuco Creek in and below O’Neil

Park, upper San Juan Creek near the mouths

of Hot Spring and Cold Spring canyons, and

upper reaches of Bell Canyon on Starr Ranch)

and the South Fork of the San Jacinto River

below Lake Hemet (Swift et al. 1993).

To the north, partially armored sticklebacks occur in the Santa Clara, Ventura, and

Santa Ynez rivers as well as many coastal

streams in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo

counties. Other southern streams where native populations of partially armored

sticklebacks historically occurred (and may still

occur) include San Mateo Creek, Santa

Figure 4.8. Current distribution of the unarmored threespine stickleback.

Margarita River, and the San Luis Rey River

(Swift et al. 1993). They were apparently absent from streams in the Los Angeles Basin

inhabited by the unarmored threespine stickleback.

Partially armored sticklebacks have been

widely introduced into streams in association

with trout plants. Established populations that

are believed to be the result of such introductions can be found in Big and Little Rock

creeks (Angeles National Forest), Holcomb

Creek, Lake Arrowhead, and Big Bear Lake

(San Bernardino National Forest), and the

Sweetwater River and Pine Creek (Cleveland

National Forest) (Swift et al. 1993).
133

 Chapter 4

Habitat: They inhabit low-gradient, lowelevation streams with characteristics similar

to those described for the unarmored

threespine stickleback.

Conservation Considerations: Similar to

those described for other native fish. Sticklebacks are hardy fish; the primary threat to

native populations is maintaining areas of permanent, year-round surface water.

Tidewater goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi)

Status and Distribution: The tidewater

goby was federally listed as endangered in

1994. The assessment area extends to the coast

only for a small stretch in the northern Santa

Lucia Range (Monterey District, Los Padres

National Forest). None of the coastal streams

in this area are known to support populations

of the tidewater goby. The coastline is steep

in this area and suitable lagoon habitats are

absent (Swift et al. 1989).

Habitat: Tidewater gobies are restricted to

coastal, brackish-water habitats (Swift et al.

1989).

Conservation Considerations: The tidewater goby is a species whose conservation can

be minimally influenced by management of

public lands within the assessment area.

Aquatic/Upland Amphibians and Reptiles

Six amphibian and three reptile species

(table 4.5) are dependent, to varying degrees,

on aquatic habitats for some part of their life

cycle. These are collectively referred to as

aquatic/upland species, because upland habitats in the vicinity of stream courses or water

bodies are also very important to their survival.

Coast Range newt (Taricha torosa torosa)

Status and Distribution: The Coast Range

newt is a California Species of Special Concern. It occurs along low-elevation streams

mostly near the coast. Newts occupy a number of drainages along the southern Monterey

coast, many within the Los Padres National

Forest. These include the upper Carmel River,

Big Sur River, Big Creek, Devil’s Canyon,

Willow Creek, and San Carpoforo Creek.

Many of the occupied streams in San Luis

Obispo and Santa Barbara counties are along

the immediate coast and off of National Forest System land. However, newts do occur on

national forest system land in Lopez Canyon,

East Fork of Morro Creek, Rincon Creek, and

probably the upper end of several other streams

dropping out of the Santa Ynez Mountains

(Jennings and Hayes 1994).

South of the Santa Clara River, Coast

Range newt populations are scarcer (Jennings

and Hayes 1994). Outside the assessment area,

they occur in at least eight small, coastal

streams coming out of the Santa Monica

Mountains (Gamradt and Kats 1996). In the

San Gabriel Mountains, they are known to be

present in the east and west forks of the San

Gabriel River, Bear Creek, San Dimas Creek,

Big Dalton and Little Dalton canyons. There

are historic records from other streams on the

coastal side of the San Gabriels, so they may

still be present in additional drainages.

Jennings and Hayes (1994) show one mapped

newt location in the San Bernardino Mountains, but they do not describe it and we are

not aware of any recent sightings in this range.

On the Cleveland National Forest, newts

occur in a series of parallel drainages on the

coastal side of the Santa Ana Mountains, including Black Star Canyon, Silverado Canyon,

Trabuco Creek, San Juan Creek, San Mateo

Creek, Devil’s Canyon, and Tenaja Creek. Just

off the forest in Camp Pendleton they also

occur on San Onofre Creek, Santa Margarita

River, and DeLuz Creek. In the San Diego

ranges, there is a disjunct population of Coast

Range newts in three adjacent streams coming out of the Cuyamaca Mountains—Cedar

Creek, Boulder Creek, and Conejos Creek.

Habitat: Coast Range newts breed in

streams and ponds but spend much of the year

away from water. They generally prefer rocky

canyons that contain streams with welldeveloped pools (Fisher and Case 1997).

Conservation Considerations: Better

documentation on the full extent of Coast

Range newts in the southern California
134

Aquatic/Upland

Animals of Concern

federal status

(1)

Knowledge

of SoCal

Locations

(% on NFs)

(5)

Conservation

Category

(4)

 Pop.

Trend

(3)

Vulnerability

on NFs

(2) areas occupied or estimated # of occurrences if spp. localized

Cleveland NF San Bern. NF Angeles NF Los Padres NF

San

Diego

Rngs

San

Jac

Mts

Snta

Ana

Mts

San

Bern

Mts

No.

SL

Rng

So.

SL

Rng

San

Gab

Mts

Castaic

Rngs

So.

LP

Rngs

national forests is needed. They may be more

widespread than is documented here, particularly on the Los Padres National Forest. Recent

genetic studies by Dave Wake and others have

shown that newt populations in Orange and

San Diego counties (Cleveland National Forest) may represent a distinct species from those

north of the Los Angeles Basin (Fisher and Case

1997).

Predatory non-native species, maintenance of adequate stream flows, water quality,

and collecting appear to be the biggest factors

affecting newt viability on public lands. Adult

newts are known to be highly toxic to predators and thus not at risk to introduced predatory animals. However, a recent study found

that newt egg masses and larvae in the Santa

Monica Mountains were readily consumed by

crayfish and mosquitofish (Gamradt and Kats

1996). They documented the disappearance

of breeding newts in three drainages after crayfish, mosquitofish, or both were introduced.

On one of these drainages, they even observed

recovery of successful newt reproduction after crayfish had been washed out of the stream

during heavy winter rains (Gamradt and Kats

1996).

Table 4.5. Amphibians and reptiles associated with aquatic and upland habitats that received

individual consideration.

Displayed for each species: (1) the level of knowledge about where it occurs in southern California and, in

parentheses, the estimated percentage of locations that are on national forest system lands; (2) the mountain

subareas occupied (y = occurs in breeding season, h = historically occurred, p = potentially occurs, t = transient,

w = winter visitor)—if the species is localized and data are available, the approximate number of occurrences may be

displayed; (3) the vulnerability of populations on national forest system lands to existing threat factors; (4)

population trends; and (5) the assigned conservation category.

1

Jennings and Hayes (1994)

2

USFWS determination as described in listing decisions.

Amphibians

Coast Range newt High 3 6-8 p p 5-10 p 4-8 2-5 5-10 Mod Decl1 Site

(20-50%) specific

Western spadefoot toad Mod y y p p p y Mod Unkn Landscape

(< 5%) level

Arroyo SW toad High ~19 ~8 1 3-5 3-6 3 ~10 0 1-2 High Decl2 Site

 endangered (30-50%) specific

CA red-legged frog Mod-High h/p 1 h h h 1-2 ~20 ~12 ~15 Mod Decl2 Site

 threatened (20-40%) specific

Foothill yellow- High h h h h/p 2-5 High Decl1 Site

 legged frog (10-30%) specific

Mountain yellow- Mod h/p 4-5 1-3 4-5 High Decl1 Site

 legged frog (> 80%) specific

Reptiles

SW pond turtle High ~8 ~5 h/p 2 ~5 h/p ~25 ~15 ~15 Mod Decl1 Site

(30-60%) specific

South coast red-sided Low 1 1 0 0 0 0 1-2 Mod Decl1 Site

 garter snake (< 10%) specific

Two-striped garter snake Mod >25 >10 5-10 5-10 >10 5-10 >25 >10 5-10 Mod Decl1 Landscape

(40-70%) level
135

 Chapter 4

On Boulder Creek on the Cleveland National Forest, sudden large releases of water in

mid-summer from an upstream reservoir occur occasionally and appear to be negatively

affecting newt reproductive success by flushing eggs and larvae downstream. Collecting

of newts for the pet trade has historically been

a major problem and may continue to be in

some areas. Boulder Creek Road has historically been a collecting spot (J. Copp, CA Academy of Sciences, pers. comm.), and today

newts can be readily found a half-mile or more

above and below the road crossing but are increasingly rare as you approach the road.

Western spadefoot toad

(Spea [Scaphiopus] hammondii)

Status and Distribution: The western

spadefoot is a California Species of Special

Concern. Known localities for this species are

predominantly outside the assessment area, in

low-elevation coastal and inland valleys. It is

reportedly abundant on the Camp Pendleton

Marine Corps Base along the northern San

Diego County coast (Holland and Goodman

1998). Most known locations within or near

the assessment area are in the coastal foothills

of San Diego County (e.g., Japatul Valley, Otay

Lakes, Santa Maria Valley, and Warner

Springs) (Ed Ervin and Joe Copp, pers.

comm.) and Santa Barbara and San Luis

Obispo counties (e.g., Santa Maria Valley, and

Cuyama Valley) (Jennings and Hayes 1994).

The toads also have been observed in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains at Starr

Ranch (Fisher and Case 1997) and the Santa

Rosa Plateau (Jennings and Hayes 1994).

Habitat: Western spadefoots occur in

coastal valley habitats, valley-foothill grasslands, coastal scrub, and chaparral

communities up to approximately 3,000 feet

in elevation (Ed Ervin, in litt.). Within this

range, spadefoots are confined to areas with

relatively flat or low-gradient topography that

supports the shallow ephemeral-pool habitat

they require for breeding. They are adapted

for survival in dry, upland habitats. To avoid

desiccation, spadefoot toads spend the drier

months of the year inactive and hidden underground. The toad uses its spadelike hind

foot to excavate its own retreats in loose or

sandy soils. In areas where friable soils are not

available, small mammal burrows are often

used. Following spring rains, western

spadefoots congregate where there is pooled

water. Breeding takes place in shallow ephemeral pools that form on valley floors, on ridge

and mesa tops, or in quiet drainages on lowgradient slopes above first-order streams.

Conservation Considerations: More complete information is needed on the distribution

of western spadefoots on public lands in the

assessment area. Threats to the spadefoot toad

include destruction of breeding pool habitat,

obstructions to migratory routes between

breeding sites and upland habitats, and high

levels of mortality along roads. Changes to the

length of time a breeding pool remains full

can have significant negative effects on reproductive success. Pool “enhancements” that

make them perennial water bodies create habitat for exotic species to invade and become

established.

Arroyo southwestern toad

(Bufo californicus)

Status and Distribution: The arroyo

southwestern toad was federally listed as endangered in 1994 (USFWS 1994). The entire

range of the arroyo toad in the United States

is within or near the assessment area. The species also extends down into Baja California,

Mexico. Based on our GIS database, approximately 36 percent of occupied arroyo toad

habitat is on national forest system lands (fig

4.9)—16 percent on the Los Padres National

Forest, 12 percent on the Cleveland National

Forest, 6 percent on the Angeles National Forest, and 2 percent on the San Bernardino

National Forest.

On the Los Padres National Forest, arroyo

toads are concentrated in a small number of

locations. Substantial populations exist on Piru

Creek including lower reaches of Agua Blanca

Creek, Sespe Creek, and interconnected reaches

of the upper Santa Ynez River, Mono Creek, and

Indian Creek. A smaller population occurs along
136

Figure 4.9. Current and historic locations of the arroyo toad within and adjacent to the assessment area.

Approximately 36 percent of existing arroyo toad locations are on national forest system lands.

reaches of Kitchen and Morena creeks, Potrero

Creek, the Sweetwater River, the upper San

Diego River, Santa Ysabel Creek and associated lower reaches of Temescal Creek (Pamo

Valley), the upper forks of the San Luis Rey

River (above Lake Henshaw) including Agua

Caliente Creek, Temecula Creek including

lower reaches of Arroyo Seco Creek, San Mateo

Creek, San Juan Creek, and Trabuco Creek.

One population that is predominantly on national forest system land occurs along Pine Valley Creek and several of its tributaries.

On the Angeles National Forest, arroyo

toad populations exist along Castaic Creek,

the Sisquoc River. All of these Los Padres

populations are predominantly on national

forest system land. The northernmost population of arroyo toads, on the San Antonio River

in Monterey County, lies just off the forest on

the Fort Hunter Liggett Military Reservation.

Arroyo toad populations on the Cleveland

National Forest and surrounding lands are

more numerous, but many appear to be small

in size. Most of the populations occur right

along the forest boundary with the bulk of

prime breeding habitat often lying just off

national forest system land. This is the case at

Cottonwood Creek which includes lower
137

 Chapter 4

Big Tujunga Creek including associated lower

reaches of Mill and Alder creeks, Arroyo Seco

Creek, and on the desert side of the San

Gabriel Mountains along Little Rock Creek.

These populations lie near the forest boundary and, in some cases, extend beyond it.

On the San Bernardino National Forest,

arroyo toad populations exist on tributaries of

the Mojave River including lower Deep Creek,

the West Fork of the Mojave River, the East

Fork of the Mojave River (Miller Canyon),

and Little Horsethief Creek. They also occur

on lower portions of the Whitewater River and

probably still occur on lower reaches of the

San Jacinto River and adjacent Bautista Creek.

Habitat: Arroyo toads breed and deposit

egg masses in shallow, sandy pools along lowgradient sections of streams. These streams are

usually bordered by sand-gravel flood terraces

(USFWS 1999a). The flood terraces and other

upland streamside habitats are important for

foraging and overwintering sites (fig 4.10). Arroyo toads have been detected up to one kilometer from a water course (Holland and

Goodman 1998). Many arroyo toad populations occur along streams that do not normally

flow year-round. The largest populations tend

to occur in broad floodplains along wide, shallow streams. However, arroyo toads do exist

in some small ephemeral drainages (e.g., Indian Flats area, Cleveland National Forest). It

is a low-elevation species, with known locations extending from sea level to about 4,400

feet.

Figure 4.10. An arroyo southwestern toad emerging

from the sand on a streamside terrace. ROBERT

GOODMAN, JR

Conservation Considerations: Arroyo

toad populations are localized and face a variety of threats. Many populations lie

immediately below major dams. The manner

in which water is released from upstream reservoirs can greatly influence arroyo toad

reproductive success (Sweet 1992) (see “Effect of Dams” section, chapter 3). Recent

coordination between various government

agencies resulted in releases from Pyramid

Dam that more closely mimic natural flows

in lower Piru Creek (Sweet 1992). The modified releases have benefited arroyo toads in that

drainage (USFWS 1999a).

Predatory, non-native species are a major

threat to arroyo toads. Bullfrogs have been

observed to eat juvenile and adult arroyo toads

(Sweet 1993). A number of warm-water fishes

(e.g., green sunfish, bluegill, largemouth bass,

and black bullheads) and crayfish have been

shown to feed on arroyo toad larvae and can

cause high larval mortality in breeding pools

(Sweet 1992). These species occur in many of

the streams occupied by arroyo toads (see “Invasive, Non-Native Species” section, chapter

3). In areas close to human development, Argentine ants have spread into riparian areas

and are reducing the native ant fauna (Ward

1987, Holway 1995). Native ants are a major

food source for arroyo toads; thus, they may

be negatively affected by the continued spread

of Argentine ants.

Introduced plants are also a problem in

some areas. Tamarisk and arundo colonize

newly created flood terraces and can form

dense masses of vegetation. These dense stands

have higher rates of evapotranspiration than

do native vegetation, thereby decreasing the

amount of available surface water. They also

stabilize stream terraces, which helps to deepen

flood channels, resulting in habitat unsuitable

for arroyo toads (USFWS 1999a).

Campgrounds and roads within or in close

proximity to arroyo toad breeding pools have

resulted in toads and their egg masses being

inadvertently crushed by vehicle and foot

traffic and disturbed by waterplay. There are a

number of national forest campgrounds
138

and banks, has occurred on Little Horsethief

Creek on the San Bernardino National Forest

(USFWS 1999a). Drawdown of surface water from wells is also a concern.

California red-legged frog

(Rana aurora draytonii)

Status and Distribution: The California

red-legged frog (fig. 4.11) has declined precipitously over the last thirty to forty years and

became federally listed as threatened in 1996.

Once widespread in low-elevation streams in

southern California, the Central Valley, and

the Sierra Nevada foothills, it has been extirpated from 70 percent of its former range

(USFWS 1996a). Red-legged frogs historically

occurred on all four national forests (fig. 4.12)

but now appear to be extirpated from the

Cleveland and San Bernardino. They also were

thought to be extirpated from the Angeles,

until a small population was discovered on San

Francisquito Creek in 1999.

Red-legged frogs extend down into Baja

California and there reportedly are still a number of populations in Mexico (Welsh 1988).

However, within the United States, there are

only three known populations remaining

south and east of Ventura County. The southernmost locality is on the Santa Rosa Plateau

on the southeastern flank of the Santa Ana

Mountains in Riverside County. It is near the

Cleveland National Forest but does not

extend onto it. This population has been

located near arroyo toad breeding habitat—

seven on the Los Padres National Forest, four

on the Angeles National Forest, and four on

the Cleveland National Forest (USFWS

1999a). Seasonal closures and/or restrictions

on vehicle access have recently been instituted

at some of these campgrounds to reduce impacts (e.g., Beaver, Lion, and Mono campgrounds on the Los Padres and Joshua Tree

Campground on the Angeles). Road crossings

in toad habitat are also being evaluated and

several on the Los Padres and Cleveland have

been relocated or rebuilt to reduce impacts to

breeding pools.

Off-highway vehicle (OHV) activity in

arroyo toad habitat is a problem in some areas, particularly on desert-side streams (e.g.,

Little Rock Creek, Mojave River, upper Piru

Creek). Most of the OHV-related habitat

damage, at least on national forest system

lands, is the result of unauthorized travel off

of designated routes into areas legally closed

to such use; it is the actions of a few irresponsible individuals and represents a challenging

law enforcement problem.

Livestock grazing in arroyo toad habitat

can cause trampling of toads and their egg

masses. It also can result in degradation to sand

bars and terrace habitats that are important

to arroyo toads (USFWS 1999a). Over the last

ten years, most riparian habitat on the southern California national forests has been formally excluded from grazing. However, many

areas are intermingled with private lands where

riparian grazing still exists. Maintenance of

fence lines to prevent cattle movement onto

public portions of the riparian corridor is a

management problem in some areas occupied

by arroyo toads.

Suction dredge mining and streamside

prospecting (see descriptions of these activities in “Mining” section, chapter 4) have the

potential to cause impacts in several areas.

Suction dredging has occurred on Piru Creek

on the Los Padres National Forest and Pine

Valley Creek on the Cleveland National Forest (USFWS 1999a). Prospecting activities,

including the digging of pits in the stream bed

Figure 4.11. An adult red-legged frog at Cole Creek

on the Santa Rosa Plateau. ROBERT GOODMAN, JR.
139

 Chapter 4

The greatest number of remaining redlegged frog populations are within Monterey

(thirty-two occurrences), San Luis Obispo

(thirty-six), and Santa Barbara (thirty-six)

counties (USFWS 1996a). Approximately 20

to 30 percent of these populations occur on

streams within the Los Padres National ForFigure 4.12. Current and historic locations of the California red-legged frog along California’s southern

coast. Approximately 30 to 40 percent of red-legged frog populations are on national forest lands, all on the

Los Padres National forest.

est (fig. 4.12). The remaining are concentrated

in small streams along the immediate coastline. Populations occurring within the Los

Padres National Forest include Piru Creek,

Sespe Creek, Ventura River, Matilija Creek,

upper Santa Ynez River, Mono Creek, Indian

Creek, Sisquoc River, Manzana Creek, La Brea

Creek, Cuyama River, Alamo Creek, Branch

Creek, Stone Creek, Trout Creek, Lopez Canyon, San Carpoforo Creek, and the Little Sur

and Big Sur rivers. A number of the streams along

the Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo coast

contain red-legged frogs and the upper reaches

declining; recent surveys found fewer than four

males and no females (D. Holland, pers.

comm. 1998; R. Goodman, in litt. 1998).

The other populations are both in western Los

Angeles County in the Castaic Ranges region,

on Amargosa and San Francisquito creeks. The

Amargosa Creek population is on private land.
140

Habitat: Habitat of California red-legged

frogs is characterized by dense, shrubby riparian vegetation (e.g., arroyo willow, cattails, and

bulrushes) associated with deep (greater than

3 feet), still or slow-moving water (Hayes and

Jennings 1988). Red-legged frogs are highly

aquatic and need surface water for most, if not

all, of the year. They can occur in ephemeral

streams, but probably only ones that contain

some year-round surface water (Jennings and

Hayes 1994). They have been found at elevations up to 5,000 feet (e.g., Doane Pond on

Palomar Mountain) but historically were most

abundant in low-elevation streams.

Conservation Considerations: The disappearance of red-legged frogs from so much of

their former range heightens the importance

of remaining populations on the Los Padres

and Angeles national forests. Further surveys

are needed to determine conclusively if there

are any remaining populations on the other

two national forests. Historically occupied

habitat still exists on those forests and may

provide suitable sites for reintroduction into

the southern half of the assessment area.

Predatory, non-native fish and amphibians

are particularly significant threats to red-legged

frogs. With few exceptions, red-legged frogs

have disappeared from virtually all sites where

bullfrogs have become established (Hayes and

Jennings 1988; Fisher and Shaffer 1996;

Moyle 1973). The only areas where the two

species have managed to coexist for prolonged

periods is along the immediate coast, where

cool “fogbelt” temperatures appear to provide

red-legged frogs some competitive advantages

(S. Sweet, UC Santa Barbara, pers. comm.).

Red-legged frogs appear more capable of

persisting in the presence of non-native fish;

however, there are still strong negative correlations between the abundance of such fish

and these frogs (Hayes and Jennings 1988; Fisher

and Shaffer 1996). Results of a recent study in

artificial ponds showed that mosquitofish and

bluegill were significant predators of red-legged

frog larvae (Schmieder and Nauman 1994).

Impacts from campgrounds and roads are

similar to those described for the arroyo toad,

except that the more highly aquatic frogs are

less likely to be affected by activities away from

the streambed. Livestock grazing that results

in a loss of riparian vegetation can be highly

detrimental to red-legged frogs. However, such

grazing in riparian habitats is not authorized

at any of the occupied red-legged frog sites on

national forest system lands.

Maintenance of adequate stream flows and

high water quality is a key issue for red-legged

frogs. Water diversions, groundwater extraction, and stock pond or small reservoir

developments can cause degradation or elimination of habitat (USFWS 1996a).

Foothill yellow-legged frog (Rana boylii)

Status and Distribution: The foothill yellow-legged frog is a Forest Service Region 5

Sensitive Species and a California Species of

Special Concern. While still present on many

streams along the northern California coast,

it has become extremely rare in the south

(Jennings and Hayes 1994). Its range historically extended to the San Gabriel River (North

and East forks), and included a number of

locations in the Castaic and southern Los Padres ranges, including Elizabeth Lake Canyon,

Piru Creek, Sespe Creek, Hopper Creek, Santa

Paula Canyon, upper Santa Ynez River (at

Juncal Campground), upper Indian Creek,

and Santa Cruz Creek (near the Guard Station) (Zweifel 1955; J. Copp, CA Academy

of Sciences, in litt.). However, foothill yellowlegged frogs have not been observed in or south

of the southern Los Padres ranges since 1978.

The last sighting was near Frenchman’s Flat along

Piru Creek in 1977 (Jennings and Hayes 1994).

Foothill yellow-legged frogs do still occur in

several coastal drainages in northern San Luis

Obispo and Monterey counties (fig. 4.13). The

only occupied drainages on national forest system lands are along the southern Monterey coast;

they include the Big Sur River and Willow Creek.

Further surveys are needed to determine the full

extent of foothill yellow-legged populations in

the northern Los Padres. They historically occurred in Lopez Canyon (Zweifel 1955).

of some these are within the Los Padres National

Forest (e.g., Tajiguas Creek, Toro Creek).
141

 Chapter 4

Mountain yellow-legged frog

(Rana muscosa)

Status and Distribution: The mountain

yellow-legged frog is a Forest Service Region

5 Sensitive Species and a California Species of

Special Concern. Southern California populations are also under consideration for federal

listing as endangered. In southern California,

these frogs are found in the San Gabriel, San

Bernardino and San Jacinto mountains and

Habitat: Foothill yellow-legged frogs typically inhabit small- to moderate-sized,

perennial streams with at least some cobblesized substrate (Hayes and Jennings 1988).

Most current and historic localities in the assessment area are at elevations below 4,000

feet. It is a highly aquatic frog and seldom

found more than one or two leaps from a

stream (Zweifel 1955).

Conservation Considerations: The foothill yellow-legged frog is extremely rare in the

assessment area and should be given sitespecific management attention. Threats to this

species are similar to those described for the

red-legged frog. Predatory non-native fish and

bullfrogs are apparently not present in the

Figure 4.13. Current and historic locations of mountain and foothill yellow-legged frogs.

southern Monterey and northern San Luis

Obispo coast streams still occupied by foothill yellow-legged frogs (D. Holland, pers.

comm.). This may explain why the yellowlegged frogs are still there.
142

at least historically on Palomar Mountain (fig.

4.13) (Jennings and Hayes 1994). Small populations of mountain yellow-legged frogs still

exist in the San Gabriel Mountains on upper

Little Rock Creek and along the upper San

Gabriel River and several of its forks (Jennings

1995a, 1998). They also may still be present

in Day Canyon (R. McKernan, San Bernardino Nat. History Museum, pers. comm.). In

the San Jacinto Mountains, populations are

still present in Hall Canyon, Dark Canyon,

Fuller Mill Creek, and the North Fork of the

San Jacinto River (Jennings 1998). They were

historically collected on Snow Creek and reportedly were observed in Andreas Canyon (R.

McKernan, pers. comm.), but 1997 surveys

at both those locations failed to detect them

(D. Holland, pers. comm.).

In the San Bernardino Mountains, mountain yellow-legged frogs were recently

rediscovered in City Creek (B. Matibag, pers.

comm. 1998). They were reportedly sighted

in Barton Creek in the late 1980s (R.

McKernan, pers. comm.), but 1997 surveys

in this area failed to detected them (D. Holland, pers. comm.). Other historic locations

in the San Bernardino Mountains include Siberia Creek, Mill Creek, Plunge Creek, and

Waterman Canyon. Focused surveys in 1997

failed to detect mountain yellow-legged frogs

on any of these drainages (D. Holland, pers.

comm.), although there was an independent

report of one such frog on Mill Creek (G.

Cardiff, pers. comm.). At the one historic location on Palomar Mountain, a pond on

Doane Creek, this species has not been seen

since the 1970s and the pond is now overrun

with bullfrogs and exotic fishes (Jennings and

Hayes 1994).

Mountain yellow-legged frogs have declined precipitously in the southern California mountains; Jennings and Hayes (1994)

suggest that they have been extirpated from

99 percent of their historic range in this region. All of the remaining populations appear

to be very small, most with less than fifteen

adults observed.

Habitat: Mountain yellow-legged frogs

inhabit high-elevation streams usually above

4,000 feet. However, in the San Gabriel

Mountains and perhaps other areas where the

characteristics of mountain streams (i.e., steep,

rocky canyons) extend to lower elevations,

these frogs historically occurred at elevations

down to 2,000 feet (e.g., Bear Creek and Evey

Canyon) (G. Stewart, Cal. Poly Pomona, in litt.).

Conservation Considerations: Mountain

yellow-legged frog populations within the assessment area are small, localized, and

vulnerable to existing threats. They therefore

warrant site-specific management attention.

The primary threats to this species are (1)

the increasing spread of non-native predatory

fish and amphibians (i.e., bullfrogs), (2) loss

of breeding pools from siltation or declining

surface water, and (3) disturbance of individuals and egg masses from recreation and land

use activities. Jennings (1995a, 1998) found

potentially impactive recreation activities (e.g.,

people walking in the creek, swimming, left

behind trash, trail crossings) occurring at the

mountain yellow-legged frog locations in

Dark Canyon, Fuller Mill Creek, Little Rock

Creek, and Vincent Gulch. He recommends

rerouting trails and campsites to steer

recreationists away from these key breeding

areas. Jennings (1995) also observed placer

mining activity on the upper San Gabriel

River (East Fork) within the Sheep Mountain Wilderness Area. Associated with this unauthorized activity were trash and toxic materials such as mercury being dumped into

the stream bed.

More survey work is needed to determine

if additional populations exist and to better

determine the size of known populations. Reintroductions of mountain yellow-legged

frogs to historically occupied sites may be an

option, particularly in the San Gabriel and

San Bernardino mountains where suitable

habitat is most widespread. However, the specific habitat conditions necessary for

reintroductions first need to be defined. Research done in high mountain lakes in the

Sierra Nevada has found mountain yellowlegged frogs to be largely intolerant of
143

 Chapter 4

introduced predatory fish (i.e. trout), since

they rarely persist in lakes where such fishes

have been introduced (Bradford 1989;

Bradford et al., 1993). The fish apparently

consume frog egg masses and larvae. There is

uncertainty about whether the effect of introduced trout is as strong in southern California,

since the frogs occupy stream habitats rather

than lakes. In August 1997 surveys of known

mountain yellow-legged frog locations,

Jennings (1998) observed rainbow trout and

no frogs in pools at two locations—Vincent

Gulch (a fork of the upper San Gabriel River),

and Fuller Mill Creek. The relationship between introduced trout and yellow-legged

frogs in southern California streams needs to

be better understood.

Southwestern pond turtle

(Clemmys marmorata pallida)

Status and Distribution: The southwestern pond turtle is a Forest Service Region 5

Sensitive Species and a California Species of

Special Concern. Pond turtles are considerably more abundant in the northern half of

the assessment area (i.e., northwest of the Santa

Clara River). In the Los Padres National Forest there are forty to fifty streams that contain

pond turtle populations (USFWS 1993a),

with the largest occurring on Piru Creek, Sespe

Creek, the Indian Creek/Mono Creek area, the

Sisquoc River/Manzana Creek area, Alamo

Creek, Nacimiento River and Arroyo Seco

Creek (D. Holland pers. comm.; Brattstrom

and Messer 1988). Populations also occur

along most of the drainages along the immediate coast in Santa Barbara and San Luis

Obispo counties.

South of the Santa Clara River, pond turtle

populations have declined substantially both

in size and number (Holland 1991; Brattstrom

and Messer 1988). They still occur at over fifty

sites, but most of these contain few turtles.

Only six to eight sites contain populations of

thirty or more individuals (Holland 1991).

There is one large pond turtle population on

the Angeles National Forest on the West Fork

of the San Gabriel River below Cogswell Reservoir. Small populations on the Angeles also

occur on upper Castaic Creek, Aliso Canyon,

Pacoima Creek, Little Tujunga Creek, Big

Tujunga Creek, the East Fork of the San

Gabriel River, and possibly Big Dalton Creek.

On the San Bernardino National Forest,

there may still be small pond turtle populations in Cajon Wash, Deep Creek, and probably the West Fork of the Mojave River below

Silverwood Lake. Pond turtles historically occurred in Andreas Canyon on the desert side

of the San Jacinto Mountains (Jennings and

Hayes 1994) and may still be present there.

Two large pond turtle populations occur

on the Cleveland National Forest at San Mateo

Creek and Pine Valley Creek. Just outside the

forest there are also sizable populations on the

Santa Margarita River/Temecula Creek (connected drainages), on Aliso Creek in Chino

Hills State Park (Goodman 1994), and on

Cole Creek within the Santa Rosa Plateau Preserve. Small populations also occur on Tenaja

Creek, the upper San Luis Rey River, Santa

Ysabel Creek, the upper San Diego River (including Cedar, Boulder and Conejos creeks),

the upper Sweetwater River, and Cottonwood

Creek above Barrett Lake.

Habitat: Pond turtles inhabit a wide variety of low-elevation aquatic habitats generally

below 4,000 feet elevation. In the assessment

area, pond turtles are found primarily in rivers and streams that have persistent deep pools

(Holland 1991). The pond turtle is a highly

aquatic turtle that moves onto land to reproduce and overwinter (Jennings and Hayes

1994). Along the central and southern coast

of California, pond turtles may remain active

year-round (Holland 1991).

Conservation Considerations: Pond turtle

populations south of the Santa Clara River are

sufficiently rare to warrant site-specific management attention. The few remaining large

populations deserve particular attention and

additional surveys are needed to determine the

status of the others. Populations on the Los

Padres are considerably more abundant and

can likely be conserved through general riparian area management.
144

The primary reason for pond turtle declines has been loss of suitable habitat. This

loss has been greatest in the lower foothills and

valleys where pond turtles were historically

most abundant (Holland 1991). Dams, diversions, and stream channelization have greatly

reduced the availability of persistent, pooled

water along low-elevation streams. Pond

turtles do not do well in large reservoirs; they

frequently inhabit stock ponds, but there are

indications that reproductive success is poor

in these habitats and they may constitute sink

habitats (D. Holland, pers. comm.). The reduced availability of water makes pond turtles

even more vulnerable to extended droughts.

Monitored populations in San Mateo Creek

and Pine Valley Creek declined dramatically

in the early 1990s at the end of our last prolonged drought (D. Holland, pers. comm.).

Some small populations on highly intermittent streams probably disappeared completely

during the drought.

Other threats include introduced predatory fish, bullfrogs, and collecting. Predatory

fish and bullfrogs impact reproductive success

by consuming juvenile turtles. It can be difficult to determine the severity of this impact;

pond turtles are long-lived animals and can

persist in an area for many years even without

successful reproduction. However, a number

of pond turtle populations consist primarily

of older adults and are considered to be at risk

(Holland 1991). Collecting of pond turtles is

a significant problem in some easily accessible

areas.

South coast red-sided garter snake

(Thamnophis sirtalis spp.)

Status and Distribution: The south coast

red-sided garter snake is believed to be a distinct taxon from red-sided garter snakes north

of the Tehachapi Mountains and Carpinteria

(Santa Barbara County) (Jennings and Hayes

1994). It is known only from scattered localities along the southern California coastal plain,

from the Santa Clara River Valley south to the

vicinity of San Pasqual Valley in San Diego

County. Historic localities on Camp

Pendleton (San Diego County) are dominated

by tules, cattail, and willow (Holland and

Goodman 1998).

The south coast garter snake has been

sighted recently in only a few localities, some

of which are near national forest system lands:

the lower Santa Clara River, the lower Santa

Margarita River, San Mateo Creek, the lower

San Luis Rey River and above Lake Henshaw

along the upper reaches of the same drainage

(Jennings and Hayes 1994; Holland and

Goodman 1998; R. Fisher pers. comm.). This

species has not been extensively surveyed for

and is regarded as difficult to detect. There is

potential for it to occur at low elevations (below 3,000 feet) on any or all of the four

national forests.

Habitat: The south coast garter snake occurs in marshy, permanent-water habitats

along low-elevation streams (Jennings and

Hayes 1994).

Conservation Considerations: Surveys

need to be conducted for this species along

the major low-elevation streams that extend

onto national forest system lands. Given its

rarity, any occurrences of this species should

be give site-specific management attention.

Two-striped garter snake

(Thamnophis hammondii)

Status and Distribution: The two-striped

garter snake is a Forest Service Region 5 Sensitive Species and a California Species of

Special Concern. In a reversal of the pattern

exhibited by most aquatic species, the twostriped garter snake appears to have declined

more in the northern portion of its range

(Jennings and Hayes 1994). It is considered

to be most common in eastern San Diego

County, where it occurs in most foothill and

mountain streams that have pools with persistent water (Jennings and Hayes 1994). It

still occurs in all the mountain subareas within

the assessment area but has disappeared from

many historic locations in the coastal basins.

The assessment area and the coastal region to

the west make up almost the entire range of

this species.
145

 Chapter 4

Cooper’s hawk (Accipiter cooperi)

Status and Distribution: The Cooper’s

hawk is a California Species of Special Concern. Cooper’s hawks are found in all the

mountain subareas, but they occur at lowdensities and were not effectively monitored

in the riparian point-count surveys (i.e., only

about two per year were detected) (Stephenson

et al. 1998). However, results from the BBS

suggest that Cooper’s hawks may be declining

statewide (table 4.6) (Sauer et al. 1997).

Habitat: Cooper’s hawks typically nest in

riparian forests, mountain canyons (Garrett

and Dunn 1981), and oak woodlands (Unitt

1984). They also utilize eucalyptus groves to

some degree and have been observed successfully fledging young in residental areas.

Conservation Considerations: Cooper’s

hawk breeding habitat is declining on private

lands at the lower elevations; thus, public

lands in the assessment area are becoming

increasingly important to this species. However, this hawk does not seem particularly

vulnerable to prevailing agents of change on

public lands. Its broad distribution and life

history characteristics suggest it can be conserved through landscape-scale, habitatbased management.

Yellow-billed cuckoo

(Coccyzus americanus occidentalis)

Status and Distribution: The yellowbilled cuckoo is state listed as endangered and

Habitat: Two-striped garter snakes inhabit

perennial and intermittent streams from sea

level to over 7,000 feet (e.g., Tahquitz Valley

in the San Jacinto Mountains) (Jennings and

Hayes 1994). They also occupy stock ponds

and other artificially created aquatic habitats.

Conservation Considerations: Although

it is thought to be declining, the two-striped

garter snake is considerably more common

than the other aquatic amphibians and reptiles described above. For that reason we

believe it can be adequately conserved through

appropriate landscape-scale management of

riparian and aquatic habitats. However, given

that national forest system lands are the primary refugia for this species, there is a need to

better determine the specific drainages where

it occurs. It is a relatively easy species to detect and, once inventoried, it would be easy

to at least periodically monitor its presence or

absence in specific drainages over time.

Riparian Birds

The importance of riparian habitats to

birds has long been recognized and has led to

an emphasis on research and monitoring of

this group. In southern California, the endangered least Bell’s vireo has been the marquee

riparian bird over the last two decades. More

recently the southwestern willow flycatcher has

also become a focal species. To look more

broadly at the avian riparian community, in

1988 the four southern California national

forests initiated a broad-scale, coarse-filter approach to annually monitor the abundance of

birds in riparian habitats. A standardized tenminute point count technique with three

independent observers has been used to sample

about two hundred permanent stations each

year during the breeding season. These pointcount stations are spread across more than

twenty drainages (fig 4.14).

Trends in the detection rates of specific

bird species have recently been analyzed

(Stephenson et al. 1998). Trends from the

point-count data were compared with similar

trend estimates from the North American

Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) (Sauer et al. 1997).

For our comparisons we used BBS trends from

1980 to 1996 for all of California, the California foothills physiographic region, and the

Los Angeles Ranges physiographic region. Statistically significant trends in abundance were

observed for a number of species; however, few

of our fine-filter species were detected often

enough to reliably determine their trends

(table 4.6).

Thirteen riparian bird species were identified as being rare or potentially at risk and

received individual consideration (table 4.7).

Most of them are associated with low-elevation riparian habitats.
146

Figure 4.14. Riparian bird point-count monitoring stations across the four southern California national

forests. Birds were monitored annually at about two hundred stations from 1988 to 1997.

is a Forest Service Region 5 Sensitive Species.

Yellow-billed cuckoos have been observed in

the breeding season at various locations along

the central and southern California coast (e.g.,

Prado Basin, lower San Luis Rey River, lower

Santa Ysabel Creek above Lake Hodges), but

not within the assessment area (Garrett and

Dunn 1981). There is very little potential habitat for this species on national forest system

lands in southern California.

Habitat: Yellow-billed cuckoos breed in

broad, well-developed, low-elevation riparian

woodlands.

Conservation Considerations: The yellow-billed cuckoo is not known to occur

within the assessment area and the potential

to support a population is believed to be very

low. Therefore management activities on national forest system lands in the assessment

area are believed to have little influence on

the conservation of this species.

Black swift (Cypseloides niger)

Status and Distribution: The black swift

is a local species of concern because (1) it has

specialized nesting requirements that are found

in very few locations in southern California

and (2) most of its breeding localities are

within the assessment area. Known nesting

localities include Santa Anita Canyon and
147

 Chapter 4

Wolfskill Canyon in the San Gabriel Mountains, Fallsvale in Mill Creek Canyon in the

San Bernardino Mountains, and Tahquitz

Creek in the San Jacinto Mountains (Garrett

and Dunn 1981).

Habitat: Black swifts nest in rocky cliffs

behind waterfalls. They occur in mountain

and foothill canyons that contain waterfalls.

Conservation Considerations: Since waterfalls are also popular recreation sites,

management attention is needed to ensure that

black swift nest sites are not disturbed.

Southwestern willow flycatcher

(Empidonax traillii extimus)

Status and Distribution: A precipitous decline in the abundance of the southwestern

willow flycatcher led to its federal listing as

endangered in 1995. Extensive loss of low-

 Avg. # Point Counts BBS Routes — 1980 to 1996

 observed 1988 to 1996 California CA Foothills LA Ranges

Species each year Trend P Trend P Trend P Trend P

Song sparrow 163 -3.6% 0.04 0.3% 0.76 1.6% 0.55 -6.1% 0.37

Yellow warbler 104 -0.1% 0.91 -3.0% 0.04 -5.0% 0.00 31.5% 0.00

Warbling vireo 43 7.6% 0.09 -2.0% 0.03 -2.9% 0.02

Lawrence’s goldfinch 21 -9.6% 0.04 0.7% 0.78 0.1% 0.97 -11.6% 0.12

Black-chinned hummingbird 19 -7.1% 0.04 -7.0% 0.03 -9.5% 0.01

Common yellowthroat 10 2.3% 0.66 5.1% 0.08

Swainson’s thrush 3 -6.0% 0.56

Red-shouldered hawk 3 -2.5% 0.75

Willow flycatcher** 2 Sample too small

Yellow-breasted chat 2 Sample too small 1.3% 0.25 0.9% 0.62

Cooper’s hawk 2 Sample too small -7.5% 0.02 -7.0% 0.03

American dipper 1 Sample too small

MacGillivray’s warbler** < 1 Sample too small

Tree swallow < 1 Sample too small

Least Bell’s vireo < 1 Sample too small

Black swift < 1 Sample too small

 ** Detections of these species were believed to be migrating birds based on time of year.

elevation riparian habitat across its range and

brood parasitism by the brown-headed cowbird were identified as the primary causes of

its decline (USFWS 1995c). Its breeding range

includes southern California, Arizona, New

Mexico, southern portions of Utah and Nevada, and western Texas (USFWS 1995c).

In southern California, the southwestern

willow flycatcher is considerably less abundant

than the least Bell’s vireo (fig. 4.15). It occurs

at fewer locations and in smaller numbers. One

of the largest remaining populations is on the

upper San Luis Rey River, partially within the

Cleveland National Forest (Unitt 1987).

About eighteen to twenty-five pairs breed along

a 3-mile stretch of this river below Lake Henshaw

(Griffith and Griffith 1995). A similar size population exists on the Santa Margarita River within

Table 4.6. Detection rates and, where possible, trends in abundance for sixteen riparian birds from the

national forest riparian point count study (1988 to 1996) and the Breeding Bird Survey (1980 to 1996). The

trend value is the mean percent change per year in number of birds detected, based on the slope of a

regression line. Statistically significant trend values (P < 0.10) are in bold. Detection rates were too low to

produce meaningful trends for many of our fine-filter species.
148

Camp Pendleton. The only larger population in California occurs on the South Fork

of the Kern River, where thirty-eight pairs

were documented in 1997 (Whitfield et al.

1997).

One to three breeding pairs have been observed annually between 1996 and 1998 on

Mill Creek near Mountain Home Village on

the San Bernardino National Forest. A sizeable number of early-summer detections at

Riparian Birds

Animals of Concern

federal status

(1)

Knowledge

of SoCal

Locations

(% on NFs)

(5)

Conservation

Category

(4)

 Pop.

Trend

(3)

Vulnerability

on NFs

(2) areas occupied or estimated # of occurrences if spp. localized

Cleveland NF San Bern. NF Angeles NF Los Padres NF

San

Diego

Rngs

San

Jac

Mts

Snta

Ana

Mts

San

Bern

Mts

No.

SL

Rng

So.

SL

Rng

San

Gab

Mts

Castaic

Rngs

So.

LP

Rngs

Table 4.7. Riparian-associated birds that received individual consideration.

Displayed for each species: (1) the level of knowledge about where it occurs in southern California and, in

parentheses, the estimated percentage of locations that are on national forest system lands; (2) the mountain

subareas occupied (y = occurs in breeding season, h = historically occurred, p = potentially occurs, t = transient,

w = winter visitor)—if the species is localized and data are available, the approximate number of occurrences may be

displayed; (3) the vulnerability of populations on national forest system lands to existing threat factors; (4)

population trends; and (5) the assigned conservation category.

Birds

Cooper’s hawk Mod y y y y y y y y y Low Unkn Landscape

(30-60%) scale

Yellow-billed cuckoo Mod p Low Unkn Minimal

 (0%) influence

Black swift Mod p 2-3 3-5 3-5 p p p Mod Unkn Site

(>75%) specific

SW willow flycatcher High 20+ 0 0 1 0 1-2 p 0 0 High Decl Site

 endangered (20-50%) specific

Tree swallow Low y t y y y p y y y High Unkn Landscape

(< 5%) scale

Swainson’s thrush Low y y p/t p/t y y y y y Mod Unkn Landscape

(10-30%) scale

American dipper Low 2-4 0-2 5-15 20-30 20-30 0-2 ~15 5-10 5-15 Low Unkn Landscape

(> 75%) scale

Least Bell’s vireo High 15 1-2 0 0 0 1 25 0 0 High Incr/ Site

 endangered (< 3%) Decl2 specific

Warbling vireo Mod y y y y y y y y y Mod Unkn Landscape

(30-60%) scale

Yellow warbler Mod y y y y y y y y y Mod Stab1

 Landscape

(30-60%) scale

Common High y y y y y y y y y Mod Unkn Landscape

 yellowthroat (< 30%) scale

Yellow-breasted Mod y y y y y y y y y Mod Unkn Landscape

 chat (< 20%) scale

Lawrence’s Mod-Low y y y y y y y y y Mod Decl1 Landscape

 goldfinch (30-60%) scale

1

 based on USFS riparian point count results

2

 Bell’s vireo is increasing regionwide, but decreasing on national forest service lands

point-count stations on San Francisquito

Creek in the Angeles National Forest suggest

willow flycatchers may breed along that drainage. Also, a willow flycatcher was observed

building a nest along the Santa Clara River in

Soledad Canyon just north of national forest

system lands (D. Cooper, UC Riverside, in

litt.). There are currently no known breeding

locations on the Los Padres, although several

early-summer detections have been made at
149

 Chapter 4

Figure 4.15. Known locations of the southwestern willow flycatcher and least Bell’s vireo along the southern

California coast.

are highly localized and variable in vegetation

structure, making it difficult to readily see

what microhabitat features are being selected.

One common denominator appears to be the

presence of perennial or near-perennial water.

Whitfield and Enos (1996) measured the

vegetative characteristics of willow flycatcher

breeding sites on the Kern River and found

that all nesting territories had high vegetative

volume in the lower strata and high canopy

density.

point-count stations on several drainages. It

is unknown if they were residents or migrants.

Recent monitoring of the upper San Luis

Rey River population suggests that it is currently stable (B. Haas, Varanus Consulting,

pers. comm.). Populations on the Santa

Margarita River and Prado Basin also appear

stable, but willow flycatchers have not responded to cowbird control with dramatic

increases as did the least Bell’s vireo at those

same locations (L. Hays, USFWS, pers.

comm.).

Habitat: The southwestern willow flycatcher is a neotropical migrant that breeds in

low-elevation riparian habitats. Occupied sites

Conservation Considerations: Southwestern willow flycatcher populations within the

assessment area are few and vulnerable to existing threat factors. They therefore warrant
150

vicinity of slow-moving or standing water

(Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Conservation Considerations: More complete information is needed on the distribution

of tree swallows on public lands in the assessment area. Ongoing surveys associated with

the development of breeding bird atlases in

Los Angeles and San Diego counties should

provide much needed information. The decline of this species as a breeder in the region

is attributed to loss of low-elevation riparian

habitat and competition with starlings for nest

cavities (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Swainson’s thrush (Catharus ustulatus)

Status and Distribution: There seems to

be broad consensus that Swainson’s thrushes

are declining throughout California and have

disappeared from many areas (Garrett and

Dunn 1981; Unitt 1984; Stefani 1998). Results from the BBS also show a downward

trend, although it is not statistically significant. The status of Swainson’s thrushes within

the assessment area is difficult to determine

given the paucity of data on its distribution

and abundance.

The Swainson’s thrush is a common spring

transient and localized summer resident in

low-elevation riparian habitats in southern

California. Breeding populations are reportedly more abundant from Santa Barbara

County north (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Knowledge of its distribution and abundance

within the assessment area is poor. The

Swainson’s thrush’s apparent affinity for coastal

lowland habitats (Unitt 1984) reduces the

amount of potential nesting habitat on national forest system lands. Still, Swainson’s

thrushes were detected repeatedly along several drainages during the annual riparian point

counts conducted from 1988 to 1996 (table

4.8). Some of these were probably transient

birds, but the locations provide a place to start

when looking for nesting locations.

Habitat: The Swainson’s thrush occupies

low-elevation riparian habitats, typically in

dense thickets of willow and other hardwoods

along the primary stream channel (R. Stefani,

UC Davis, pers. comm.).

site-specific management attention. The upper San Luis Rey River population is a

particularly significant resource and should be

managed accordingly. Threats are similar to

those described for the least Bell’s vireo, although factors controlling willow flycatcher

population growth are not as well understood.

The South Fork, Kern River population

is the best studied. In the years prior to cowbird control (1989 to 1992), nest parasitism

rates averaged 62.5 percent. With cowbird

removal (1994 to 1997), parasitism rates have

averaged only 16.5 percent (Whitfield et al.

1997). However, this improvement has not,

as of yet, resulted in a significant increase in

the number of willow flycatchers (Whitfield

et al. 1997). The Cleveland National Forest

has trapped cowbirds annually along the upper San Luis Rey River since 1992. Nest

parasitism rates prior to cowbird trapping are

not known, but nest monitoring since the initiation of trapping has detected very low

parasitism rates (less than 5 percent) (Griffith

and Griffith 1995; B. Haas, pers. comm.).

More inventory work is needed to determine the full extent of breeding willow

flycatcher populations. Determining if breeding is occurring along San Francisquito Creek

is a particular priority. In addition, a better

understanding is needed of the key factor

limiting the growth and expansion of southwestern willow flycatcher populations.

Tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)

Status and Distribution: The tree swallow is a rare summer resident in southern

California. We found no confirmed breeding

locations on national forest system lands, although there likely are some. Most of the

breeding locations identified by Garrett and

Dunn (1981) are near the immediate coast

(e.g. Morro Bay, Santa Maria River, and the

lower San Luis Rey River). Two breeding locations, Lake Henshaw and Wynola, are

within the assessment area and close to the

boundaries of the Cleveland National Forest.

Habitat: Tree swallows typically breed in

lowland and foothill riparian habitats in the
151

 Chapter 4

Conservation Considerations: Major

threats are loss of lowland riparian habitat and

nest parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds

(Garrett and Dunn 1981). Better information

on the distribution and abundance of the

Swainson’s thrush within the assessment area

is sorely needed. It is clearly not common and

appears to be vulnerable to existing threat factors.

American dipper (Cinclus mexicanus)

Status and Distribution: The American

dipper is a species of local concern because it

is rare in southern California and most locations are within the assessment area. Dippers

are most common in the San Gabriel and San

Bernardino mountains, with scattered occurrences in some of the other mountain ranges.

Known dipper nesting localities include Upper Sisquoc Falls, Santa Paula Canyon, Agua

Cachuma Creek Santa Ynez River Los Padres 2 1

Santa Ynez River Santa Ynez River Los Padres 1 3

Elizabeth Lake Canyon Elizabeth Lake Canyon Angeles 2 3

San Francisquito Canyon San Francisquito Canyon Angeles 2 2

Little Tujunga Canyon Little Tujunga Canyon Angeles 2 2

Lower Big Tujunga Canyon Big Tujunga Canyon Angeles 3 4

Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Big Tujunga Canyon Angeles 1 3

Mill Creek (Big Tujunga) Big Tujunga Canyon Angeles 2 2

Arroyo Seco Creek Arroyo Seco Creek Angeles 2 2

Cajon Creek (Lost Lake) Cajon Creek San Bern. 2 1

Bautista Canyon San Jacinto River San Bern. 4 2

Silverado Canyon Silverado Canyon Cleveland 3 4

San Juan Creek San Juan Creek Cleveland 3 2

Long Canyon San Juan Creek Cleveland 2 1

Pine Valley Creek Pine Valley Creek Cleveland 1 2

Kitchen Creek Cottonwood Creek Cleveland 1 2

La Posta Creek Cottonwood Creek Cleveland 2 2

Morena Creek Cottonwood Creek Cleveland 2 1

Table 4.8. Locations where Swainson’s thrushes were detected multiple times in riparian point

count surveys from 1988 to 1996. These surveys did not extend north of the Sisquoc River. Most

detections were made during the month of May. Further survey work is needed to determine if

these represent breeding locations or just birds migrating through the area.

Swainson Thrush Locations # of points

National # of Years where

Specific Drainage Primary Drainage Forest Detected detected

Blanca Creek and Sespe Creek (Los Padres

National Forest); Santa Anita Canyon and the

upper forks of the San Gabriel River (Angeles

National Forest); Upper Santa Ana River, Bear

Creek and Mill Creek in the San Bernardino

Mountains and Tahquitz Creek and the North

Fork of the San Jacinto River in the San Jacinto

Mountains (San Bernardino National Forest);

and Pauma Creek on Palomar Mountain

(Cleveland National Forest)(Garrett and

Dunn 1981; Unitt 1984; Lane 1985; Lentz

1993).

Habitat: Dippers occupy fast-flowing,

clear streams in mountain canyons (Garrett

and Dunn 1981).

Conservation Considerations: Dipper

habitat is typically in remote canyons and vulnerability to land use impacts is believed to be

low. The biggest threat is further impoundment or diversion of streamflows.
152

Least Bell’s vireo (Vireo bellii pusillus)

Status and Distribution: The least Bell’s

vireo was federally listed as endangered in

1986. Its breeding range is restricted to southern California and northern Baja California,

Mexico (USFWS 1998c). The low-elevation

riparian habitats preferred by Bell’s vireos are

uncommon in the assessment area. Consequently, Bell’s vireo numbers are low on national forest system lands and make up a small

percentage (less than 3 percent) of the total

regional population. The largest population

on national forest system lands, currently

twenty to thirty pairs, is located on the Los

Padres along the upper Santa Ynez River and

its tributaries, Mono and Indian Creeks, above

Gibraltar Reservoir. This population has been

monitored for many years by Jim Greaves and

associates (Gray and Greaves 1984; Greaves

1989, 1993, 1997). It appears to be the only

area on the Los Padres where Bell’s vireos consistently breed (Greaves and Labinger 1997).

The other documented breeding locations

within the assessment area are within or near

the Cleveland National Forest. Bell’s vireo locations on the Cleveland National Forest are

along the upper reaches of drainages that have

substantially larger populations further downstream. Small breeding populations (one to ten

pairs) exist on national forest system lands

along Cottonwood Creek (a tributary of the

Tijuana River), Pine Valley Creek (a tributary

of Cottonwood Creek), Santa Ysabel Creek,

and the San Luis Rey River.

Within the Angeles National Forest there

have been sporadic sightings of Bell’s vireos

during the breeding season on San

Francisquito Creek, Big Tujunga Creek, and

the upper Santa Clara River (USFWS 1998c).

Two were also sighted on Cajon Creek within

San Bernardino National Forest in 1990.

However, breeding has not been documented

at any of these locations. There is a need to

determine if breeding populations exist in

these drainages.

The decline of this species is attributed

primarily to extensive loss of low elevation riparian habitat and brood parasitism by the

brown-headed cowbird. In recent years, least

Bell’s vireo numbers in southern California

have increased dramatically, from an estimated

300 pairs in 1986 to an estimated 1,346 pairs

in 1996 (USFWS 1998c).

Habitat: The least Bell’s vireo is a

neotropical migrant that breeds in low-elevation riparian habitats, particularly broad

cottonwood-willow woodlands and mule fat

scrub. A detailed description of habitat characteristics is provided in the draft recovery plan

(USFWS 1998c).

Conservation Considerations: Within the

assessment area, habitat degradation and nest

parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds are the

biggest threats to least Bell’s vireos (USFWS

1998c). Habitat loss is occurring primarily in

urbanizing areas and is not considered to be a

major problem on public lands.

Cowbird nest parasitism, where it has not

been effectively reduced through control programs, is probably the most chronic and

debilitating threat to least Bell’s vireo populations. It is considered to be a major problem

for all of the Bell’s vireo populations on national forest system lands (Greaves 1997; Wells

and Turnbull 1998). Cowbird control efforts

near vireo breeding areas are cited as being particularly instrumental in the recovery of this

species.

On the Santa Margarita River within the

Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base, cowbird

parasitism of least Bell’s vireo nests was at 47

percent in 1983 when the base began an intensive cowbird trapping program. With

annual trapping, by 1990 the brood parasitism rate had dropped to less than 1 percent

(Griffith and Griffith, in press). The Santa

Margarita River Bell’s vireo population rose

from 60 pairs in 1983 to 319 pairs in 1993

(Griffith and Griffith, 1995). Since the initiation of annual cowbird removal programs,

similarly dramatic population increases have

occurred on the Tijuana and San Luis Rey rivers and in the Prado Basin (Kus 1995; Kus

1996; Pike and Hays 1997).

Bell’s vireo populations on national forest

system lands have not been nearly as successful. The Santa Ynez River population has
153

 Chapter 4

dropped from fifty-five breeding pairs in 1980

to fewer than thirty pairs in 1994 (Greaves

1997). The population along Pine Valley

Creek has dropped from five pairs in 1994 to

zero in 1997 and 1998, although in neighboring Cottonwood Creek the population has

stayed consistently around four to six pairs

(Wells and Turnbull 1998).

Habitat degradation can occur when the

structure or composition of riparian vegetation is altered. Dense shrub cover within 3 to

6 feet of the ground is important for Bell’s

vireos and this cover can be significantly reduced by overgrazing, off-road vehicle activity,

concentrated recreation use, channel clearing,

and large discharges of water from upstream

reservoirs. Invasions of non-native plants, particularly arundo and tamarisk, are also

crowding out native plants and degrading

habitats for the Bell’s vireo in a number of locations.

Warbling vireo (Vireo gilvus)

Status and Distribution: The warbling

vireo is identified as a high-priority riparian

obligate species by California Partners in Flight

(Evans 1997). It is a summer resident at lowto mid-elevations across the assessment area,

although there are few recent breeding records

from the San Jacinto Mountains and the San

Diego ranges (Garrett and Dunn 1981; Unitt

1984).

Warbling vireos were detected at 30 percent of the riparian point-count stations

annually and they increased significantly in

abundance between 1988 and 1996 (table 4.6)

(Stephenson et al. 1998). However, the BBS

results suggest that warbling vireos may be declining statewide. Garrett and Dunn (1981)

indicate that this species has declined in the

southern half of the assessment area, particularly at lower elevations.

Habitat: In the northern part of the assessment area, warbling vireos commonly nest

in low-elevation riparian and mixed woodland

habitats (Garrett and Dunn 1981). In the

south they apparently now nest primarily in

mixed conifer-oak woodlands in the mountains (Garrett and Dunn 1981; Unitt 1984).

Conservation Considerations: Nest parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds is strongly

implicated in the decline of this species as a

breeder in coastal lowland and foothill riparian areas (Garrett and Dunn 1981; Unitt

1984).

Yellow warbler

(Dendroica petechia brewsteri)

Status and Distribution: The yellow warbler is a California Species of Special Concern

and is identified as a high-priority riparian obligate species by California Partners in Flight

(Evans 1997). It is a summer resident at lowelevations across the assessment area.

Yellow warblers were detected at 51 percent of the riparian point-count stations

annually and had a very stable trend. This was

the only species for which it was possible to

conclude, with high statistical power, that they

are not declining at an annual rate of 3 percent or more (table 4.6) (Stephenson et. al.

1998). However, results from the BBS suggest that the yellow warbler may be declining

statewide and in the California foothills physiographic region (Sauer et al. 1997).

Habitat: Yellow warblers breed in riparian woodlands in the lowlands and foothill

canyons (Garrett and Dunn 1981; Unitt 1984;

Lehman 1994). They are typically found in

riparian forests that contain cottonwoods, sycamores, willows, or alders.

Conservation Considerations: Nest parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds is strongly

implicated in the decline of this species as a

breeder in coastal lowland and foothill

riparian areas (Garrett and Dunn 1981; Unitt

1984).

Common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)

Status and Distribution: The common

yellowthroat is identified as a high priority riparian obligate species by California Partners

in Flight (Evans 1997). It is primarily a species of lowland habitats and occurs in the

assessment area only in the low foothills. Common yellowthroats were detected at only 8

percent of the riparian point-count stations
154

annually and no clear trend in abundance

could be ascertained (table 4.6). BBS results

suggest that yellowthroats may be on the increase statewide (Sauer et al. 1997).

Habitat: Common yellowthroats typically

breed in fresh water and brackish marshes of

cattails, bulrushes, and other emergent vegetation and also occupy dense brush in damp

areas (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Conservation Considerations: The primary threat to this species is loss or degradation

of riparian habitats, particularly areas that support dense emergent vegetation.

Yellow-breasted chat (Icteria virens)

Status and Distribution: The yellowbreasted chat is a California Species of Special

Concern and is identified as a high-priority

riparian obligate species by California Partners

in Flight (Evans 1997). It is a localized summer resident in low-elevation foothill canyons

across the assessment area and appears to be

quite rare. Indications are that this species has

declined dramatically in southern California

(Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Chats were rarely detected in the riparian

point-count survey. All of the stations at which

they were detected in multiple years are located on the Los Padres National Forest.

Known locations of the yellow-breasted chat

include Mono Creek, Santa Ynez River, and

Sespe Creek on the Los Padres National Forest; San Francisquito and Elizabeth Lake canyons on the Angeles National Forest; Bautista

Canyon on the San Bernardino National Forest; and the upper San Luis Rey River on the

Cleveland National Forest (Unitt 1984).

Habitat: Yellow-breasted chats breed in

dense riparian thickets and brushy tangles in

the vicinity of water courses (Garrett and

Dunn 1981). They are found primarily in the

coastal lowlands.

Conservation Considerations: Major

threats to this species are loss of lowland riparian habitat and nest parasitism by brownheaded cowbirds (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

More information is needed on the distribution and abundance of the yellow-breasted

chat within the assessment area. The rarity and

apparent decline of this species warrants paying increased attention to sites where they still

occur.

Lawrence’s goldfinch (Carduelis lawrencei)

Status and Distribution: The Lawrence’s

goldfinch has been identified as a “extremely

high priority” watch list species by Partners in

Flight, although no reason is given for this designation (Carter 1998). It is probably because

the breeding range of this species is restricted

to California west of the Sierra Nevada and to

northern Baja California. Lawrence’s goldfinches are found at low- to mid-elevations on

both coastal and desert sides of the assessment

area, but it is described as an opportunistic,

nomadic breeder (D. Cooper, UC Riverside,

pers. comm.), and thus its distribution and

abundance varies considerably from year to

year (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Lawrence’s goldfinches were detected at 12

percent of the riparian point count stations

annually and had a declining trend of 9.6 percent per year (table 4.6). However, this species

is known for having large and erratic fluctuations in abundance (Garrett and Dunn 1981),

so this trend may be misleading. A decline in

Lawrence’s goldfinches was not apparent in

statewide BBS results, but was observed in BBS

routes from the Los Angeles Ranges physiographic region (Sauer et al. 1997).

Habitat: Lawrence’s goldfinches breed

around riparian thickets within arid woodlands and shrublands (e.g., arid oak savanna,

pinyon-juniper, chaparral, open coniferous

forest) (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Conservation Considerations: It is difficult to assess the conservation needs of the

Lawrence’s goldfinch. More information is

needed on what areas or microhabitats may

be particularly important to this species.

Riparian Invertebrates

Three riparian invertebrates were identified as being rare or potentially at risk and received individual consideration (table 4.9).
155

 Chapter 4

California diplectronan caddisfly

(Diplectronan californica)

Status and Distribution: The California

diplectronan caddisfly is a former C2 candidate for federal listing. Information is scarce

on the range of this species; the type locality

is from Claremont and the only other identified location is on Mill Creek at Thurman Flats

in the San Bernardino National Forest (Erman

and Nagano 1992).

Habitat: Little is known about this particular species, but other species of this genus

are known to occur in rapid portions of small,

cool streams (Erman and Nagano 1992).

Conservation Considerations: More information is needed on the distribution, abundance, and habitat associations of this caddisfly

before a meaningful conservation strategy can

be developed.

Invertebrates

CA diplectronan Very Low y p p Unkn Unkn Landscape

 caddisfly (?) level

Greenest tiger beetle Very Low p p Unkn Unkn Miinimal

(?) Influence

Harbison’s dun skipper Mod y y Mod Unkn Landscape

(< 20%) level

Mammals

Western red bat Low y y y y y y y y y Mod Unkn Landscape

(?) level

San Bernardino Low y y Low Unkn Landscape

 dusky shrew (> 75%) level

Ringtail Low y y y y y y y y y Low Unkn Landscape

(30-70%) level

Greenest tiger beetle

(Cicindela tranquebarica virudissima)

Status and Distribution: The greenest tiger beetle was formerly a C1 candidate species for federal listing. It is known from the

upper Santa Ana River wash area at the base

of the San Bernardino Mountains (Ballmer

1992) and was observed in Bautista Canyon

in the 1970s (M. Nelson, USFWS, pers.

comm.). It is unknown if these populations

extend onto public lands within the assessment

area.

In 1996, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed this subspecies from the

candidate list based on taxonomic studies

which indicate that C. t. virudissima is synonymous with the more widely distributed C.

t. vibex (USFWS 1996b).

Habitat: The greenest tiger beetle is usually found near running water where there is

fine sand. Larvae live in burrows in the sand

at the margin of streams. Adults are active

Riparian Mammals

and Invertebrates

federal status

(1)

Knowledge

of SoCal

Locations

(% on NFs)

(5)

Conservation

Category

(4)

 Pop.

Trend

(3)

Vulnerability

on NFs

(2) areas occupied or estimated # of occurrences if spp. localized

Cleveland NF San Bern. NF Angeles NF Los Padres NF

San

Diego

Rngs

San

Jac

Mts

Snta

Ana

Mts

San

Bern

Mts

No.

SL

Rng

So.

SL

Rng

San

Gab

Mts

Castaic

Rngs

So.

LP

Rngs

Table 4.9. Riparian-associated invertebrates and mammals that received individual consideration.

Displayed for each species: (1) the level of knowledge about where it occurs in southern California and, in

parentheses, the estimated percentage of locations that are on national forest system lands; (2) the mountain

subareas occupied (y = occurs in breeding season, h = historically occurred, p = potentially occurs, t = transient,

w = winter visitor)—if the species is localized and data are available, the approximate number of occurrences may be

displayed; (3) the vulnerability of populations on national forest system lands to existing threat factors; (4)

population trends; and (5) the assigned conservation category.
156

Riparian Mammals

Three riparian-associated mammals were

identified as being rare or potentially at risk

and received individual consideration (table 4.9).

Western red bat (Lasiurus blossevillii)

Status and Distribution: The western red

bat is a Forest Service Region 5 Sensitive Species and a California Species of Special

Concern. There is little information on the

distribution and relative abundance of western red bats in southern California. During

surveys in the national forests, it was recently

detected by mist net capture or Anabat detector in the following locations: upper Salinas

River (Los Padres National Forest), Sugarloaf

Meadows and Big Bear Dam (San Bernardino

National Forest), and Laguna Meadow and

Lost Valley (Cleveland National Forest)

(Miner and Brown 1996; Simons et al. in

prep.).

Habitat: The western red bat is primarily

a solitary species that roosts in the foliage of

trees and shrubs often, but not exclusively, in

riparian habitats (Bolster 1998).

Conservation Considerations: More information is needed on the distribution and

abundance of this species before its conservation needs can be adequately assessed. There

is a concern about the effect of controlled

burns on this species when roosting in leaf litter during cool weather (Bolster 1998).

San Bernardino dusky shrew

(Sorex monticolus parvidens)

Status and Distribution: The San Bernardino dusky shrew was formerly a California

Species of Special Concern. It is reported to

occupy riparian habitats from about 4,200 to

7,500 feet elevation in the San Bernardino and

San Gabriel mountains (Hennings and

Hoffman 1977). However, Williams (1986)

reports that these shrews are indistinguishable

from ornate shrews captured in the same areas. He concludes that they are probably the

same species and that these populations are

not threatened.

runners and fliers along stream shores (Ballmer

1992).

Conservation Considerations: Information is needed on the distribution of this beetle

along portions of the Santa Ana River and

Bautista Creek that lie within the assessment

area. However, changes in the species’ taxonomy suggest it is no longer a rare taxon.

Harbison’s dun skipper

(Euphyes vestris harbisoni)

Status and Distribution: The Harbison’s

dun skipper is a former C2 candidate for federal listing. This butterfly occurs in a series of

scattered and disjunct colonies throughout

western San Diego County, extending as far

north as the Santa Ana Mountains in Orange

County (Brown 1991). Localities in or near

the assessment area include Silverado Canyon

(Santa Ana Mountains), San Pasqual Valley,

Ramona, Flinn Springs, Old Viejas Grade,

Otay Mountain, and Tecate Peak (Murphy

1990; Brown 1991). Some historic populations have declined or been extirpated,

primarily due to habitat loss resulting from

development.

Habitat: The Harbison’s dun skipper typically occurs in partially-shaded, riparian oak

woodland habitats in a matrix of chamise

chaparral or southern mixed chaparral, where

seeps or springs provide adequate water to

support the larval host plant, San Diego sedge

(Carex spissa) (Brown 1991). The butterfly has

never been found in the absence of San Diego

sedge (Brown 1991).

Conservation Considerations: More information is needed on occurrences of this

species on public lands in the Santa Ana

Mountains and the San Diego ranges. The

presence of San Diego sedge in considerable

numbers is a strong indicator of potential habitat for this species (Brown 1991). Water

sources associated with occupied or potential

habitat should be protected.
157

 Chapter 4

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Status and Distribution: Bald eagle populations in the continental United States were

federally listed as threatened in 1978. However, steady population increases nationwide

culminated in a formal proposal on July 4,

1999, to remove bald eagles from the threatened species list. Southern California is

primarily wintering habitat for bald eagles.

Breeding has been confirmed only in a few

locations in the northern part of the assessment area (i.e., Nacimiento Lake, San Antonio

Lake, and Cachuma Lake). However, a pair

recently attempted to nest near Silverwood

Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains.

The largest wintering population in southern California is at Big Bear Lake in the San

Bernardino Mountains, where twenty to thirty

eagles typically congregate from November to

March. Most of the other large reservoirs in

the assessment area also support anywhere

from two to ten wintering eagles. In the San

Bernardino Mountains, bald eagles have been

observed moving between lakes during the

winter (R. Butler, Mountaintop District, pers.

comm.).

Habitat: In the assessment area, bald

eagles are usually found close to lakes and reservoirs where they feed on fish, coots, and

waterfowl (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Conservation Considerations: There are

high levels of human activity around many of

the reservoirs in the assessment area where bald

eagles spend the winter months. The eagles

are affected by this activity and can alter their

Habitat: These shrews are solitary, secretive animals that occupy moist soil, stumps,

and logs in montane riparian and wet meadow

areas (Ingles 1965; Zeiner et al. 1990).

Conservation Considerations: The recommended change in the taxonomic status of

the San Bernardino dusky shrew has caused it

to be dropped from the California Species of

Special Concern list. The ornate shrew is widespread and, given its habitat requirements and

life history characteristics, it should not be particularly vulnerable to land use activities

currently occurring on national forest system

lands.

Ringtail (Bassariscus astutus)

Status and Distribution: The ringtail is

not on any concern lists and it is believed to

be relatively common (P. Collins, Santa Barbara Nat. Hist. Museum, pers. comm.). We

include it as a local viability concern because

there is little recent, documented information

on its distribution or status in the assessment

area. Vaughan’s (1954) report on mammals in

the San Gabriel Mountains says that ringtails

were present in San Gabriel Canyon, Dalton

Canyon, Palmer Canyon, and San Antonio

Canyon. There are more recent reports of

sightings in Lytle Creek Canyon (S. Loe, San

Bernardino NF, pers. comm.).

Habitat: Ringtails are generally known to

occupy brushy and wooded areas along water

courses in foothill and lower montane canyons (Jameson and Peeters 1988). Its principal

habitat requirements seem to be den sites

among boulders or in hollows in trees and

sufficient food in the form of rodents and other

small animals (Williams 1986). Rocky habitats are apparently preferred. In the San

Gabriel Mountains, Vaughan (1954) reports

that ringtails occur in canyons in the chaparral belt. Unlike the raccoon, ringtails

reportedly avoid urbanized areas (Jameson and

Peeters 1988).

Conservation Considerations: Some current, baseline information is needed on the

distribution of this species within the assessment area. However, the ringtail’s habitat

requirements are not likely to make it highly

vulnerable to land use activities occurring

on national forest system lands.

Lake Species

Two species of concern, both birds, are

strongly associated with lake or reservoir

habitats (table 4.10). The distribution and

abundance of these species has actually increased within the assessment area over the

last eighty years as a result of reservoir development.
158

Habitat: The Smith’s blue butterly occurs

in coastal prairie and coastal scrub habitats.

Its distribution is limited to a portion of the

habitat use patterns because of it (Steidl and

Anthony 1996).

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

Status and Distribution: The osprey is a

California Species of Special Concern. It primarily is an uncommon winter visitor in

southern California, but nesting has been

documented at Lake Casitas near Ventura and

Lake San Antonio in Monterey County

(Garrett and Dunn 1981) and may occur elsewhere.

Habitat: Ospreys eat fish and thus are

found near large coastal estuaries and inland

lakes.

Conservation Considerations: The habitat requirements of osprey in the assessment

area center on lake resources. Typically, these

resources are little affected by management

activities occurring on national forest system

lands.

Animals of Monterey Coast

Habitats

As described in chapter 2, the Monterey

coast has habitats that are found nowhere else

in the assessment area. Ten animal species associated with these unique habitats are considered individually in this section (table 4.11).

Included in this group are two marine mammals and several bird species that are found

only along the immediate coast. They require

consideration because the Monterey District

of the Los Padres National Forest encompasses

almost twenty miles of ocean coastline in this

area.

Smith’s blue butterfly

(Euphilotes enoptes smithi)

Status and Distribution: The Smith’s blue

butterfly was federally listed as endangered in

1976. At the time of listing it was thought to

occur only in coastal dunes along Monterey

Bay and from coastal scrub near Big Sur (Foster 1998). However, focused surveys have

revealed additional populations and the

Smith’s blue is now known to occur along the

coastal portions of Monterey, Santa Cruz, and

San Mateo counties at about one hundred different locations (R.A. Arnold pers. comm., as

cited in Foster 1998). Eleven of these sites are

on or close to national forest system land (Foster 1998). Occupied areas include Big Sur

Park, Burns Creek, along the NacimientoFerguson Road, Kirk Creek, and Gorda Horse

Pasture (fig. 4.16).

Birds

Bald eagle High

 threatened* (30-60%) w t w w w w y y y Mod Stable Site

Specific

Osprey High w t w p/w t w y p/w y Mod Unkn Minimal

(20-50%) Influence

Table 4.10. Rare or potentially at risk species associated primarily with lake habitats.

Displayed for each species: (1) the level of knowledge about where it occurs in southern California and, in

parentheses, the estimated percentage of locations that are on national forest system lands; (2) the mountain

subareas occupied (y = occurs in breeding season, h = historically occurred, p = potentially occurs, t = transient,

w = winter visitor)—if the species is localized and data are available, the approximate number of occurrences may be

displayed; (3) the vulnerability of populations on national forest system lands to existing threat factors; (4)

population trends; and (5) the assigned conservation category.

* There is now a formal proposal to remove the bald eagle from the threatened species list.

Lake Associated

Animals of Concern

federal status

(1)

Knowledge

of SoCal

Locations

(% on NFs)

(5)

Conservation

Category

(4)

 Pop.

Trend

(3)

Vulnerability

on NFs

(2) areas occupied or estimated # of occurrences if spp. localized

Cleveland NF San Bern. NF Angeles NF Los Padres NF

San

Diego

Rngs

San

Jac

Mts

Snta

Ana

Mts

San

Bern

Mts

No.

SL

Rng

So.

SL

Rng

San

Gab

Mts

Castaic

Rngs

So.

LP

Rngs
159

 Chapter 4

Invertebrates

Smith’s blue butterfly High y Mod Unkn Site

 endangered (10-50%) specific

Doudoroff’s elfin Low y Low Unkn Landscape

(40-80%) level

Clemence’s silverspot Mod y y Low Unkn Landscape

(40-80%) level

Amphibians

Pacific giant Low y Low Unkn Landscape

 salamander (40-80%) level

Birds

CA brown pelican High y Low Incr Minimal

 endangered (<2%) Influence

Western snowy plover Mod p Mod Unkn Site

 threatened (< 2%) specific

Marbled murrelet Mod y Low Unkn Site

 endangered (< 5%) specific

Mammals

Monterey dusky-footed Low y Low Unkn Landscape

 woodrat (?) level

Southern sea otter High y Low Stable Minimal

 threatened (< 1%) Influence

Steller sea lion High y Low Decl Minimal

 threatened (< 5%) Influence

Monterey Coast

Animals of Concern

federal status

(1)

Knowledge

of SoCal

Locations

(% on NFs)

(5)

Conservation

Category

(4)

 Pop.

Trend

(3)

Vulnerability

on NFs

(2) areas occupied or estimated # of occurrences if spp. localized

Cleveland NF San Bern. NF Angeles NF Los Padres NF

San

Diego

Rngs

San

Jac

Mts

Snta

Ana

Mts

San

Bern

Mts

No.

SL

Rng

So.

SL

Rng

San

Gab

Mts

Castaic

Rngs

So.

LP

Rngs

Table 4.11. Animals associated with Monterey Coast habitats that received individual consideration.

Displayed for each species: (1) the level of knowledge about where it occurs in southern California and, in

parentheses, the estimated percentage of locations that are on national forest system lands; (2) the mountain

subareas occupied (y = occurs in breeding season, h = historically occurred, p = potentially occurs, t = transient,

w = winter visitor)—if the species is localized and data are available, the approximate number of occurrences may be

displayed; (3) the vulnerability of populations on national forest system lands to existing threat factors; (4)

population trends; and (5) the assigned conservation category.

combined range of two host plants: seacliff

buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium) and coast

buckwheat (Eriogonum latifolium). Together

these two plants function as the sole larval and

primary adult food plants for the butterfly

(Arnold 1983). Norman (1994) surveyed the

west slope of the northern Santa Lucia Range

and, based on the presence of seacliff buckwheat, estimated that there are several thousand acres of potentially suitable Smith’s blue

butterly habitat on the Monterey Ranger District. The elevation range of seacliff buckwheat

is from sea level to approximately 2,600 feet

(Foster 1998).

Conservation Considerations: The

Smith’s blue butterfly is a rare and highly localized species that warrants site-specific

management attention. Foster (1998) provides

a detailed evaluation of factors potentially affecting Smith’s blue butterfly populations

within the assessment area; the following synopsis is based on that report. Small amounts

of suitable habitat may be affected by existing

roads, trails, and developed recreation sites.
160

Figure 4.16. Documented locations of the Smith’s blue butterfly along the Monterey coast (this map may not

show all known localities).

1990). Potential habitat occurs elsewhere along

the southern Monterey coast, primarily on the

Los Padres National Forest east of Highway 1

and largely within the Ventana Wilderness

Area. The lack of observations of this species

from other areas is attributed to the inaccessibility of its habitat and its short, early flight

period (February to early March) (Murphy

1990).

Habitat: The host plant for Doudoroff’s

elfin is a Sedum species (Murphy 1990).

Conservation Considerations: Additional

information is needed on the distribution and

abundance of this species and its host plant.

In Murphy’s (1990) status review, the

able and occupied Smith’s blue habitat and

may be causing habitat degradation. Invasive,

non-native plants may be causing a reduction

in the abundance of seacliff buckwheat. Particular problem species are kikuyu grass

(Pennisetum clandestinum), Pampas grass, and

French broom.

Doudoroff’s elfin butterfly

(Incisalia mossii doudoroffi)

Status and Distribution: The Doudoroff’s elfin butterfly is known primarily from

Partington Canyon near Big Sur (Murphy

Livestock grazing is permitted in areas of suit-
161

 Chapter 4

Doudoroff’s elfin is listed as a category C

taxon, that is, a taxon for which specific protective measures are not presently necessary.

However, it appears this determination is based

upon very little specific information.

Clemence’s silverspot butterfly

(Speyeria adiaste clemencei)

Status and Distribution: The Clemence’s

silverspot butterfly occurs in both the northern and southern Santa Lucia Ranges, from

the vicinity of Carmel on the north, to the

area of Pozo on the south (Murphy 1990). It

is also found on the north end of Garcia

Mountain. Much of its distribution is believed

to be on the Los Padres National Forest

(Murphy 1990).

Habitat: The suspected food plant of this

butterfly is Viola quercetorum (Murphy 1990).

Conservation Considerations: Additional

information is needed on the distribution and

abundance of this species. Murphy (1990)

considers the Clemence’s silverspot to be a category D taxon, that is, a taxon that is neither

in danger of extinction nor likely to be. However, it is unclear what specific information is

being used to make this determination.

Pacific giant salamander

(Dicamptodon ensatus)

Status and Distribution: The northern

Santa Lucia Range contains the southernmost

populations of this salmander (Anderson

1969). This disjunct population is concentrated along the Little Sur River (J. Copp, CA

Academy of Sciences, pers. comm.). We did

not find any information on the abundance

or status of the Pacific giant salamander in this

area. It is not considered to be a sensitive species.

Habitat: The Pacific giant salamander is

associated with streams and other mesic habitats in humid, coastal forests (particularly

redwood).

Conservation Considerations: Water

quality and the sustainability of mesic conditions appear to be important factors for the

Pacific giant salamander. Along the Monterey

coast, much of the habitat for this species is

within a designated wilderness area.

California brown pelican

(Pelecanus occidentalis californicus)

Status and Distribution: The federally endangered California brown pelican is found

only near the ocean, along the entire central

and southern California coast and in Baja

California, Mexico (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

It is addressed as a Monterey coast species because that is the only place where the

assessment area reaches the ocean’s edge. Approximately twenty miles of coastline are

within the Monterey District of the Los Padres National Forest. Brown pelicans are not

believed to breed along this stretch, but they

can be found there during the summer

months.

Habitat: The California brown pelican is

almost exclusively a bird of marine habitats

and thus is found only along the immediate

coastline. Birds currently nest in several large

colonies on the Channel Islands (Garrett and

Dunn 1981).

Conservation Considerations: The primary threats to brown pelicans are (1) the

continued, although dwindling, presence of

organochlorine pesticides (e.g., DDT) in the

marine food chain, and (2) depleted food

resources due to commercial harvesting of fish

such as anchovies (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

However, brown pelican numbers have increased substantially in the last twenty years.

This increase has largely been attributed to a

decline in near-shore DDT levels.

Although the brown pelican does occur

on public lands within the assessment area,

the management of those lands has little effect on the conservation of this species. Brown

pelicans are dependent on resources that come

from the marine environment and on the key

locations where they nest.

Western snowy plover

(Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus)

Status and Distribution: The western

snowy plover is primarily an inhabitant of
162

sandy coastal beaches. It was federally listed

as threatened in 1993 because of population

declines and disturbance to coastal nesting sites

(USFWS 1993d). The preference of snowy

plovers for sandy beaches has led to its decline

as a nesting bird along the coast; such areas

suffer from much human disturbance during

the nesting season (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Snowy plovers reportedly nest on the beach

near Point Sur Lighthouse just north of the

assessment area (California Coastal Commission 1987). Most of the coastline within the

assessment area is steep and devoid of sandy

beaches; however, there are several small

beaches (e.g., Pfeiffer and Sand Dollar) that

potentially could support this species.

Habitat: Snowy plovers nest, feed, and

take cover on sandy or gravelly beaches along

the coast, on estuarine salt ponds, and on alkali lakes (Zeiner et al. 1990a).

Conservation Considerations: More information is needed on the nesting status of

snowy plovers in this area and the potential

for beaches within the assessment area to support nesting.

Marbled murrelet

(Brachyramphus marmoratus)

Status and Distribution: The marbled

murrelet was federally listed as threatened in

1992 because of population declines and concerns that logging in coastal forests of the Pacific

Northwest was eliminating its nesting habitat

(USFWS 1992b). The Monterey coast is at the

extreme southern periphery of the marbled

murrelet’s breeding range (Ralph et al. 1995).

Reported sitings of marbled murrelets

along the central California coast have been

concentrated within a 6-mile (10 kilometer)

radius of Point Año Nuevo in Santa Cruz

County (Ainley et al. 1995). It is unclear if

they actually do nest as far south as the coastal

forests in the northern Santa Lucia Range. The

habitat appears suitable, but we could find no

documentation of sitings in this area.

Habitat: Marbled murrelets spend most

of their lives at sea but come onshore to nest

in large, old trees. They are highly secretive

on land and it is difficult to locate their nest

sites (Ralph et al. 1995).

Conservation Considerations: It is important to determine if marbled murrelets do nest

in the northern Santa Lucia Range. However, even if they do, threats to suitable

breeding habitats are likely to be low. No

logging is done in this area and most of the

forested area along the immediate coast is

within state parks or Forest Service wilderness areas.

Monterey dusky-footed woodrat

(Neotoma fuscipes luciana)

Status and Distribution: The Monterey

dusky-footed woodrat is listed as a California

Species of Concern although it was not discussed in Williams’ (1986) report on

mammalian species of concern in California.

We could find very little information on this

specific subspecies, other than it is reported

to occur in a variety of areas on Fort Ord

near Monterey. Woodrats are common in

the northern Santa Lucia Range (e.g., the

Hastings Reserve) (Williams et al. 1992),

but it is unclear if they are this particular

subspecies.

Habitat: Dusky-footed woodrats are generally found in dense chaparral, oak and riparian woodland, and in mixed conifer forest

that has a well-developed understory. They

seem to favor brushy habitat or woodland that

has a live oak component. They are highly arboreal, and thick-leaved trees and shrubs are

important habitat components for this species (Williams et al. 1992).

Conservation Considerations: Clarification is needed on whether woodrats occurring

in the northern Santa Lucia Range are N. f.

luciana. There is a large amount of suitable

woodrat habitat in these mountains and it is

not considered to be threatened by existing

land uses or ecological changes.

Southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis)

Status and Distribution: Coastal waters

from the Carmel River south to Santa Rosa

Creek have been designated as the California
163

 Chapter 4

Sea Otter State Game Refuge. Sea otters are

common along this stretch of coastline.

Habitat: Sea otters spend essentially their

entire life in shallow ocean waters, particularly

in the vicinity of kelp beds. They occur near

land in protected coves and shallow intertidal

waters but rarely, if ever, venture onshore.

Abalone and urchins are their preferred food.

Conservation Considerations: Activities

occurring on the Los Padres National Forest

and other public lands within the assessment

area are unlikely to have any effect on sea otters. The primary threats to this species, as

identified on the Friends of the Sea Otter web

page, are offshore oil spills and competition

from humans for abalone.

Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus)

Status and Distribution: The central California coast is the southern limit of the Steller

or northern sea lion’s range. Historically there

was a rookery on San Miguel Island, one of

the Channel Islands, but the last pups were

born there in 1982 (Marine Mammal Center

1997). The southernmost active rookery is on

Año Nuevo Island in San Mateo County.

Steller sea lions are declining precipitously and

are now rare along the Monterey coast.

Habitat: The Steller sea lion is a marine

mammal that forages near shore. It does haul

out on mainland coastlines but more commonly utilizes offshore rocks (Marine

Mammal Center 1997).

Conservation Considerations: Activities

occurring on the Los Padres National Forest

and other public lands within the assessment

area are unlikely to have any significant effect

on the status of this species.

Animals of Low-Elevation Valley

Habitats

Sixteen of the animal species that received

individual consideration are associated with

low-elevation valley habitats (table 4.12). Six

species are either restricted to or primarily

found in the vicinity of the San Joaquin Valley, six are found strictly in valleys on the

coastal side of the mountains, and four occur

Western San Joaquin Valley Inhabitants

Longhorn fairy shrimp

(Branchinecta longiantenna)

Status and Distribution: The longhorn

fairy shrimp was federally listed as endangered

in 1994. It occurs primarily along the west

side of the San Joaquin Valley from Altamont

Pass south to the Carrizo Plain (Eng et al.

1990). There are no known localities within

the assessment area; the closest is at Soda Lake.

There is some potential for the species to occur in potrero habitats in the Sierra Madre

Mountains.

Habitat: These small crustaceans inhabit

rain-filled, ephemeral pools (i.e., vernal pools)

that form in depressions usually in grassland

habitats (Eng et al. 1990). These pools must

fill frequently enough and persist long enough

for the fairy shrimp to complete their life cycle.

Conservation Considerations: Surveys are

needed to determine if this species occurs on

public lands within the assessment area.

Blunt-nosed leopard lizard (Gambelia silus)

Status and Distribution: The blunt-nosed

leopard lizard was federally listed as endangered in 1967. It is endemic to the San Joaquin

Valley and surrounding foothills. Its distribution overlaps the assessment area only in the

upper Cuyama Valley, where it approaches the

Los Padres National Forest. This region is significant from an evolutionary perspective

because it is a contact zone between the bluntnosed leopard lizard and the long-nosed

leopard lizard (Gambelia wislizenii), a species

common in the Mojave Desert (Montanucci

on both sides of the mountains. Low-elevation valley habitats are primarily outside the

assessment area and poorly represented on

national forest system lands. Consequently, the

ability to influence the conservation of these

species through management of national forest system lands is often small. However, they

have the potential to occur within the assessment area in a few localized areas so they need

to be considered.
Low-Elevation Valley

Animals of Concern

federal status

(1)

Knowledge

of SoCal

Locations

(% on NFs)

(5)

Conservation

Category

(4)

 Pop.

Trend

(3)

Vulnerability

on NFs

(2) areas occupied or estimated # of occurrences if spp. localized

Cleveland NF San Bern. NF Angeles NF Los Padres NF

San

Diego

Rngs

San

Jac

Mts

Snta

Ana

Mts

San

Bern

Mts

No.

SL

Rng

So.

SL

Rng

San

Gab

Mts

Castaic

Rngs

So.

LP

Rngs

Table 4.12. Animals associated with low-elevation valley habitats that received individual

consideration. Displayed for each species: (1) the level of knowledge about where it occurs in southern California

and, in parentheses, the estimated percentage of locations that are on national forest system lands; (2) the

mountain subareas occupied (y = occurs in breeding season, h = historically occurred, p = potentially occurs,

t = transient, w = winter visitor)—if the species is localized and data are available, the approximate number of

occurrences may be displayed; (3) the vulnerability of populations on national forest system lands to existing threat

factors; (4) population trends; and (5) the assigned conservation category.

West. San Joaquin Val.

Longhorn fairy shrimp Mod p Unkn Unkn Minimal

 endangered (0%) influence

Blunt-nosed leopard High h/phy Low Decl1 Minimal

 lizard endangered (< 1%) influence

Mountain plover Mod w w Decl2 Minimal

 C1 candidate (0%) influence

Giant kangaroo rat Mod p p Low Decl1 Minimal

 endangered (0%) influence

San Joaquin antelope High p p Low Unkn Minimal

 squirrel (< 1%) influence

San Joaquin kit fox High p p Low Decl1 Minimal

 endangered (< 2%) Influence

Coastal Valleys

CA tiger salamander Mod p p y Mod Decl3 Site

(< 5%) Specific

L.A. pocket mouse Low p p h/p p Low Minimal

 (< 2%) Influence

Pacific pocket mouse Mod p p Low Decl1 Minimal

 endangered ( 0%) influence

San Bern. kangaroo rat Mod y p Low Decl1 Site

 endangered (< 3%) specific

Stephens’ kangaroo rat High y p p Low Decl1 Landscape

 endangered (< 1%) level

San Diego black-tailed Mod y p p y h/p Low Unkn Landscape

 jackrabbit (< 5%) level

Both

Vernal pool fairy shrimp High y y p Mod Unkn Landscape

 threatened (< 5%) level

Burrowing owl Mod p p p h/p p Mod Decl2 Minimal

(< 1%) Influence

Swainson’s hawk Mod t t t t t p p p t Low Decl2 Minimal

(< 5%) influence

Loggerhead shrike Mod y y y y p y y y p Low Unkn Landscape

(< 5%) level

hy Hybrid population (Gambelia silus x G. wislizenii)

1 USFWS determination as described in Final Rule to list as endangered.

2 Garrett and Dunn (1981); Zeiner et al. (1990); Lehman (1994)

3 Jennings and Hayes (1994)
165

 Chapter 4

habitats in the Los Padres National Forest to

any significant extent. Thus, it appears there

is little potential to influence the conservation

of mountain plovers through management of

national forest system lands within the assessment area.

Giant kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ingens)

Status and Distribution: The giant kangaroo rat was federally listed as endangered in

1987. It inhabits the arid southwestern edge

of the San Joaquin Valley, the Carrizo and

Elkhorn plains, and the Cuyama Valley (Williams 1992). It occurs at elevations ranging

from approximately 280 to 2,800 feet but is

rare above 2,400 feet (Williams 1996). The

giant kangaroo rat’s range approaches, and

potentially extends onto, the Los Padres National Forest at the lower end of the Cuyama

Valley (fig. 4.17). We did not find any documented sightings of this species on national

forest system lands.

1978). Patterns of hybridization in this area

are of scientific interest and have provided

insights into the selective factors that maintain two distinct species (Montanucci 1970;

Montanucci 1978). There are no known occurrences of the full species G. silus on the

Los Padres; however, the narrow zone where

G. silus x G. wislizenii hybrids have been

found is partially on national forest system

lands in the lower parts of Ballinger and

Quatal canyons.

Habitat: The blunt-nosed leopard lizard

inhabits semi-arid, sparsely vegetated grasslands and dry washes (Montanucci 1970).

Conservation Considerations: Jennings

(1995) reports that habitat loss in the zone of

hybridization may have eliminated the hybrid

populations studied by Montanucci. Survey

work is needed to conclusively determine if

hybrid blunt-nosed leopard lizards still occur

on the Los Padres. If they do still occur, efforts should be made to protect these

populations because of their significance.

However, conservation of the full species G.

silus will be minimally influenced by management of public lands within the

assessment area.

Mountain plover (Charadrius montanus)

Status and Distribution: The mountain

plover is proposed for federal listing as threatened and is a California Species of Special

Concern. It winters in sparsely vegetated fields

and grasslands at low elevations in southern

California. Mountain plovers have become

very rare on the coastal side of the mountains,

although small wintering populations may still

occur just west of Santa Maria (Lehman 1994)

and in the Tijuana River Valley (Unitt 1984).

The primary wintering ground near the assessment area is on the Carrizo Plain in

southeastern San Luis Obispo County (Knopf

and Rupert 1995).

Habitat: Wintering mountain plovers apparently prefer alkaline flats, cultivated and

plowed fields, and sparse grasslands.

Conservation Considerations: The study

by Knopf and Rupert (1995) suggests that

wintering mountain plovers do not utilize

Habitat: Giant kangaroo rats mainly inhabit sandy-loam soils located on level and

gently sloping ground vegetated with annual

grasses and forbs and widely scattered desert

shrubs. Long-term occupancy of a site by giant kangaroo rats results in a mima-mound

topography, with burrow systems located on

mounds a few to several centimeters above the

intervening ground (Williams 1996).

Conservation Considerations: Additional

survey work is needed to conclusively determine if the giant kangaroo rat extends onto

the Los Padres. If found, those areas should

receive site-specific management attention.

However, it is likely that any occurrences on

national forest system lands will be at the fringe

of suitable habitat which is concentrated in

the valley below. Thus management of public

lands within the assessment area will likely

have minimal influence on the conservation

of giant kangaroo rats.

San Joaquin antelope squirrel

(Ammospermophilus nelsoni)

Status and Distribution: The San Joaquin

antelope squirrel is state listed as threatened.
166

Figure 4.17. The documented locations of the giant kangaroo rat and San Joaquin antelope squirrel..

It occurs in the San Joaquin Valley and on

slopes and ridgetops in the foothills along the

western edge of the valley, in the Cuyama and

Panoche valleys, and on the Carrizo and

Elkhorn plains (Best et al. 1990). The antelope squirrel’s range approaches, and

potentially extends onto, the Los Padres National Forest along the upper margins of the

Cuyama Valley (fig. 4.17). We did not find

any documented sightings of this species on

national forest system lands.

Habitat: San Joaquin antelope squirrels

inhabit arid grassland, shrubland, and alkali

sink habitats and are often found in association with saltbush (Atriplex) and Mormon tea

(Ephedra) (Best et al. 1990). Present populations range in elevation from approximately

100 feet to 3,600 feet (Brown and Williams

1996).

Conservation Considerations: Same as

those described for the giant kangaroo rat.

San Joaquin kit fox

(Ammospermophilus nelsoni)

Status and Distribution: The San Joaquin

kit fox was federally listed as endangered in

1967. It formerly occupied most of the San

Joaquin Valley as well as low-elevation basins

and ranges along the eastern side of the central Coast Ranges (Brown et al. 1997). Kit
167

 Chapter 4

foxes potentially occur within the Los Padres

National Forest in the upper Cuyama Valley

watershed and along the eastern slope of the

La Panza Range. The species is most likely a

transitory visitor on national forest system

lands, since there is little high-quality habitat.

Habitat: The San Joaquin kit fox primarily inhabits arid grasslands and open

scrublands. It also will utilize oak savanna and

alkali sink habitats (McGrew 1979).

Conservation Considerations: Additional

survey work is needed to determine the extent to which kit foxes utilize areas within the

Los Padres National Forest. Occupied areas

should receive site-specific management attention. However, it seems apparent that national

forest system lands are on the fringe of suitable habitat; thus, management of public lands

within the assessment area will likely have

minimal influence on the conservation of this

species.

Coastal Valley Inhabitants

California tiger salamander

(Ambystoma californiense)

Status and Distribution: The California

tiger salamander is a California Species of Special Concern. The known range of this species

extends into the assessment area from the

northern Santa Lucia Range south to the Santa

Ynez River. Based on the distribution map in

Jennings and Hayes (1994), tiger salamanders

occur in upper portions of the Carmel River

and Little Sur River watersheds where they are

either on or near the Los Padres National

Forest.

No localities are shown in the southern

Santa Lucia Mountains, but they do occur in

the lower Sisquoc River and Santa Ynez River

watersheds. These southernmost localities appear to correspond with the Solomon Hills

and Santa Rita Hills, respectively, where Sam

Sweet (pers. comm.) has found tiger salamanders. Both of these locations are west of

the Los Padres National Forest by at least 5

miles. It is uncertain to what extent potential

habitat is available on national forest system

lands.

Habitat: The California tiger salamander

is a lowland species restricted to grasslands and

low foothill regions where its breeding habitat (long-lasting rain pools) occurs. Permanent

aquatic sites are unlikely to be used for breeding unless they lack fish predators (Shaffer et

al. 1993; Jennings and Hayes 1994). Tiger

salamanders also appear to require dry-season

refuge sites (typically small mammal burrows)

in the vicinity of breeding sites (up to one mile

away) (Jennings and Hayes 1994). The known

elevational range of this species extends from

near sea level to 3,400 feet (Shaffer et al. 1993).

Conservation Considerations: California

tiger salamanders are dependent on the integrity of large rain pool complexes. Efforts

should be made to identify such potential

breeding sites on the Los Padres National Forest, beginning with the upper Carmel River

and Little Sur River watersheds where this

species is known to occur. Efforts should be

made to keep tiger salamander breeding sites

free of non-native predators (e.g., fish, bullfrogs, and crayfish). This may require

coordination with agencies in charge of mosquito abatement to avoid the stocking of

mosquitofish in these areas (Jennings and

Hayes 1994).

Los Angeles pocket mouse

(Perognathus longimembris brevinasus)

Status and Distribution: The Los Angeles pocket mouse is a Forest Service Region 5

Sensitive Species and a California Species of

Concern. The known range of this subspecies

extends from the cities of Burbank and San

Fernando on the northwest, to the city of San

Bernardino on the northeast, to the vicinity

of Cabazon, Hemet, and Aguanga on the east

and southeast. Its geographic limits on the

southwest are unclear but probably lie somewhere near the Hollywood Hills (Williams

1986). Bond (1977) identifies specimens from

Ranchita and Warner Pass in San Diego

County as this subspecies, but Williams (1986)

believes they are probably P. l. internationalis.

The geographic range just described is almost entirely outside our assessment area.
168

Stephens’ kangaroo rat

(Dipodomys stephensi)

Status and Distribution: The Stephens’

kangaroo rat was federally listed as endangered

in 1988. It is known only from arid grassland

However, one historic Los Angeles pocket

mouse locality listed in Williams (1986) is at

Dos Palmas Spring at the base of the Santa

Rosa Mountains, well to the east of the described range and within the San Jacinto

District of the San Bernardino National Forest. Historic localities near Cabazon, Banning,

Valle Vista, and Cajon Wash are close to national forest system lands, although the

transition to steep, low-quality habitat occurs

rapidly in these areas.

Habitat: The Los Angeles pocket mouse

occupies areas with fine, sandy soils, typically

in arid grassland or coastal sage scrub habitats

(Genoways and Brown 1993). The upper elevation limit of distributional records listed

in Williams (1986) is 3,500 feet (at Dos

Palmas Spring), but most locations (all but

two) are below 2,200 feet.

Conservation Considerations: Although

the potential for major populations is low,

surveys are needed to determine if the Los

Angeles pocket mouse occurs on public lands

within the assessment area. At a minimum the

Dos Palmas Spring location should be resurveyed to see if this subspecies is present.

National forest system lands in Cajon Wash

may also contain potential habitat. However,

given its known distribution and habitat requirements, this is a species whose

conservation is not likely to be significantly

influenced by management of national forest

system lands within the assessment area.

Pacific pocket mouse

(Perognathus longimembris pacificus)

Status and Distribution: The Pacific

pocket mouse was federally listed as endangered in 1994. This taxon is endemic to the

immediate coast of southern California from

Marina del Rey and El Segundo in Los Angeles County south to the vicinity of the Mexican

border in San Diego County (Williams 1986).

All known locations have been within 2.5

miles of the coast and below 600 feet in elevation (USFWS 1994c). Given this geographic

range, it is highly unlikely that the Pacific pocket

mouse occurs within the assessment area.

Habitat: The habitat requirements of this

species are not well understood, but it is known

to occur in sparsely vegetated areas on finegrain, sandy substrates in the immediate

vicinity of the Pacific Ocean (USFWS 1994c).

Conservation Considerations: All indications are that the Pacific pocket mouse is a

species whose conservation cannot be influenced by management of national forest

system lands within the assessment area.

San Bernardino kangaroo rat

(Dipodomys merriami parvus)

Status and Distribution: The San Bernardino kangaroo rat was federally listed as

endangered in 1998. The historical range of

this subspecies extends from the San Bernardino Valley in San Bernardino County to

Menifee Valley in Riverside County (USFWS

1998e). Extant populations along lower Lytle

Creek and Cajon Wash extend into the assessment area and may extend into the San

Bernardino National Forest (fig. 4.18). A large

population along the Santa Ana River extends

upstream to Greenspot Road bridge

(McKernan 1997), which is less than a mile

below the San Bernardino National Forest

boundary.

Habitat: San Bernardino kangaroo rats are

found primarily on sandy loam substrates,

characteristic of alluvial fans and flood plains,

where they are able to dig simple, shallow

burrows (McKernan 1997). Vegetation in

these areas is typically alluvial sage scrub or

chaparral.

Conservation Considerations: Additional

information is needed on the distribution of

San Bernardino kangaroo rats on public lands

within the assessment area. Threats to its habitat include disruption of the natural hydrologic

regime and habitat degradation due to a variety of factors (e.g., sand and gravel mining,

stream channelization, and vehicular traffic).
169

 Chapter 4

Figure 4.18. The approximate geographic ranges of the San Bernardino and Stephens kangaroo rats.

habitats in northern San Diego County, western Riverside County, and the southwestern

edge of San Bernardino County (fig. 4.18)

(Bleich 1977). Known locations within the assessment area are all in San Diego County and

include the Warner Springs/Lake Henshaw

area (O’Farrell 1986), the Guejito Valley, and

Santa Maria Valley. The only location where

the Stephens’ kangaroo rat may actually occur

on national forest system lands is along the

northern edge of the Warner Springs/Lake

Henshaw area, where suitable habitat extends

onto the Cleveland National Forest.

Habitat: Stephens’ kangaroo rats inhabit

sparse grassland habitats, in areas with penetrable soils and flat to moderately sloping

topography. These areas include the base of

hillsides, flat areas along ridgetops, sandy

washes, and open fields (O’Farrell and Uptain

1989). In addition, Stephens’ kangaroo rats

almost always occupy habitats in which at least

half of the soil is bare during the summer and

fall.

Conservation Considerations: This is a

species whose conservation is not significantly

influenced by management of national forest

system lands within the assessment area. The

small amount of Stephens’ kangaroo rat habitat that extends onto the Cleveland National

Forest is not threatened by existing activities.

The area is grazed by livestock, but this activity is widely believed to be conducive to

maintaining suitable habitat for this species.
170

San Diego black-tailed jackrabbit

(Lepus californicus bennettii)

Status and Distribution: The San Diego

or coastal black-tailed jackrabbit is a California Species of Special Concern. Black-tailed

jackrabbits are abundant in the deserts, but L.

c. bennettii occurs only on the coastal side of

the southern California mountains where suitable jackrabbit habitat is less common. Most

of the historic habitat for this subspecies has

either been developed or converted to agriculture. Vaughan (1954) found black-tailed

jackrabbits to be “plentiful” in the coastal sage

belt along the base of the San Gabriel Mountains from Cajon Wash west to San Gabriel

Canyon. However, the landscape in that area

has changed dramatically since the early 1950s

and the status of jackrabbit populations there

today is unknown. In recent years, Steve Loe

(San Bernardino NF, pers. comm.) has observed jackrabbits near the Del Rosa Fire

Station at the base of the San Bernardino

Mountains.

Bond (1977) provides locality information

for a number of museum specimens collected

in San Diego County. Specimens were collected at elevations ranging from sea level to

6,000 feet. Most San Diego County localities

were west of the assessment area, but specimens were reported from Santa Ysabel and the

Laguna and Cuyamaca mountains. The

mountain localities are curious since they seem

to be outside of traditional habitat and jackrabbits are not seen in these areas today.

Habitat: Black-tailed jackrabbits are found

only in open or semi-open country, typically

in grasslands or sparse coastal scrub (Bond

1977). They are not generally found in chaparral or woodland habitats. Vaughan (1954)

found them in “thin stands” of coastal sage

scrub and on the margins of citrus groves in

the lower foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.

Conservation Considerations: Information is needed on the current distribution of

San Diego black-tailed jackrabbits on public

lands along the coastal slopes of the San

Gabriel, San Bernardino, and San Jacinto

mountains and the mountains of San Diego

County. Activities currently occurring on public lands within the assessment area probably

are not a substantial threat to jackrabbits, but

it is not clear if viable populations exist in these

areas which are on the edge of this species’

historic range.

Inhabitants of Both Coastal and

San Joaquin Valleys

Vernal pool fairy shrimp

(Branchinecta lynchi)

Status and Distribution: The vernal pool

fairy shrimp was federally listed as threatened

in 1994. Most known locations are in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys, and along

the eastern margin of the central Coast Ranges

(e.g., Soda Lake). However, vernal pool fairy

shrimp also occur inside the assessment area

in two locations: (1) several small potreros in

the mountains north of Santa Barbara and (2)

on the Santa Rosa Plateau along the southeastern flank of the Santa Ana Mountains (Eng

et al. 1990).

Habitat: These small crustaceans inhabit

rain-filled, ephemeral pools (i.e., vernal pools)

that form in depressions usually in grassland

habitats (Eng et al. 1990). These pools must

fill frequently enough and persist long enough

for the fairy shrimp to complete their life cycle.

Conservation Considerations: Reported

occurrences of vernal pool fairy shrimp in the

mountains north of Santa Barbara appear to

be within the Los Padres National Forest. The

vernal pools which support these populations

should be identified and managed to maintain their integrity and natural hydrologic

regime. Pools on the Santa Rosa Plateau are

protected within an ecological reserve that is

managed by The Nature Conservancy and

Riverside County. There is little potential habitat for fairy shrimp on national forest system

lands in the Santa Ana Mountains.

Burrowing owl

(Athene cunicularia hypogaeae)

Status and Distribution: The burrowing

owl is a California Species of Special Concern.

Burrowing owl populations are declining
171

 Chapter 4

across much of their range (Haug et al. 1993)

as habitat destruction and improper use of

pesticides affect chick survivorship and dispersal (Winchell 1994). Once widespread,

their distribution on the coastal side of the

mountains is now highly localized and fragmented.

Although recorded at elevations up to

5,300 feet (Zeiner et al. 1990), burrowing owls

are primarily found in low elevation valleys.

On the Los Padres National Forest, these owls

historically occurred in the Santa Ynez Mountains but now appear to be absent. They do

still nest in the Carrizo Plain and possibly in

the Cuyama Valley (Lehman 1994). A few burrowing owls may still occur along lower desert

slopes and inland valleys in the other assessment area mountain ranges, but there are no

documented populations in any of them.

Habitat: Burrowing owls inhabit dry,

sparse grasslands, desert scrub, and agricultural

areas. Rodent burrows, usually those of California ground squirrels, are utilized for roosting

and nesting (Unitt 1984; Lehman 1994).

Conservation Considerations: Burrowing

owls have been adversely affected by loss of

lowland habitats and by the widespread use of

pesticides to control ground squirrel populations. Given its distribution and habitat

requirements, the burrowing owl is a species

whose conservation cannot be significantly

influenced by management of national forest

system lands within the assessment area.

Swainson’s hawk (Buteo swainsoni)

Status and Distribution: The Swainson’s

hawk is a Forest Service Region 5 Sensitive

Species and is listed as threatened by the state

of California. Historically (i.e., prior to the

1930s), this species commonly nested in the

coastal lowlands of southern California in

places like Santa Monica, Temecula, Corona,

and Santee (Garrett and Dunn 1981; Unitt

1984). However, breeding populations in the

coastal valleys have long been extirpated and

Swainson’s hawks are not likely to recolonize

the area (SDNHM 1998).

The only localities close to the assessment

area where Swainson’s hawks may still nest are

in the Antelope Valley north of the Castaic

Ranges and in eastern San Luis Obispo

County (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Habitat: During the breeding season,

Swainson’s hawks are closely associated with

open grassland or agricultural lands (particularly alfalfa fields) that contain scattered trees

which can be used for nesting. Migrants may

be noted over any habitat, but spring concentrations are usually found over desert

grasslands (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Conservation Considerations: Given the

known distribution and habitat requirements

of Swainson’s hawks, their conservation is not

likely to be significantly influenced by management of national forest system lands within

the assessment area.

Loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)

Status and Distribution: The loggerhead

shrike is a California Species of Special Concern. It is widely distributed at low elevations

(below approximately 5,000 feet) across the

assessment area but is limited by the availability of suitable open habitat. It has been found

nesting at Garner Valley in the San Jacinto

Mountains (D. Freeman, unpub. notes). Arid,

open country on the eastern side of the southern Santa Lucia Range and southern Los

Padres ranges are probably the largest areas of

suitable habitat for this species.

Habitat: Loggerhead shrikes are typically

found in dry, open habitats with sparse shrubs

and trees (Zeiner et al. 1990b). They commonly utilize posts, fences, and utility lines as

perches.

Conservation Considerations: Suitable

shrike habitat occurs on public lands in the

assessment area but is not extensive. The habitat requirements of this species generally

indicate low vulnerability to existing land use

activities on public lands.

Animals of Coastal Scrub and

Chaparral Habitats

Thirteen of the animal species that received individual consideration are associated

with scrub or chaparral habitats (table 4.13).
172

Inhabitants of Coastal Sage Scrub and

Other Habitats Below 3,000 Feet

Five of the species that received individual

consideration are associated with coastal sage

This group is further subdivided into the following categories: (1) species restricted to

coastal sage scrub and other habitats found

only at elevations below 3,000 feet; (2) inhabitants of both coastal scrub and chaparral

habitats, but only on the coastal (cismontane)

side of the mountains; and (3) inhabitants of

Table 4.13. Animals associated with coastal scrub or chaparral habitats that received individual

consideration. Displayed for each species: (1) the level of knowledge about where it occurs in southern California

and, in parentheses, the estimated percentage of locations that are on national forest system lands; (2) the

mountain subareas occupied (y = occurs in breeding season, h = historically occurred, p = potentially occurs,

t = transient, w = winter visitor)—if the species is localized and data are available, the approximate number of

occurrences may be displayed; (3) the vulnerability of populations on national forest system lands to existing threat

factors; (4) population trends; and (5) the assigned conservation category.

Scrub and Chaparral

Animals of Concern

federal status

(1)

Knowledge

of SoCal

Locations

(% on NFs)

(5)

Conservation

Category

(4)

 Pop.

Trend

(3)

Vulnerability

on NFs

(2) areas occupied or estimated # of occurrences if spp. localized

Cleveland NF San Bern. NF Angeles NF Los Padres NF

San

Diego

Rngs

San

Jac

Mts

Snta

Ana

Mts

San

Bern

Mts

No.

SL

Rng

So.

SL

Rng

San

Gab

Mts

Castaic

Rngs

So.

LP

Rngs

Primarily Coastal Sage

 Scrub or <3,000 ft

Quino checkerspot Mod h/p p p p p Mod Decl1 Site

 endangered (< 5%) specific

Orange-throated whiptail Mod y y y Low Unkn Landscape

(< 2%) level

California gnatcatcher High 30-50 10-20 p p p High Decl2 Site

 threatened (< 2%) pairs pairs specific

Coastal cactus wren High y y p p y p Mod Unkn Landscape

(< 1%) level

Rufous-crowned sparrow Mod-High y y y y y y y Mod Unkn Landscape

(< 10%) level

Primarily Cismontane

 Chaparral & Scrub

Hermes copper butterfly Mod y Low Unkn Landscape

(10-40%) level

Coast patch-nosed Low y y y y y y y p Low Unkn Landscape

 snake (30-50%) level

Bell’s sage sparrow Mod y y y y y y y y y Mod Unkn Landscape

(30-60%) level

In Both Cismontane

 & Desert Scrub/Chap.

Pratt’s blue butterfly Low 2-4 Unkn Unkn Landscape

(?) pops. level

Coast horned lizard High y y y y y y y y y Mod Decl3 Landscape

(> 50%) level

Coastal rosy boa Mod-Low y y y y y Mod Decl3 Landscape

(10-40%) level

Red diamond rattlesnake Mod y y y Low Unkn Landscape

(30-50%) level

San Diego pocket mouse Mod y p y y y Low Unkn Landscape

(20-60%) level

1 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1997d)

2 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1993b)

3 Jennings and Hayes (1994)

shrublands on both coastal and desert sides of

the mountains.
173

 Chapter 4

Habitat: The primary larval food plant for

quino checkerspot is Plantago erecta, but it also

utilizes other Plantago species as well as

Castilleja exserta and Keckiella antirrinoides

(Mattoni et al. 1997). The primary food plant,

and thus the butterfly, is not strongly associated with a single plant community; rather, it

is found in sparsely vegetated openings embedded in a variety of vegetation types but

most commonly within coastal sage scrub,

chaparral, or oak woodlands.

Where Plantago erecta is present, optimum

stand structure for quino reportedly consists

of patchy shrub or small tree landscapes with

openings of several meters between large plants

(Mattoni et al. 1997). The butterfly typically

does not occur in extensive open grasslands,

even where Plantago erecta is abundant, although apparently there are exceptions (e.g.,

in the Murrieta area).

There are indications that the distribution

of Plantago erecta and other native annuals may

often be associated with the presence of

cryptobiotic crusts on the soil surface (Mattoni

et al. 1997). These crusts appear to inhibit

invasions of non-native grasses and forbs, providing a competitive advantage for the native

annuals. Other edaphic factors (e.g., high clay

scrub or other predominately shrubland habitats that occur below 3,000 feet elevation on

the coastal side of the mountains. These habitats are not well represented in the assessment

area.

Quino checkerspot butterfly

(Euphydryas editha quino)

Status and Distribution: The quino

checkerspot butterfly was federally listed as endangered in 1997. Once considered abundant

in Orange, San Diego, and western Riverside

counties, it has declined dramatically, due

probably to the combined effects of habitat

loss and population fragmentation (Murphy

1990; USFWS 1997d). The quino’s historic

range along the southern California coast and

inland valleys includes northernmost occurrences in Los Angeles and San Bernardino

counties and southernmost localities in the

Sierra Juarez of Baja California, Mexico

(Mattoni et al. 1997). Currently, it is documented only from several areas in

southwestern Riverside County, southern San

Diego County, and Baja (Mattoni et al. 1997).

Nearly all of the historic and current locations of this butterfly are outside the

assessment area, in more coastal areas of San

Diego and Orange counties and in the low

elevation valleys of western Riverside County

(fig. 4.19). However, there is a 1975 museum

specimen from “Mount Palomar” and some

of the remaining populations in Riverside

County are near the north slope of Palomar

(i.e., near Vail Lake and Aguanga) (Mattoni

et al. 1997; Hawks, Ballmer, and Pratt,

unpubl. notes 1997). The Oak Mountain

colony near Vail Lake is considered to be a

“source population”; thus, potential habitat

along the north side of Palomar Mountain has

an increased likelihood of being occupied.

There is a confirmed sighting at Oak Grove

just outside the Cleveland National Forest

boundary and an unconfirmed sighting near

Dripping Springs campground, which is on

national forest system lands (G. Ballmer, pers.

comm.).

Extant occurrences on the slopes of Otay

Mountain, Tecate Peak, and several other locations in southern San Diego County suggest there may be remaining populations on

the southern end of the Cleveland National

Forest. Potential habitat exists in that area on

the slopes of Lawson and Lyons peaks and

Poser and Viejas mountains. Seemingly suitable habitat also remains on the west side of

the Santa Ana Mountains (e.g., Black Star

Canyon), but the fact that quino has not been

located in Orange County since the 1960s

(Mattoni et al. 1997) lowers the likelihood of

populations in that area. There may be higher

potential on the east side of the range (e.g.,

Elsinore Peak), which is relatively close to extant populations in the Murrieta area. Suitable

habitat within the historic range of the quino

may also be present along the base of the San

Gabriel, San Bernardino, and San Jacinto

mountains, but there are no known populations near those areas.
174

Figure 4.19. Current and historic locations of the quino checkerspot butterfly in relation to the assessment

area and national forest system lands (this map may not show all known localities).

content) may similarly inhibit non-natives and

might serve as indicators of potential habitat.

Topographic relief such as raised mounds,

hills, slopes, or ridges may be an important

habitat component (Mattoni et al. 1997). The

phenomenon of hilltopping, where butterflies

congregate on ridges or hilltops to mate, has

been observed at a number of quino locations.

All of the known extant quino populations are

at elevations below 3,500 feet.

Conservation Considerations: Surveys are

needed to determine the distribution of quino

checkerspot butterflies on public lands within

the assessment area. Particular emphasis

should be given to potential habitat areas on

the Cleveland National Forest that are near

extant populations.

If colonies are found, habitat management

for quino will likely center on maintaining

ample populations of the larval food plants.

Although Plantago erecta still occurs in many

areas, there are indications that it has become

less abundant as non-native annual grasses and

forbs have spread. Soil disturbance, particularly degradation of cryptobiotic crusts, can

substantially hamper the ability of Plantago

and other native annuals to hold their own on

a site (J. Byers, Riverside Fire Lab, pers.

comm.). Thus ground-disturbing activities,

such as intensive livestock grazing or off-road
175

 Chapter 4

vehicle traffic, can contribute to the decline

of quino food plants.

Plantago erecta and other native annuals

often become abundant in coastal scrub and

chaparral for several years immediately after a

fire, until the canopy is closed by the regenerating shrub layer. Thus, a shifting age-class

mosaic is desirable in these shrublands to

maintain a steady supply of early successional

patches for native annuals. However, this

should not trigger calls for shorter fire-return

intervals, particularly in coastal scrub, since

frequent fires in these shrublands usually increases the abundance of non-native annual

grasses (Zedler et al. 1983).

Orange-throated whiptail

(Cnemidophorus hyperythrus beldingi)

Status and Distribution: The orangethroated whiptail is a California Species of

Special Concern. Its geographic range extends

from Orange and the southern edge of San

Bernardino counties south to around Loreto

in Baja California, Mexico (Jennings and

Hayes 1994). Its reported elevation range in

California is from near sea level to about 3,400

feet (Jennings and Hayes 1994), but it is most

commonly found at elevations below 2,300

feet (Fisher and Case 1997).

Orange-throated whiptails occur at low

elevations on the coastal side of the San Diego Ranges, the Santa Ana Mountains, and

San Jacinto Mountains. They are common on

streamside terraces along the upper San Diego River in the Cleveland National Forest and

also were found on Starr Ranch at the base of

the Santa Ana Mountains (Fisher and Case

1997). They likely occur in Bautista Canyon

in the San Jacinto Mountains.

Habitat: The orange-throated whiptail occurs in coastal sage scrub and, to a lesser extent,

chaparral. It appears to reach peak densities

on floodplains and streamside terraces

(Jennings and Hayes 1994).

Conservation Considerations: Orangethroated whiptails occur in some of the lowest

elevation areas within the southern part of the

assessment area. The proximity to urbanizing

areas increases the potential for whiptail populations to become fragmented and isolated.

The food base of orange-throated whiptails

(principally termites), may be adversely affected by invasions of Argentine ants from

irrigated areas (Jennings and Hayes 1994).

California gnatcatcher

(Polioptila californica)

Status and Distribution: The California

gnatcatcher was federally listed as threatened

in 1993 (USFWS 1993b). The current known

distribution of California gnatcatchers is

concentrated along the coast in maritimeinfluenced areas of Orange and San Diego

counties (Mock 1998). There are also sizable

populations in the inland valleys of southwestern Riverside County and on the Palos Verdes

Peninsula (Atwood 1993). Within the assessment area, the only known California

gnatcatcher population on national forest system lands is on the Cleveland National Forest

(fig 4.20). However, recent sightings at

Sycamore Flat (near Lytle Creek), at the

confluence of Lytle Creek and Cajon Wash,

and on the Etiwanda Fan (Davis et al. 1998)

indicate a possible population along the lower

foothills of the eastern San Gabriel Mountains

that may extend onto the San Bernardino and

Angeles national forests. There is also a slight

possibility that gnatcatchers may also occur

on the lower western slopes of the San Jacinto

Mountains.

On the Cleveland, the largest population

(thirty-plus pairs) is along the upper San Diego River above El Capitan Reservoir. Small

clusters have also been observed in the vicinity of Pamo Valley near Ramona and on the

lower slopes of the Santa Ana Mountains on

the east side near Lake Elsinore and on the

west side near San Juan Creek.

Habitat: California gnatcatchers are

nonmigratory and strongly associated with

Diegan and Riversidian coastal sage scrub

(Atwood 1993). These types of sage scrub occur in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San

Bernardino, and San Diego counties at elevations below 3,000 feet on the coastal side of the

mountains. However, gnatcatcher densities seem
176

Figure 4.20. Known locations of the California gnatcatcher within or near the assessment area (this map

does not show all known localities outside the assessment area).

to decline substantially at elevations above

about 2,200 feet and at increasing distances

from the coast (Mock 1998).

Total shrub cover appears to be more important than shrub height in determining

habitat suitability (Beyers and Wirtz 1997).

California gnatcatchers are most abundant in

mature stands, where shrub canopy cover is

typically greater than 50 percent and often

exceeds 60 percent (Atwood 1993; Beyers and

Wirtz 1997). However, they will forage in recently burned sites and pairs have been

observed establishing territories in burned areas within three years postfire at coastal sites

(Wirtz et al. 1997). The rapidity of shrub regrowth appears to affect the rate at which

gnatcatchers reoccupy burned areas, and inland sites (particularly Riversidian sage scrub)

are slower to recover than coastal sites (Wirtz

et al. 1997).

Conservation Considerations: Although

the potential for major new populations is low,

surveys are needed to more fully determine

the distribution of California gnatcatchers in

the Cleveland, San Bernardino, and Angeles

national forests. Information on occurrences

at low elevations in the eastern San Gabriel

Mountains would be particularly useful.
177

 Chapter 4

Conservation of coastal sage scrub where it

does occur within the assessment area is important for the gnatcatcher.

The gnatcatcher population on the upper

San Diego River has been negatively affected

by recurring fires in the early 1990s. High fire

frequencies and invasions of exotic grasses are

serious problems in gnatcatcher habitat

(Minnich and Dezzani 1998). Coastal sage

scrub is a highly flammable vegetation type

and maintaining mature stands in fire-prone

areas near the urban interface is a significant

management challenge (Beyers and Wirtz

1997). Cowbird nest parasitism is also a problem for gnatcatchers in some areas Braden et

al. 1997) and has been documented in the upper San Diego River population.

Coastal cactus wren

(Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus ssp.)

Status and Distribution: The San Diego

coastal cactus wren (C. b. sandiegoense) is a

Forest Service Region 5 Sensitive Species and

a California Species of Special Concern. Rea

and Weaver (1990) define the range of this

subspecies as coastal portions (i.e., west of the

mountain crest) of San Diego and southern

Orange counties (Trabuco Canyon is the

northern boundary). There are no known locations of coastal cactus wrens within the

Cleveland National Forest, although they have

been observed close by. On the coastal slopes

of the Santa Ana Mountains, they have been

observed at Starr Ranch, Live Oak Canyon

Park, and Caspers Wilderness Regional Park.

In San Diego County, they have been found

above El Capitan Reservoir on the San Diego

River and in Pamo Valley.

Coastal-slope populations of cactus wrens

in Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles,

Ventura, and northern Orange counties are

classified as C. b. anthonyi, which is the same

subspecies that occurs in the deserts of California and western Arizona (Rea and Weaver

1990). Given its abundance in the desert, this

subspecies is not considered to be rare or sensitive. However, coastal-slope populations of

cactus wrens are rare and we regard them as a

local viability concern. Cactus wrens are scattered across the lower slopes of the San Gabriel

Mountains (e.g., Fish Canyon, Duarte, and

Claremont) (D. Cooper, UC Riverside, pers.

comm.) and may also extend into the foothills of the San Bernardino and San Jacinto

mountains.

Habitat: Coastal cactus wrens are closely

associated with coastal sage scrub vegetation

that contains patches of cholla or prickly pear

(Opuntia spp.) cactus (Rea and Weaver 1990).

The wren’s chief requisite is tall Opuntia cacti.

The wrens construct their nests in these cacti

and supplement their insect diet in fall and

winter by feeding on cactus fruit (Rea and

Weaver 1990).

Conservation Considerations: Although

the potential for major populations is low, surveys are needed to more fully determine the

distribution of cactus wrens in the low coastal

foothills that lie within the Cleveland, San

Bernardino, and Angeles national forests.

Rufous-crowned sparrow

(Aimophila ruficeps canescens)

Status and Distribution: The southern

California rufous-crowned sparrow, A. r.

canescens, is a California Species of Special

Concern. It occurs from Santa Barbara County

south to northwestern Baja California at low

elevations on the coastal side of the mountains (Garrett and Dunn 1981; Unitt 1984).

This sparrow is occasionally found on the

desert side of the mountains, particularly on

the northern end of the San Jacinto Mountains (e.g., near Cabazon) and in southern San

Diego County. It is described as being rather

scarce on the lower coastal slopes of the San

Bernardino Mountains (Garrett and Dunn

1981).

Habitat: Preferred habitat for this sparrow consists of slopes, typically south facing,

with sparse brush intermixed with bunch

grasses and large rocks. These slopes are often

quite steep and rocky (Garrett and Dunn

1981; Unitt 1984). The range of this subspecies is virtually coincident with extensive

stands of coastal sage scrub, although it does
178

appear to be more adaptable than the California gnatcatcher and cactus wren in that it

extends further up into the foothill scrubchaparral transition zone (Unitt 1984).

Rufous-crowned sparrows do not occupy

dense chaparral but can be found in recently

burned chaparral or along firebreaks as long

as other key habitat elements (e.g., grasses and

rocks) are present.

Conservation Considerations: Coastal

sage scrub is a declining habitat type and one

that is poorly represented on public lands in

the assessment area. Conservation of this type

where it does occur is important for the

rufous-crowned sparrow. Additional information is needed on the distribution and

abundance of this species in the foothill scrubchaparral transition zone, since that type of

habitat is much more extensive on public

lands. Surveys associated with the development of breeding bird atlases in Los Angeles

(LACBBA 1999) and San Diego (SDNHM

1999) counties should help in this regard.

Inhabitants of Coastal-side Chaparral

and Scrub

Three of the species that received individual consideration can occur in either

chaparral or scrub habitats. The ability of these

species to occur in higher elevation chaparral

habitats increases the potential to conserve

them on public lands within the assessment

area.

Hermes copper butterfly (Lycaena hermes)

Status and Distribution: The Hermes

copper is a former federal C2 Candidate Species and now is on the federal special concern

list. It is known only from western San Diego

County and a small portion of adjacent northwestern Baja California, Mexico (Brown

1991). Initial collections of this species were

all in the immediate vicinity of San Diego,

but it has proven to be more widespread than

originally thought, particularly across the

broad chaparral belt east of San Diego. The

Hermes copper is known to extend inland to

Viejas Grade, Guatay, and Pine Valley

(Murphy 1990; Brown 1991). Thus, a significant amount of its known range is within the

Cleveland National Forest.

Habitat: The Hermes copper is restricted

to mixed chaparral and coastal sage scrub communities where its larval host plant, redberry

(Rhamnus crocea), occurs (Brown 1991). Colonies are confined closely to the vicinity of the

host plant, with adults frequently observed

nectaring on flat-topped buckwheat

(Eriogonum fasciculatum) (Thorne 1963).

Conservation Considerations: Redberry,

the larval host plant, is a common component

of chaparral and coastal scrub and is not believed to be vulnerable to existing land uses or

fire regimes.

Coast patch-nosed snake

(Salvadora hexalepis virgultea)

Status and Distribution: The coast patchnosed snake is a California Species of Special

Concern. Its range extends from near Creston

in San Luis Obispo County southward primarily on the coastal side of the mountains

into Baja California (Jennings and Hayes

1994). Its known elevation range is from near

sea level to around 7,000 feet (Jennings and

Hayes 1994), but it is typically found below

5,000 feet (Glaser 1970). The species appears

to be widespread on national forest system

lands, but not in high densities.

Habitat: Patch-nosed snakes seem to prefer coastal sage scrub and chaparral (Fisher and

Case 1997). Their primary prey is whiptail lizards and this may be what determines the

habitat preferences of this snake (Jennings and

Hayes 1994).

Conservation Considerations: The abundance of coast patch-nosed snakes on public

lands in the assessment area is not known.

However, this species does not seem particularly vulnerable to existing change agents on

public lands. Based on what we currently know

of its distribution and life history characteristics, we believe it can be conserved through

landscape-scale, habitat-based management. It

would be a difficult species to monitor for

trends in abundance.
179

 Chapter 4

Bell’s sage sparrow (Amphispiza belli belli)

Status and Distribution: The Bell’s sage

sparrow is a California Species of Special Concern. Sage sparrows occur on both coastal and

desert slopes, but the subspecies A. b. belli occurs only on the coastal side. Its geographic

range extends from northern California into

Baja California. This subspecies extends into

lower montane chaparral habitats, which increases its representation in the assessment

area. Portions of western Riverside and San

Diego counties are identified as centers of

abundance for this sparrow (Garrett and Dunn

1981).

Habitat: The Bell’s sage sparrow is associated with dry chaparral in interior foothills; it

also occurs in coastal sage scrub (Garrett and

Dunn 1981). This sparrow is said to inhabit

dense stands (Garrett and Dunn 1981; Unitt

1984), but a recent account suggests it is most

common in semi-open chaparral and describes

areas of bare ground unencumbered by heavy

leaf litter as essential (SDNHM 1998). The

latter description is consistent with recent

data from the Cleveland National Forest,

where sage sparrows were found to be significantly more abundant in open,

young-age (recently burned) chaparral than

they were in denser, older stands (Boyd and

Stephenson 1997).

Conservation Considerations: This species appears to be well represented on public

lands in coastal foothill and lower montane

areas. One recent study suggests that a chaparral age-class mosaic interspersed with open,

young stands is important to this sparrow

(Boyd and Stephenson 1997).

Inhabitants of Coastal and Desert-side

Shrublands

Five of the species that received individual

consideration can occur in chaparral and scrub

habitats on both coastal and desert sides of

the mountains. In general, this wider geographic range increases the potential for these

species to occur on public lands within the

assessment area.

Pratt’s blue butterfly

(Euphilotes enoptes cryptorufes)

Status and Distribution: This is a recently

described subspecies (Pratt and Emmel 1998)

and is not on any special concern lists. It is

considered here because much of its known

range is within the assessment area. Known

locations of this butterfly include the southfacing slope of Pyramid Peak in the southern

part of the San Jacinto Mountains and on the

road to Santa Rosa Mountain at elevations of

4,500 to 5,000 feet (Pratt and Emmel 1998).

The range of this subspecies also extends into

northern Baja California in the San Pedro

Martir Mountains.

Habitat: The Pratt’s blue is associated with

the wild buckwheat species, Eriogonum

davidsonii. Specifically it has only been found

on the spring blooming, and not the summer

blooming, variety of this buckwheat, which

occurs predominantly on south-facing slopes

(Pratt and Emmel 1998).

Conservation Considerations: More information is needed on the distribution and

abundance of this species. There are no imminent threats to the two localities where this

butterfly has been observed.

Coast horned lizard

(Phrynosoma coronatum)

Status and Distribution: Two different

subspecies of coast horned lizard occur in the

assessment area. P. c. blainvillii, the San Diego horned lizard, is a Forest Service Region 5

Sensitive Species and a California Species of

Special Concern. P. c. frontale, the California

horned lizard, is a California Species of Special Concern. The two subspecies combined

inhabit all of the mountain subareas in the

assessment area.

The geographic range of P. c. blainvillii

stretches from Ventura County south into Baja

California, Mexico. The distribution map for

this subspecies in Jennings and Hayes (1994)

suggests its northwestern-most occurrence is

in the upper Cuyama River watershed. It occurs on all four national forests and reaches

almost 7,000 feet elevation in places (e.g.,
180

Habitat: The red diamond rattlesnake

typically occurs in brushy habitats that contain large rocks or boulders (Klauber 1972).

It is frequently observed in chamise and red

Tahquitz Meadow on Mount San Jacinto)

(Jennings and Hayes 1994). Although most

common on the coastal slope, San Diego

horned lizards also occur on the desert side of

the mountains.

P. c. frontale overlaps with P. c. blainvillii

in northern Los Angeles and Ventura counties and there is evidence of hybridization in

some areas (Jennings and Hayes 1994). The

range of P. c. frontale continues north into

Shasta County. It occurs on both the coastal

side and the San Joaquin Valley side of the

mountains.

Habitat: Horned lizards can be found in

a variety of habitats but are most common in

shrub-dominated communities. Key habitat

elements are loose, fine soils with a high sand

fraction; an abundance of native ants; open

areas with limited overstory for basking; and

areas with low, dense shrubs for refuge

(Jennings and Hayes 1994). Fisher and Case

(1997) found coast horned lizards primarily

in association with either cryptogamic soils or

sandy soils. The coast horned lizard’s primary

food is harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex spp.);

the lizards do not appear to eat Argentine

ants.

Conservation Considerations: Coast

horned lizards are reported to be declining,

primarily due to loss of habitat in low elevation coastal and inland valleys (Jennings and

Hayes 1994). Thus, public lands within the

assessment area are becoming increasingly important to the conservation of this species.

The most significant threat to horned lizards on public lands may be progressive

elimination of its food base by exotic ants,

particularly in areas near human developments

(Jennings and Hayes 1994; Suarez et al. 1998).

The elimination of native ant colonies from

small habitat fragments by Argentine ants has

already been documented in southern California (see chapter 3). The recent arrival of

red imported fire ants could make this problem worse.

Coastal rosy boa

(Lichanura trivirgata roseofusca)

Status and Distribution: The coastal rosy

boa is a Forest Service Region 5 Sensitive Species. It occurs from the foothills of the San

Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains, south

through Orange, Riverside and San Diego

counties, down to the Sierra San Pedro Martir

in Baja California (Klauber 1931; Gorman

1965). There reportedly is a record of this species at an elevation of 8,000 feet in the San

Gabriel Mountains (Fisher and Case 1997), but

it typically is found much lower. It occurs on

both coastal and desert sides of the mountains.

Habitat: The coastal rosy boa is primarily

associated with rocky habitat in scrub and

chaparral, and in the mountains is often found

in canyons and washes (Klauber 1931; Fisher

and Case 1997).

Conservation Considerations: The rosy

boa is an attractive, docile snake that has considerable market value in the pet trade. Illegal

collection of wild snakes is believed to be a

significant problem in some areas (Holland

and Goodman 1998; J. Copp, CA Academy

of Sciences, pers. comm.).

Red diamond rattlesnake

(Crotalus ruber ruber )

Status and Distribution: The red diamond rattlesnake is a California Species of

Special Concern. It occurs on both coastal and

desert slopes of the San Jacinto, Santa Rosa,

and Santa Ana mountains, and the mountains

of San Diego County (fig. 4.21). Its known

elevation range is from near sea level to about

5,000 feet (Jennings and Hayes 1994), although it is typically found below 4,000 feet

(Klauber 1972). Sighting records indicate this

species is well represented on the Cleveland

National Forest and the San Jacinto District

of the San Bernardino National Forest (Glaser

1970).
181

 Chapter 4

Figure 4.21. The approximate range of the red diamond rattlesnake.

shank chaparral as well as coastal sage scrub

and desert scrub (Jennings and Hayes 1994).

Conservation Considerations: Urban development and irrigated agriculture,

particularly avocado orchards, have significantly reduced the amount of suitable habitat

for this species (Jennings and Hayes 1994).

However, the red diamond rattlesnake does

not seem particularly vulnerable to existing

change agents on public lands. Its distribution and life history characteristics suggest it

can be conserved through landscape-scale,

habitat-based management. It would be a difficult species to monitor for trends in

abundance.

San Diego pocket mouse

(Chaetodipus fallax)

Status and Distribution: The San Diego

pocket mouse is a California Species of Special Concern. The northern limits of this

species’ range extend from the eastern San

Gabriel Mountains in the interior to near San

Onofre along the coast (Lackey 1996). It occurs south of that line well into Baja California.

Two different subspecies occur in the assessment area. C. f. fallax occurs on the coastal

side of the mountains and the lighter colored

C. f. pallidus is found on the desert side (Lackey

1996).

Suitable habitat for this mouse appears to

extend well up into the mountains on desert-side
182

Monterey salamander

(Ensatina eschscholtzii eschscholtzii)

Status and Distribution: The Monterey

salamander is a local species of concern because it is relatively uncommon and much of

its distribution is at low elevations on private

lands. It occurs in the valleys, foothills, and

lower montane slopes of every mountain range

in the assessment area. No population trend

information is reported for this species.

Three subspecies of Ensatina eschscholtzii

(the other two are considered in the mixed

hardwood-conifer forest group) occur in the

mountains of southern California, and their

evolutionary relationships and taxonomic status have received considerable scientific

attention (Stebbins 1949; Brown 1974; Wake

and Yanev 1986; Wake et al. 1986; Highton

1998; Wake and Schneider 1998). E. e.

eschscholtzii is the most distinct of the three

subspecies; it is a reddish-brown, unblotched

salamander that is believed to have evolved

from low-elevation coastal regions to the

north. The other two subspecies are darker

with prominent yellow or orange blotches.

They are believed to have originated in the

northern interior mountains and moved south

through the Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi

mountains (Wake and Yanev 1986).

Habitat: Monterey salamanders are most

common in oak woodlands with extensive leaf

litter and downed wood (Holland and

Goodman 1998). However, they do occupy a

wide variety of other habitats and extend to

elevations above 6,100 feet in some areas (e.g.,

Sawmill Canyon north of Banning in the San

Bernardino Mountains) (Wake et al. 1986).

They are rarely seen on the ground surface

except during and immediately after rains.

Conservation Considerations: These salamanders are impacted by habitat loss due to

development on private lands but are not considered to be particularly vulnerable to

prevailing land use activities on public lands.

Over-collection of standing trees and downed

logs in oak woodlands can be a problem near

roads and undoubtedly reduces habitat quality for this species.

slopes. The species has been found at 4,500

feet in the Santa Rosa Mountains and at 6,000

feet at Cactus Flat on the north side of the

San Bernardino Mountains (Zeiner et al.

1990b).

Habitat: On the coastal side of the mountains, San Diego pocket mice are found

primarily in coastal sage scrub (Vaughan 1954;

Lackey 1996), reaching peak abundance in

rocky areas within that habitat (Price and

Waser 1984). Vaughan (1954) reported that

this mouse does not extend into even the lower

edge of the chaparral belt on the coastal slopes

of the San Gabriel Mountains.

A broader range of habitats appears to be

occupied on the desert side of the mountains.

It has been found in pinyon-juniper woodland, desert scrub, rocky slopes, and

agave-ocotillo habitat (Lackey 1996). On

desert slopes of the eastern San Gabriel Mountains, the San Diego pocket mouse’s

distribution was closely correlated with the

presence of yucca, particularly on dry, rocky

southern slopes (Vaughan 1954).

Conservation Considerations: The San

Diego pocket mouse appears to be well represented on public lands on the desert side of

the mountains. It does not seem particularly

vulnerable to land use activities in those areas. However, if its coastal-side distribution is

strictly limited to coastal sage scrub, it may be

quite rare on that side of the assessment area.

More information is needed on the distribution and abundance of this species in potential

habitat on the coastal side of the assessment

area.

Animals of Foothill Oak

Woodland and Savanna Habitats

Five of the animal species that received

individual consideration are associated with

foothill woodland and savanna habitats (table

4.14). Although relatively few rare animal species are restricted to foothill oak woodlands,

it should be recognized that species diversity

and richness are very high in these habitats,

since they provide high quality habitat for

many species.
183

 Chapter 4

Arboreal salamander (Aneides lugubris)

Status and Distribution: The arboreal

salamander is a local species of concern because it is relatively uncommon and much of

its distribution is at low elevations on private

lands. It reportedly occurs in the foothills and

lower elevations of every mountain range in

the assessment area (Stebbins 1951), although

it is seldom seen. No population trend information is reported for this species.

Habitat: Arboreal salamanders are typically found in oak woodlands, particularly

where coast live oak is a major component

(Stebbins 1951; Holland and Goodman

1998). However, in southern California it has

been observed in other habitats, including sycamore-dominated riparian (R. Fisher, USGS

Biological Resources Division, pers. comm.)

and chaparral (T. Scott, UC Riverside, pers.

comm.). Leaf litter and downed logs are believed to be important habitat elements for

this species.

Conservation Considerations: Same as

those described for the Monterey salamander.

Yellow-billed magpie (Pica nuttalli)

Status and Distribution: The yellowbilled magpie is a local species of concern

because it has a small geographic range (Sacramento and central coast valleys) and much

of its distribution is at low elevations on private lands. Magpies occur from the upper

Salinas Valley south to the Santa Ynez Valley,

and east to the inland limit of oak savanna

(fig. 4.22) (Garrett and Dunn 1981). They

formerly occurred south to Conejo Valley on

the Ventura/Los Angeles county line (Willet

1933) but apparently were absent from there

by the 1930s (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

1 Based on BBS data for California (Sauer et al. 1997)

Table 4.14. Animals associated with foothill oak woodland and savanna habitats that received

individual consideration. Displayed for each species: (1) the level of knowledge about where it occurs in

southern California and, in parentheses, the estimated percentage of locations that are on national forest system

lands; (2) the mountain subareas occupied (y = occurs in breeding season, h = historically occurred, p = potentially

occurs, t = transient, w = winter visitor)—if the species is localized and data are available, the approximate number

of occurrences may be displayed; (3) the vulnerability of populations on national forest system lands to existing

threat factors; (4) population trends; and (5) the assigned conservation category.

Generalist

Monterey salamander Moderate y y y y y y y y y Low Unkn Landscape

(25-50%) level

Oak Savanna

Yellow-billed magpie High y y y Low Stable1 Landscape

(10-25%) level

Mature Live Oak

 Groves

Arboreal salamander Mod-Low y y y y y y y y y Low Unkn Landscape

(25-50%) level

Western screech owl High y y y y y y y y y Mod Unkn Landscape

(30-60%) level

Long-eared owl Mod-Low y y y y y y y y y Mod Unkn Landscape

(< 25%) level

Foothill Oak Woodland

& Savanna Animals

federal status

(1)

Knowledge

of SoCal

Locations

(% on NFs)

(5)

Conservation

Category

(4)

 Pop.

Trend

(3)

Vulnerability

on NFs

(2) areas occupied or estimated # of occurrences if spp. localized

Cleveland NF San Bern. NF Angeles NF Los Padres NF

San

Diego

Rngs

San

Jac

Mts

Snta

Ana

Mts

San

Bern

Mts

No.

SL

Rng

So.

SL

Rng

San

Gab

Mts

Castaic

Rngs

So.

LP

Rngs

Although localized in distribution, magpies are often common where they occur.

Breeding bird survey data from 1966 to 1996

for the California foothills and the entire state
184

Figure 4.22. The approximate range of the yellow-billed magpie.

both show a very stable trend in the abundance

of yellow-billed magpies (Sauer et al. 1997).

Habitat: Yellow-billed magpies occupy

oak savanna, open oak-riparian woodland, and

pastureland (Lehman 1994).

Conservation Considerations: Magpies

are probably not particularly vulnerable to prevailing land use activities on public lands.

However, only small portions of the yellowbilled magpie’s occupied range lie on public

land. The ability of this species to persist in

increasingly developed areas is uncertain.

Magpies do very well in ranchland situations

and probably are okay in more developed

ranchette environments, but it is unclear how

they fare in suburban areas.

Western screech owl (Otus kennicottii)

Status and Distribution: The western

screech owl is a local species of concern because it is relatively uncommon and much of

its distribution is at low elevations on private

lands. It occurs in the valleys, foothills, and

lower montane slopes of every mountain range

in the assessment area. No population trend

information is reported for this species.

Habitat: The screech owl is most common

in mature live-oak and oak-riparian woodlands

in coastal and foothill areas but also occurs in

oak-conifer forests on lower montane slopes

up to at least 5,000 feet (Garrett and Dunn

1981; Unitt 1984).
185

 Chapter 4

Conservation Considerations: Screech

owls nest in mature woodlands and, thus, are

dependent on old stands that cannot easily be

replaced. Mature oak woodland habitats are

declining due to development on private lands,

and stands on public lands are vulnerable to

loss in stand-replacing fires.

Long-eared owl (Asio otus)

Status and Distribution: The long-eared

owl is a California Species of Special Concern.

Its geographic range extends across the assessment area, but recent observations in the

region are rare. There are a few historical

records of long-eared owls nesting at high elevations (above 7,000 feet) in the San

Bernardino and San Jacinto mountains, but

we found no recent observations in those areas. There are recent records from Crowder

Canyon and Cajon Wash in the San Bernardino National Forest (D. Freeman, unpubl.

notes), but those areas are below 5,000 feet. A

pair of long-eared owls with young were observed at 7,500 feet on Mount Pinos in 1981

(Lentz 1993).

Bloom (1994) documented a number of

active long-eared owl nest sites along the base

of the Santa Ana Mountains in Orange

County and within Camp Pendleton in northwestern San Diego County. He also reviewed

historic nesting records elsewhere in San Diego County. The vast majority of these

locations are west of the assessment area in

the coastal valleys and low foothills.

In a map of long-eared owl distribution

in California, Zeiner et al. (1990) indicate

potential breeding areas on the desert side of

the Castaic Ranges, in the upper Cuyama Valley region, and along the immediate coast in

San Luis Obispo and southern Monterey

counties.

Habitat: In coastal areas of southern California, long-eared owls typically nest in dense,

closed-canopy stands of coast live oak or riparian woodland that are in close proximity

to open habitats such as grassland, meadow,

or desert scrub (Bloom 1994). The need for

adjacent grassland foraging habitat may explain why this owl is not more common in

upper foothill and lower montane areas. In

these areas, closed canopy woodlands are often surrounded by dense chaparral.

In desert-side areas, long-eared owls nest

in wooded riparian habitats. They regularly

nest in tamarisk groves in the Anza-Borrego

Desert (SDNHM 1998) and in riparian woodland in Big Morongo Canyon, both in

situations where there is a lot of adjacent open

habitat.

Conservation Considerations: More information is needed on the distribution of this

species on public lands within the assessment

area, particularly in the foothills where longeared owls are now rare and vulnerable to

habitat loss on private lands. Efforts are needed

to protect grassland and meadow habitats in

the vicinity of long-eared owl nest sites.

Animals of Mixed HardwoodConifer Forest Habitats

Ten of the animal species that received individual consideration are associated with

forest types that typically contain a mix of

hardwoods (e.g., oaks) and conifers (e.g., pines

and firs) (table 4.15). Many of these species

are found in lower montane forest types such

as bigcone Douglas-fir/canyon live oak and

Coulter pine/canyon live oak stands. Some of

the species in this group, like the spotted owl,

also can occur in forests that contain only conifers or hardwoods.

San Gabriel Mountains elfin butterfly

(Incisalia mossii hidakupa)

Status and Distribution: This is a recently

described taxon (Emmel et al. 1998) that is

recognized as a Species of Concern by the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service. The San Gabriel

Mountains elfin is known from only six locations in the San Gabriel and San Bernardino

mountains (Murphy 1990). Reported locations from the San Gabriel Mountains are in

the San Antonio Canyon watershed (i.e.,

Stoddard Canyon and 5 miles west of Mount

Baldy) and the Big Tujunga watershed (i.e.,

near Hidden Springs) (Murphy 1990). The

only reported locality in the San Bernardino
186

Table 4.15. Animals associated with mixed hardwood-conifer forest habitats that received individual

consideration. Displayed for each species: (1) the level of knowledge about where it occurs in southern California

and, in parentheses, the estimated percentage of locations that are on national forest system lands; (2) the

mountain subareas occupied (y = occurs in breeding season, h = historically occurred, p = potentially occurs,

t = transient, w = winter visitor)—if the species is localized and data are available, the approximate number of

occurrences may be displayed; (3) the vulnerability of populations on national forest system lands to existing threat

factors; (4) population trends; and (5) the assigned conservation category.

Invertebrates

 (butterflies)

San Gabriel Mtns. elfin Low y y Unkn Unkn Site

(> 80%) specific

Thorne’s hairstreak Low p Mod Unkn Site

(0%) specific

Amphibians

Large-blotched High y y y1 Low Unkn Landscape

 salamander (30-60%) level

Yellow-blotched Mod y1 p y Low Unkn Landscape

 salamander (30-60%) level

San Gabriel Mtn. Mod p y Low Unkn Landscape

 slender salamander (> 80%) level

Tehachapi slender Low p p Unkn Unkn Minimal

 salamander (0%) influence

Birds

California spotted owl High ~35 3 ~20 ~120 ~60 12 ~65 ~12 ~40 Mod Decl2 Site

(50-75%) specific

Northern pygmy owl Low y p y y y y y y y Low Unkn Landscape

(25-50%) level

Purple martin Mod y h y y y y y t y High Decl3 Site

(25-50%) specific

Cassin’s solitary vireo High y y y y y y y y y Mod Unkn Landscape

(< 25%) level

Hardwood/Conifer

Forest Animals of

Concern

 federal status

(1)

Knowledge

of SoCal

Locations

(% on NFs)

(5)

Conservation

Category

(4)

 Pop.

Trend

(3)

Vulnerability

on NFs

(2) areas occupied or estimated # of occurrences if spp. localized

Cleveland NF San Bern. NF Angeles NF Los Padres NF

San

Diego

Rngs

San

Jac

Mts

Snta

Ana

Mts

San

Bern

Mts

No.

SL

Rng

So.

SL

Rng

San

Gab

Mts

Castaic

Rngs

So.

LP

Rngs

1 Ensatina salamanders in the San Bernardino Mountains have color patterns more similar to the yellow-blotched subspecies, but are

genetically closer to the large-blotched subspecies (Wake and Schneider 1998).

2 LaHaye and Gutierrez 1997. (specific to the San Bernardino Mountains)

3 Garrett and Dunn 1981, Unitt 1984, Lehman 1994.

Mountains is near Angeles Oaks, in the Santa

Ana River watershed.

Habitat: The San Gabriel Mountains elfin

butterfly appears to be found primarily on

steep, north-facing slopes. The larval host plant

is a stonecrop, Sedum spathulifolim, that is concentrated and limited in extent (Murphy 1990;

Emmel et al. 1998).

Conservation Considerations: All reported localities of this butterfly appear to be

on national forest system lands. In Murphy’s

(1990) status review, Incisalia mossii hidakupa

is listed as a category A taxon, that is, a taxon

in immediate need of protective measures. Two

other species identified as category A taxa in

this 1990 paper have subsequently been added

to the endangered species list (i.e., quino

checkerspot and Laguna Mountain skipper).

Ironically, the principal threat identified

for this species is over collecting and destruction of host plants by butterfly collectors

(Murphy 1990). The locations of these
187

 Chapter 4

populations should be identified by the Forest Service and protective measures instituted

to reduce this threat. Additional surveys are

also needed to better determine the distribution, abundance, and habitat requirements of

this butterfly.

Thorne’s hairstreak (Mitoura thornei)

Status and Distribution: The Thorne’s

hairstreak is a local species of concern. Murphy

(1990) considered it a category B taxon, which

he defined as one which warrants listing as

endangered, but with a less pressing need than

category A taxa. This butterfly is currently

known only from the vicinity of Otay Mountain near the Mexican border in southwestern

San Diego County (Brown 1991). Closely associated with Tecate cypress on Otay

Mountain, the Thorne’s hairstreak has not

been found at other localities where the cypress tree occurs (Brown 1991).

Habitat: The larval host plant for this butterfly is the Tecate cypress. A detailed

description of the habitat on Otay Mountain

where the Thorne’s hairstreak occurs is provided in Brown (1983).

Conservation Considerations: It appears

that the Thorne’s hairstreak does not occur at

sites where Tecate cypress grows within the

assessment area (Brown 1991), but additional

surveys are needed to make a more conclusive

determination. The biggest threat to this species is overly frequent fire that could drastically

reduce the abundance of Tecate cypress (see

“Tecate Cypress” section in chapter 2). A series of recent fires on Otay Mountain has

negatively impacted the cypress.

Large-blotched salamander

(Ensatina eschscholtzii klauberi)

Status and Distribution: The largeblotched salamander is a Forest Service Region

5 Sensitive Species and a California Species of

Special Concern. It occurs from the mountains of San Diego County (i.e., Laguna,

Cuyamaca, Volcan, Palomar, and Hot Springs)

north to the San Jacinto Mountains (Jennings

and Hayes 1994) primarily at elevations between 3,000 and 6,000 feet (fig. 4.23). Localized populations of blotched ensatina

salamanders in the San Bernardino Mountains

(i.e., Crystal Creek, near Lake Arrowhead, and

Sawmill Canyon) appear to be genetically

closer to E. e. klauberi, but have color patterns

more similar to E. e. croceater (Wake and

Schneider 1998).

Habitat: Large-blotched salamanders occur in a variety of habitats but are most

common in mixed stands of oaks (coast live,

canyon live, or black) and conifers (pine, fir,

and incense cedar). Down logs, leaf litter, and

woody debris appear to be important habitat

elements (Jennings and Hayes 1994).

Conservation Considerations: These salamanders are impacted by habitat losses

resulting from development on private lands

but are not considered to be particularly vulnerable to prevailing land use activities on

public lands. Over-collection of standing trees

and downed logs in oak-conifer forests can be

a problem near roads and likely reduces habitat quality for this species.

Yellow-blotched salamander

(Ensatina eschscholtzii croceater)

Status and Distribution: The yellowblotched salamander is a Forest Service Region

5 Sensitive Species and a California Species of

Special Concern. It occurs in the Tehachapi

Mountains and extends into the assessment

area in the vicinity of Mount Pinos, Frazier

Mountain, and Alamo Mountain (Jennings

and Hayes 1994). Potential habitat close to

the known range of this subspecies exists on

Liebre and Sawmill mountains in the Castaic

region. As previously mentioned, blotched

ensatina slamanders found in the San Bernardino Mountains have color patterns similar

to E. e. croceater.

The absence of blotched ensatina salamanders in the San Gabriel Mountains has

long been an enigma, since there appears to

be an extensive amount of suitable habitat

there, and people continue to search for isolated, undiscovered populations (Wake and

Schneider 1998).
188

Figure 4.23. Approximate range of the large-blotched salamander and known locations of the yellow-blotched

and San Gabriel Mountain salamanders.

Habitat: Yellow-blotched salamanders occur in a variety of habitats but are most

common in mixed stands of oaks (black, blue,

or canyon live) and conifers (pine or fir).

Down logs, leaf litter, and woody debris appear to be important habitat elements

(Jennings and Hayes 1994).

Conservation Considerations: Same as

those described for the large-blotched salamander. Surveys are needed to determine if

this species is present on Liebre or Sawmill

mountains.

San Gabriel Mountain slender salamander

(Batrachoseps gabrieli)

Status and Distribution: The San Gabriel

Mountain slender salamander is a Forest Service Region 5 Sensitive Species. This recently

described species is known from only a few

localities, all in the eastern San Gabriel Mountains (fig. 4.23): at Pine Flats near Crystal Lake

and Rockbound Canyon in the upper San

Gabriel River watershed (Wake 1996), in San

Antonio Canyon, and in the south, middle,

and north forks of Lytle Creek (R. Goodman,

pers. comm., 1998). A Batrachoseps salamander found in Waterman Canyon in the

San Bernardino Mountains may also be this
189

 Chapter 4

species, although it has some different physical characteristics (R. Goodman, pers. comm.,

1998).

The known elevation range of this salamander is from 3,800 feet to 7,800 feet (Wake

1996) and all localities are within either the

Angeles or San Bernardino national forests.

Habitat: San Gabriel Mountain slender

salamanders have been found in mixed hardwood-conifer forest habitats, usually near

water and often associated with rocky talus

slopes (Wake 1996). They typically occur under large rocks, rotting logs, downed tree

limbs, and bark.

Conservation Considerations: This salamander is currently known from only a few

locations, all of which are on national forest

system lands in the eastern San Gabriel Mountains. Until more information is obtained on

the distribution and abundance of this taxon,

the few known localities warrant management

attention. If it is found to be more broadly

distributed, landscape-scale habitat management may suffice since its apparent niche

under rocks, logs, and duff suggest it is not

particularly vulnerable to existing agents of

change. Mesic lower montane forests (e.g.,

bigcone Douglas-fir/canyon live oak) appear

to be important to this species.

Tehachapi slender salamander

(Batrachoseps stebbinsi)

Status and Distribution: The Tehachapi

slender salamander is a Forest Service Region

5 Sensitive Species and is state-listed as threatened. The narrow known range of this species

is primarily restricted to the Piute and

Tehachapi mountains of Kern County at elevations between 2,500 and 5,000 feet (Zeiner

et al. 1988). There are no known locations of

this species in the assessment area, but areas

near the Tehachapi Mountains that contain

potential habitat include the Mount Pinos/

Frasier Mountain area and also the north sides

of Liebre and Sawmill mountains.

Habitat: This salamander is found primarily in mixed pine-oak and riparian woodlands

in moist canyons, ravines, and north-facing

slopes. It is often found in association with

rocky talus slopes (Zeiner et al. 1988).

Conservation Considerations: Surveys are

needed to determine if this species is present

in areas of potential habitat within the assessment area that are near known populations.

California spotted owl

(Strix occidentalis occidentalis)

Status and Distribution: The California

spotted owl is a Forest Service Region 5 Sensitive Species. Spotted owls occur in all of the

major mountain ranges in the assessment area,

although some ranges support very few pairs

(fig. 4.24). They are found at elevations ranging from below 1,000 feet along the Monterey

coast to approximately 8,500 feet (Stephenson

1991). A territorial species with large acreage

requirements (at least 300 acres of mature forest per pair), spotted owls in southern

California are clustered in disjunct mountain

and foothill areas where suitable habitat exists. These clusters are surrounded by large

areas of unsuitable habitat.

Habitat: Spotted owls are found in mature forests, typically where there is a dense,

multi-layered canopy. Nest stands often have

a well-developed hardwood understory (e.g.,

canyon live oak) and a conifer overstory. However, some high-elevation territories (above

6,500 feet) consist primarily or solely of conifers and some low-elevation territories (below

3,000 feet) are found in pure hardwood stands.

Territory sizes vary widely depending on habitat type, with territories becoming larger in

the high-elevation, conifer-dominated sites.

Verner et al. (1992) and LaHaye et al. (1997)

provide detailed quantitative information on

the habitats occupied by spotted owls in southern California.

Conservation Considerations: Spotted

owls in southern California are believed to

function as a metapopulation, with separate

subpopulations connected by infrequent but

persistent interchange of individual owls

(Noon and McKelvey 1992; LaHaye et al.

1994). The largest subpopulation is the 200-

plus territories in the adjacent San Bernardino
190

Figure 4.24. Known locations of the California spotted owl in the assessment area.

and San Gabriel mountains. Although Cajon

Pass separates these two mountain ranges,

there is not a major habitat discontinuity and

only 6 miles separate the easternmost San

Gabriel territory from the westernmost San

Bernardino territory. Noon and McKelvey

(1992) stress the importance of this large subpopulation as a likely source area that provides

immigrants to sustain the surrounding smaller,

isolated subpopulations. However, the simulation modeling results of LaHaye et al. (1994)

found the southern California spotted owl

metapopulation’s stability to be insensitive to

rates of dispersal between mountain ranges,

suggesting that the subpopulations could be

considered effectively isolated.

An important factor to consider is that

spotted owls occupy a variety of different habitats across the assessment area. Reproductive

success and survivorship rates for individual

members of the population may differ, depending on which habitat type they inhabit

(Pulliam et al. 1992). There is empirical evidence from the San Bernardino Mountains

that spotted owl reproductive success is significantly higher in lower montane bigcone

Douglas-fir/canyon live oak forests than it is

in high-elevation montane conifer forests (table

4.16) (LaHaye et al. 1997). These lower elevation habitats are believed to be productive

because of high woodrat densities (the owl’s primary prey) in the surrounding chaparral.
191

 Chapter 4

Northern pygmy owl (Glaucidium gnoma)

Status and Distribution: The northern

pygmy owl is a local species of concern because it is rare in southern California and most

known locations are within the assessment

area. Garrett and Dunn (1981) report that

pygmy owls frequently occur in foothill canyons and forested interior mountains of San

Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties but

become considerably rarer as you move south

and east. Sighting records described by Lentz

(1993) suggests pygmy owls are fairly comTable 4.16. Reproductive success of spotted owls in the San Bernardino Mountains by habitat type

(from LaHaye et al. 1997).

Number of nests Average fledglings

Habitat Type (% successful) per nest

Oak/bigcone Douglas-fir 42 (81%) 1.39

 (low elevation)

Conifer/hardwood 21 (67%) 0.98

 (middle elevation)

Mixed conifer 38 (76%) 0.95

 (high elevation)

They also tend to be below the snow line of

most late winter/spring storms, which may

reduce the impact of such weather events during the breeding season. Large, late-season

storms have been shown to have a major effect on spotted owl reproductive success in

northwestern California (Franklin et al. in

press) and appear to have a similar effect in

the Sierra Nevada ( J. Verner, Pacific Southwest Research Station, pers. comm.).

The apparent high quality of lowelevation live oak and bigcone Douglas-fir

dominated habitats may explain the continued persistence of small spotted owl

populations in each southern California

mountain range. Maintaining these restricted

habitats, which are often narrow stringers of

dense, mature forest on north-facing slopes

and deep canyons, should be a high management priority. They are vulnerable to loss in

stand-replacing fires that move in from the surrounding chaparral.

mon near Big Pine Mountain, less common

around Figueroa and Pine mountains, and rare

on Mount Pinos. They reportedly occur in the

San Gabriel, San Bernardino, and San Jacinto

mountains, although detailed information on

their distribution and abundance is lacking.

They occur rarely if at all in the Santa Ana

Mountains, and they are described as “very

rare if not now extirpated” from San Diego

County (SDNHM 1998).

Habitat: Pygmy owls are found most commonly in oak-conifer and riparian-conifer

woodlands, often in canyons (Garrett and

Dunn 1981). They can occur from lowelevation foothill canyons up into montane

conifer forests but reportedly become less common above 6,000 feet (Zeiner et al. 1990).

Pygmy owls typically nest in abandoned woodpecker holes, especially those of the acorn

woodpecker (Zeiner et al. 1990). They are

often found near forest openings.

Conservation Considerations: Lower

montane hardwood-conifer forests (e.g.,

bigcone Douglas-fir/Coulter pine/live oak associations) may be particularly important to

this species. There are indications that these

forests are declining due to an increase in

stand-replacing fires (see “Fire” section in

chapter 3).

Purple martin (Progne subis)

Status and Distribution: Purple martins

occurred, at least historically, in all of the major mountain ranges in the assessment area.

However, many historic localities are no longer
192

Animals of Montane Conifer

Forest Habitats

Animals species associated with montane

conifer forests that received individual consideration in this assessment include three

invertebrates, six reptiles (table 4.17), nine

birds, and seven mammals (table 4.18). None

of these species is federally listed as threatened

or endangered, which is a reflection of lower

rates of habitat loss in montane areas that are

predominately on public lands.

occupied (Garrett and Dunn 1981; Unitt

1984). Three known nesting sites on Palomar

Mountain were abandoned in the mid-1980s

(R. Higson, pers. comm., 1997). They also

have reportedly disappeared from most of the

San Gabriel Mountains and may no longer

breed there (D. Cooper, UC Riverside, in litt.,

1998).

Within the Los Padres National Forest,

Lentz (1993) and Lehman (1994) describe observations of purple martins on Big Pine

Mountain and San Rafael Mountain in the

1980s, but it is unclear if these sites are still

occupied. Nojoqui Falls County Park and the

Alisal Ranch area in the Santa Ynez Valley are

the most recently documented breeding sites

(Lehman 1994).

In the San Jacinto Mountains, Lake

Hemet and Garner Valley are historic breeding localities and there are indications that

purple martins may still occur there (D. Freeman, unpubl. notes). In San Diego County,

recent known sites include Palomar Observatory, Cuyamaca Peak, and Kitchen Creek Road

(SDNHM 1998).

Habitat: Purple martins develop colonial

nests in cavities of large trees in oak or riparian woodlands and low-elevation coniferous

forests (Garrett and Dunn 1981). Nests are

often located in a tall, old isolated tree or snag

in open forest or woodland, frequently near a

body of water (Zeiner et al. 1990).

Conservation Considerations: Competition for nest cavities from European starlings

has taken a heavy toll on the purple martin

(Garrett and Dunn 1981; Unitt 1984;

Lehman 1994). It is also negatively affected

by declines in snag densities. More information is needed on locations of active purple

martin colonies in the assessment area. Occupied sites should be given site-specific

attention as this species is highly vulnerable

to extirpation from individual mountain

ranges and the entire assessment area. Starling

control in the vicinity of active nest sites is a

potential habitat improvement action.

Cassin’s solitary vireo

(Vireo solitarius cassinii)

Status and Distribution: The Cassin’s solitary vireo is a local species of concern because

it is uncommon in southern California and

most known breeding locations are within the

assessment area. It is broadly distributed along

the coastal slopes of the mountains in foothill

and lower montane forests and woodlands,

particularly in densely wooded canyons

(Garrett and Dunn 1981). BBS results from

1980 to 1996 show solitary vireos increasing

statewide at a statistically significant rate of

3.6 percent a year (Sauer et al. 1997). Results

from the Forest Service riparian bird study also

show an increasing trend of 10.3 percent a year

in the southern California national forests.

Habitat: The Cassin’s solitary vireo breeds

in oak and mixed hardwood-conifer woodlands. Lentz (1993) says that this subspecies

is encountered on the Los Padres National

Forest in shaded areas where oaks and conifers form a canopy, often near riparian

vegetation.

Conservation Considerations: Solitary

vireos frequently have their nests parasitized

by brown-headed cowbirds (Verner and Boss

1980; Erhlich et al. 1988). The taxonomy of

solitary vireos needs to be clarified. Recent

studies suggest that the Cassins and Plumbeus

subspecies should be recognized as distinct

species (Johnson 1995).
193

 Chapter 4

Montane Conifer Invertebrates

Bicolored rainbeetle (Pleocoma bicolor)

Status and Distribution: The bicolored

rainbeetle is a species of local concern because

it is endemic to a small portion of the San

Bernardino Mountains. The entire known

range of this species is confined to an area

extending from Rim of the World Drive

(Highway 18) near the Crestline cutoff

through Crestline, Bluejay, and Arrowhead

City to the north shore of Lake Arrowhead

(Hovore 1991). Most of this area is private

land where there has been intensive recreational and housing development in the past

two decades. This rainbeetle has declined and

possibly has been extirpated from much of its

historical range (Hovore 1991).

Table 4.17. Invertebrates and reptiles associated with montane conifer forests that received

individual consideration. Displayed for each species: (1) the level of knowledge about where it occurs in

southern California and, in parentheses, the estimated percentage of locations that are on national forest system

lands; (2) the mountain subareas occupied (y = occurs in breeding season, h = historically occurred, p = potentially

occurs, t = transient, w = winter visitor)—if the species is localized and data are available, the approximate number

of occurrences may be displayed; (3) the vulnerability of populations on national forest system lands to existing

threat factors; (4) population trends; and (5) the assigned conservation category.

Montane Conifer

Forest Animals of

Concern

 federal status

(1)

Knowledge

of SoCal

Locations

(% on NFs)

(5)

Conservation

Category

(4)

 Pop.

Trend

(3)

Vulnerability

on NFs

(2) areas occupied or estimated # of occurrences if spp. localized

Cleveland NF San Bern. NF Angeles NF Los Padres NF

San

Diego

Rngs

San

Jac

Mts

Snta

Ana

Mts

San

Bern

Mts

No.

SL

Rng

So.

SL

Rng

San

Gab

Mts

Castaic

Rngs

So.

LP

Rngs

Invertebrates

Bicolored rainbeetle Low y Mod Unkn Landscape

(0-30%) level

Andrew’s marble Mod y Unkn Unkn Landscape

 butterfly (40-80%) level

August checkerspot Mod y Unkn Unkn Landscape

(> 70%) level

Reptiles

Sagebrush lizard Mod y y y y p y y Low Unkn Landscape

(50-70%) level

Southern rubber boa Mod y y y* Mod Unkn Landscape

(30-70%) level

Coastal mtn. kingsnake Mod y y p y Mod Unkn Landscape

(40-70%) level

San Bernardino mtn. Mod y y y Mod Unkn Landscape

 kingsnake (50-80%) level

San Diego mtn. Mod y y High Unkn Landscape

 kingsnake (40-70%) level

Mountain garter snake Low y Low Unkn Landscape

(> 60%) level

* Rubber boas near Mount Pinos are intergrades between southern and northern subspecies

Habitat: We have no specific information

on the habitat associations of this species. Most

of the area within its small geographic range

is either pine forest, mixed conifer forest, or

black oak woodland.

Conservation Considerations: Information is needed on the current distribution of

the species. It would be particularly useful to

know the extent to which it occurs on public

lands in the San Bernardino Mountains. If not

well represented on existing public lands, areas known to still harbor this species should

be considered for land exchanges and/or acquisitions.
194

Montane Conifer

Birds & Mammals

of Concern

 federal status

(1)

Knowledge

of SoCal

Locations

(% on NFs)

(5)

Conservation

Category

(4)

 Pop.

Trend

(3)

Vulnerability

on NFs

(2) areas occupied or estimated # of occurrences if spp. localized

Cleveland NF San Bern. NF Angeles NF Los Padres NF

San

Diego

Rngs

San

Jac

Mts

Snta

Ana

Mts

San

Bern

Mts

No.

SL

Rng

So.

SL

Rng

San

Gab

Mts

Castaic

Rngs

So.

LP

Rngs

Table 4.18. Birds and mammals associated with montane conifer forests that received individual

consideration. Displayed for each species: (1) the level of knowledge about where it occurs in southern California

and, in parentheses, the estimated percentage of locations that are on national forest system lands; (2) the

mountain subareas occupied (y = occurs in breeding season, h = historically occurred, p = potentially occurs,

t = transient, w = winter visitor)—if the species is localized and data are available, the approximate number of

occurrences may be displayed; (3) the vulnerability of populations on national forest system lands to existing threat

factors; (4) population trends; and (5) the assigned conservation category.

1 based on USFS riparian point count results

2 Bell’s vireo is increasing regionwide, but decreasing on national forest service lands

Birds

Sharp-shinned hawk Low w w y y y w p w y Mod Unkn Landscape

(> 60%) level

Northern goshawk Low y y p y Mod Unkn Site

(60-80%) specific

Mt Pinos blue grouse Low h/p Mod Unkn Site

(> 90%) specfic

Flammulated owl Mod p y y y p y y High Unkn Landscape

(40-60%) level

Northern saw-whet owl Mod y p y y y p y p y Mod Unkn Landscape

(> 60%) level

Williamson’s sapsucker Mod w y y y w y w Mod Unkn Landscape

(> 60%) level

White-headed Mod y y y y p y p p Mod Unkn Landscape

 woodpecker (> 60%) level

Hermit thrush Mod p/w w p y y w y w y Mod Unkn Landscape

(> 50%) level

Virginia’s warbler Mod t t t y y t t t t Low Unkn Landscape

(> 60%) level

Mammals

Long-eared myotis Mod y y y y p y p Unkn Unkn Landscape

(> 50%) level

Fringed myotis Mod y y y y p y p Unkn Unkn Landscape

(> 50%) level

Long-legged myotis Mod y y y y p y p Unkn Unkn Landscape

(> 50%) level

Golden-mantled Mod y Low Unkn Landscape

 ground squirrel (> 70%) level

San Bernardino Mod h/p y p Mod Unkn Landscape

 flying squirrel (> 60%) level

San Bernardino white- Low h/p p Unkn Unkn Site

 eared pocket mouse (> 60%) specific

Porcupine Low y h/p Unkn Unkn Landscape

(> 60%) level

Andrew’s marble butterfly

(Euchloe hyantis andrewsi)

Status and Distribution: The Andrew’s

marble is a former C2 Candidate for federal

listing. Its geographic range is restricted to the

San Bernardino Mountains (Murphy 1990).

It is found at elevations above 5,000 feet near

Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake, and in

other locations across the crest and north slope.

Recent records include Baldwin Lake,
195

 Chapter 4

Sugarloaf Mountain, and Wild Horse Meadow

(Murphy 1990).

Habitat: The Andrew’s marble is found

primarily in pine and mixed conifer forests.

The larval host plants for this subspecies are

Streptanthus bernardinus and Arabis holboellii

(Murphy 1990).

Conservation Considerations: No threats

have been identified for this species. Murphy

(1990) considered the Andrew’s marble to be

a category D taxon, which is defined as being

neither in danger of extinction nor likely to

be. It is not clear what this determination is

based upon, other than that the Andrew’s

marble appears to be well distributed and

largely on national forest system lands.

August checkerspot butterfly

(Euphydryas editha augustina)

Status and Distribution: This highelevation relative of the quino checkerspot is

a species of local concern because it is endemic

to the San Bernardino Mountains. The August checkerspot has been found above 8,000

feet on Sugarloaf Peak and along forest roads

and meadows from 5,000 to 7,000 feet near

Running Springs, Moonridge, Cedarpines

Park, Wild Horse Creek, and Fawnskin

(Emmel and Emmel 1973).

Habitat: The August checkerspot occurs

in pine and mixed conifer forests. Collinsia

childii is a known host plant and it is reported

that Castilleja species are also used (Emmel

and Emmel 1973).

Conservation Considerations: No threats

have been identified for this species. Similar

in known range and habitat to the Andrew’s

marble, the August checkerspot probably

would be similarly described as being neither

in danger of extinction nor likely to be.

Montane Conifer Reptiles

Sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus graciosus)

Status and Distribution: The sagebrush

lizard is considered a species of local concern

because it is patchily distributed and restricted

to high elevations (primarily above 4,000 feet).

Two subspecies occur in the assessment area.

The southern sagebrush lizard, S. g.

vandenburgianus, extends from near Mount

Pinos south to the Sierra San Pedro Martir in

Baja California. The western sagebrush lizard,

S. g. gracilis, occurs in the Mount Pinos region and extends north into the Sierra Nevada

and along the central and northern California coast (Censky 1986).

S. g. gracilis has a very patchy distribution

in small islands of upper-elevation habitat that

lie within the Los Padres National Forest.

Occupied areas include Mount Pinos, Pine

Mountain, Big Pine Mountain, Sierra Madre

Mountains, and Cone Peak in the northern

Santa Lucia Range (J. Copp, Cal. Academy

of Sciences, in litt.). It appears to be absent

from the low-elevation southern Santa Lucia

Range (Censky 1986).

Fisher and Case (1997) report that S. g.

vandenburgianus was the most frequently captured species in pitfall trap arrays in the vicinity

of Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains and the second most frequently captured

species at the James Reserve in the San Jacinto

Mountains. It also occurs in the San Gabriel

Mountains and the higher-elevation mountains in San Diego County.

Habitat: Sagebrush lizards inhabit a variety of montane vegetation types including

mixed conifer forest, black oak woodlands,

montane chaparral, and pinyon-juniper woodlands (Zeiner et al. 1988). In general, they tend

to be in open habitats that receive considerable sunlight.

Conservation Considerations: No threat

factors have been specifically identified for

sagebrush lizards, other than the fact that their

distribution in southern California is limited

and highly disjunct. They should be adequately conserved through landscape-scale

habitat management.

Southern rubber boa

(Charina bottae umbratica)

Status and Distribution: The southern

rubber boa is state listed as threatened and is a

Forest Service Region 5 Sensitive Species. It is

found in the San Bernardino and San Jacinto
196

Figure 4.25. The approximate range of the southern rubber boa.

mountains, at elevations between 4,900 and

7,900 feet (fig. 4.25) (Stewart 1988). There

are approximately eight known localities in the

San Jacinto Mountains (including Fern Valley, Dark Canyon, Devil’s Slide trail, and the

North Fork, San Jacinto River near the Highway 243 crossing) and thirty-five to forty

known locations in the San Bernardino Mountains (Keasler 1981; Loe 1985; Stewart 1988).

Twenty-six of the localities in the San Bernardino Mountains are in a 10-mile-long strip

between Twin Peaks on the west and Green

Valley on the east (Stewart 1988). Other locations include Barton Flats and north-facing

slopes immediately south of Big Bear Lake.

Isolated populations of rubber boas have

also been found in the southern Los Padres

ranges on Mount Pinos, Mount Abel, and

Alamo Mountain (Alten and Keasler 1978).

Morphological and electrophoretic analysis of

specimens from these mountains show them

to be intergrades between the southern rubber

boa and the northern rubber boa (C. b. bottae)

which occurs in the Sierra Nevada range (G.

Stewart, Cal Poly Pomona, in litt.).

Habitat: The southern rubber boa usually

occurs in moist woodlands and coniferous forests. It tends to be associated with vegetatively

productive sites, usually with deep, welldeveloped soils (Loe 1985). It is a burrower
197

 Chapter 4

Conservation Considerations: The rubber boa is vulnerable to habitat loss from

development on private land, water diversion

or extraction, and land use activities that destroy soil or surface cover. The majority of

known rubber boa locations are on private

lands. The lush, mesic forests that are prime

habitat for this species tend to be highly interspersed with private lands (e.g., around Lake

Arrowhead and Idyllwild). Where such forest

conditions occur on public land, care should

be taken to maintain mesic conditions, down

logs, and leaf cover.

California mountain kingsnake

(Lampropeltis zonata)

Status and Distribution: Three separate

subspecies of mountain kingsnakes occur

within the assessment area. The San Diego

subspecies, L. z. pulchra, is a Forest Service

Region 5 Sensitive Species and a California

Species of Special Concern. It occurs in the

mountains of San Diego County (Laguna,

Cuyamaca, Volcan, Hot Springs, and

Palomar), and the Santa Ana and Santa

Monica mountains (Jennings and Hayes

1994). Although most common in montane

forests, L. z. pulchra is also found at low elevations in foothill canyons (McGurty 1988).

There are scattered historic reports of this subspecies near sea level along the coast, but it

was not detected during recent reptile surveys

on Camp Pendleton, the largest remaining

stretch of undeveloped coastal habitat in southern California (Holland and Goodman 1998).

The San Bernardino subspecies, L. z.

parvirubra, is also a Forest Service Sensitive

Species and a California Species of Special

Concern. It occurs in the San Jacinto, San

Bernardino, and San Gabriel mountains. The

documented elevation range for this subspeand also commonly makes use of rock outcrops as hibernacula. Large downed logs and

a well-developed litter/duff layer are considered important for cover and for maintaining

high soil moisture. Soil moisture may be a limiting factor for rubber boas, as they are usually

found during summer months in damp draws

near springs, seeps, and streams (Loe 1985).

cies extends from 1,200 feet in Eaton Canyon (San Gabriel Mountains) to 8,100 feet

on Mount San Jacinto (Jennings and Hayes

1994). Finally, the coastal mountain

kingsnake, L. z. multifasciata, which is not

identified as a sensitive species, is found in the

southern Los Padres ranges and the northern

Santa Lucia Range (Zweifel 1975).

Habitat: In southern California, mountain kingsnakes appear to be most common

in relatively open stands of ponderosa pine,

Jeffrey pine, Coulter pine, and/or black oak

at elevations between 4,500 and 6,500 feet

(McGurty 1988). They occur at higher elevations as well but are less common. Mountain

kingsnakes also occur at lower elevations below the montane conifer belt, where they are

found in riparian or mesic oak woodlands

characterized by sycamore, cottonwood, and

coast live oak. This is the type of habitat where

mountain kingsnakes are primarily found in

the Santa Ana and Santa Ynez mountains

(McGurty 1988; Fisher and Case 1997). Wellilluminated canyons with rocky outcrops in

association with bigcone Douglas-fir are also

good habitat.

Partially shaded rock outcrops appear to

be an important microhabitat element for refugia and basking sites (McGurty 1988). Large

downed logs also may be important (Holland

and Goodman 1998).

Conservation Considerations: The biggest threat to mountain kingsnakes is poaching

by collectors and the destruction of microhabitat caused by this activity (e.g., dismantling

rock outcrops and shredding down logs)

(Jennings and Hayes 1994). There is a significant illegal commercial trade in this attractive

snake that creates a demand for poaching.

McGurty (1988) documents a decline in the

abundance of mountain kingsnakes on Laguna

Mountain in San Diego County that he attributes to illegal collecting.

Mountain garter snake

(Thamnophis elegans elegans)

Status and Distribution: The mountain

garter snake is a taxon of local concern because
198

Montane Conifer Birds

Sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus)

Status and Distribution: The sharpshinned hawk is a California Species of Special

Concern. It occurs regularly in winter and as

a migrant throughout the assessment area, but

nesting has been recorded only in the northern Santa Lucia, San Gabriel, San Bernardino,

and San Jacinto mountains. It is not known if

nesting occurs regularly in these mountains,

although summer siting records in the San

Bernardino and San Jacinto mountains are

common enough to suggest it does (Garrett

and Dunn 1981). Reported historic nesting

localities include Icehouse Canyon in the San

Gabriel Mountains and Lake Arrowhead and

Big Bear Valley in the San Bernardino Mountains (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Habitat: Sharp-shinned hawks nest in coniferous forests often within riparian areas or

on north-facing slopes. Nest stands are typically dense patches of small-diameter trees

which are cool, moist, well shaded, with little

ground cover, and near water (Zeiner et al.

1990). These stands are often in close proximity to open areas.

Habitat: Goshawks can occur in a variety

of coniferous forest communities, including

ponderosa and Jeffrey pine, mixed conifer,

white fir, and lodgepole pine. Nest stands are

typically composed of large, densely spaced

trees, with higher canopy closure and more

open understories than the surrounding landscape (Woodbridge and Detrich 1994). When

foraging, goshawks are forest generalists, using a variety of forest types, structural

conditions, and successional stages (Reynolds

et al. 1992).

Large snags and downed logs are believed

to be important habitat elements because they

it occurs only in the San Bernardino Mountains (Fitch 1983). It is found at elevations

above 4,900 feet (Fisher and Case 1997b).

Information is scarce on the status of this

subspecies; we found no locality information for it.

Habitat: Although not as aquatic in habit

as the two-striped garter snake, the mountain

garter snake is typically found in the vicinity

of permanent or semi-permanent sources of

water in a variety of habitats (Zeiner et al.

1988).

Conservation Considerations: More information is needed on the distribution and

abundance of this snake in the San Bernardino Mountains. The most mesic portion of

this range is also where private land is concentrated (i.e., Crestline to Lake Arrowhead),

so it is possible that the mountain garter snake

is poorly represented on public lands.

Conservation Considerations: More information is needed on where sharp-shinned

hawks nest, particularly in the San Bernardino

and San Jacinto mountains. The breeding

population in the southern California mountains is likely small and could easily be

extirpated by cumulative disturbances near

nesting sites. Large stand-replacing fires are a

significant threat, but this hawk’s preference

for early-seral forest stands indicates it would

probably benefit from small-scale disturbances

that spur regeneration.

Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)

Status and Distribution: The northern

goshawk is a Forest Service Region 5 Sensitive Species and a California Species of Special

Concern. Rare in southern California, goshawks have been observed during the breeding

season only on Mount Abel, Mount Pinos, and

in the San Bernardino and San Jacinto mountains (fig. 4.26) (Garrett and Dunn 1981;

Lentz 1993). A pair with two young were observed in the vicinity of Mount Abel in June

1989 and an adult and one immature bird

were observed at Mount Pinos in July 1991

(Lentz 1993). Mid-summer localities in the

San Jacinto Mountains include Tahquitz Valley, Willow Creek, Skunk Cabbage, Humber

Park, and Lake Fulmor (Garrett and Dunn

1981). Breeding has not been documented in

the San Bernardino Mountains, although goshawks have been observed near Big Bear Lake,

Arrowbear (Garrett and Dunn 1981), and on

Fish Creek.
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 Chapter 4

Figure 4.26. Documented locations of northern goshawk in the assessment area.

increase the abundance of small- to mediumsized birds and mammals that goshawks eat

(Reynolds et al. 1992). Goshawks have large

area requirements; in the southern Cascade

Mountains of northern California, goshawk

territories were spaced at intervals of one per

1,500 to 2,400 acres of conifer forest habitat

(Woodbridge and Detrich 1994).

Conservation Considerations: More information is needed on where goshawks nest

in the southern California mountains. The

breeding population is clearly small, probably

fewer than thirty pairs, and could easily be extirpated by impacts to nesting sites. Efforts to

maintain the integrity of these sites cannot be

made until we know where they are. Protection of mature conifer forest habitats from

stand-replacing fire will be important to maintaining goshawks in this region.

Mount Pinos blue grouse

(Dendragapus obscurus)

Status and Distribution: The Mount

Pinos blue grouse is a species of local concern

because of its extremely localized distribution

that lies entirely within the assessment area. It

is known only from areas above 6,500 feet in

the Mount Pinos/Mount Abel area, with the

exception of one outlying record of grouse

chicks from Big Pine Mountain in the 1930s

(Lentz 1993). Dicky and van Rossem (1923)

described the grouse of the southern Sierra
200

Habitat: Flammulated owl breeding habitat in southern California typically consists of

open, mature Jeffrey or ponderosa pine forests intermixed with black oak (Garrett and

Dunn 1981). The owls occur less frequently

in white fir dominated stands (Zeiner et al.

1990) and probably only where at least some

large pines are present (Hayward and Verner

1994). Flammulated owls are typically found

in xeric mid-slope or ridgetop forests that have

an open, park-like quality. They are secondary cavity nesters, and black oaks may be

important sources of suitable cavities for them

(Marcot and Hill 1980).

Conservation Considerations: Open, mature pine forests have declined in extent in the

mountains of southern California due to historic logging practices, reduced fire

frequencies, and the development associated

with expanding mountain communities. The

current lack of low- to moderate-intensity

understory fires in montane conifer forests is

causing a shift in species composition away

from pines and black oak and towards white

fir and incense cedar (see “Fire” section in

chapter 3). The flammulated owl, perhaps

more than any other species, is imperiled by

this trend.

Northern saw-whet owl (Aegolius acadicus)

Status and Distribution: The northern

saw-whet owl is a local species of concern because its breeding population in southern

California is small and primarily restricted to

montane conifer forests. However, it does have

a fairly wide elevation range, extending from

over 8,000 feet down to to almost 3,000 feet

(SDNHM 1998), which may explain why it’s

more widely distributed than the flammulated

owl.

Saw-whet owls occur in the northern Santa

Lucia Mountains and on Figueroa, Big Pine,

Pine, and Pinos mountains in the southern

Los Padres (Lentz 1993; Lehman 1994). They

also nest in the San Gabriel, San Bernardino,

Nevada and Mount Pinos as a distinct subspecies, D. o. howardi, citing eight specimens

from the area.

It is unclear if blue grouse still occur in

this region. Lentz (1993) describes several

unconfirmed sightings near Sawmill Mountain (just west of Mount Pinos) in the early

1990s, but she says the last verified records

are from 1976 and 1979. If they do still occur

in the area, the population appears to be very

small.

Habitat: Blue grouse inhabit high-elevation coniferous forests and especially favor

dense stands of firs on north-facing slopes

(Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Conservation Considerations: Surveys are

needed to determine if blue grouse still occur

in the Mount Pinos/Mount Abel area. The

persistence of grouse in this area is probably

most threatened by the limited amount of

suitable habitat and the stochastic problems

faced by small, isolated populations. Land use

activities do not appear to be a threat. Most

of the area is within the Chumash Wilderness

Area and the type of dispersed recreational

activity occurring there should not appreciably impact the grouse population.

Flammulated owl (Otus flammeolus)

Status and Distribution: The

flammulated owl is a species of local concern

because its breeding distribution in southern

California is patchy and restricted to montane

forests within the assessment area. It nests at

elevations between 5,500 and 8,200 feet primarily in the San Gabriel, San Bernardino,

and San Jacinto mountains (fig. 4.27) (Winter 1974; Garrett and Dunn 1981). A few nest

in the Mount Pinos area and possibly on Big

Pine Mountain (Lentz 1993). They also occur down to 4,000 feet in the northern Santa

Lucia Range. In the San Diego ranges,

flammulated owls are occasionally observed in

summer in the Palomar, Cuyamaca, or Laguna

mountains, but nesting has not been documented (Unitt 1984; SDNHM 1998).

Recent surveys have detected fifteen to

twenty-five flammulated owl locations in the

San Bernardino Mountains and five to ten locations in the San Jacinto Mountains (R.

McKernan, SBNHM, unpubl. data).
201

 Chapter 4

Figure 4.27. Documented locations of flammulated owls in the assessment area.

and San Jacinto mountains, and the higher

mountains of San Diego County (Garrett and

Dunn 1981; Unitt 1984).

Habitat: Saw-whet owls most commonly

breed in dense pine and fir forests that have

an oak understory (Garrett and Dunn 1981;

Lehman 1994).

Conservation Considerations: Standreplacing wildfire in dense montane conifer

forests is probably the biggest threat to sawwhet owls.

Williamson’s sapsucker

(Sphyrapicus thyroideus)

Status and Distribution: The

Williamson’s sapsucker is a local species of

concern because its breeding population in

southern California is small, highly disjunct,

and restricted to high elevation forests. On the

Los Padres National Forest, Williamson’s sapsuckers nest in small numbers on Mount Pinos

and Mount Abel, and possibly on Pine Mountain (Lentz 1993). They also breed in the San

Gabriel, San Bernardino, and San Jacinto

mountains. The greatest concentration of

breeding birds is in the San Bernardino Mountains on the north-facing slopes behind Big

Bear Lake and in the vicinity of Mount San

Gorgonio (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Williamson’s sapsuckers are more widely distributed in montane conifer forests during the
202

winter. There is no local information on population trends for this species.

Habitat: Williamson’s sapsuckers breed at

high elevations in coniferous forests dominated by white fir or lodgepole pine (Garrett

and Dunn 1981). In the southern California

mountains, they are typically found on northfacing slopes.

Conservation Considerations: Breeding

habitat for Williamson’s sapsuckers is probably most threatened by the risk of large,

stand-replacing fire. Habitat in each occupied

mountain range is very limited in extent and

vulnerable to loss in a single, large fire event.

White-headed woodpecker

(Picoides albolarvatus gravirostris)

Status and Distribution: The whiteheaded woodpecker is a local species of

concern because its breeding population in

southern California is small and restricted to

montane conifer forests. Southern California

populations of this species are also considered

to be a distinct, endemic subspecies (Kratter

1992). The white-headed woodpecker occurs

in all of the mountain ranges that contain

montane conifer forests. There is no local information on population trends for this

species.

Habitat: White-headed woodpeckers are

found in mixed conifer forests dominated by

large-coned pines such as Coulter, sugar, Jeffrey and ponderosa; they range only marginally

into associations dominated by white fir or

lodgepole pine (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Conservation Considerations: Similar to

those described for the flammulated owl.

White-headed woodpeckers are closely associated with mature pine trees, which appear

to be declining in many areas of southern

California’s mountains.

Hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus)

Status and Distribution: The hermit

thrush is a local species of concern because its

breeding population in southern California is

small, disjunct, and primarily restricted to

high-elevation conifer forests. It does nest at

relatively low elevations in the northern Santa

Lucia Mountains, but elsewhere breeds mainly

above 6,000 feet. Small breeding populations

exist in the higher mountains of the southern

Los Padres. The thrush is most numerous in

the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains but also probably breeds in the San

Jacinto Mountains (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

In San Diego County there are only four

breeding-season records, one each on Palomar,

Hot Springs, Volcan, and Cuyamaca mountains (SDNHM 1998). It is considerably more

widespread in winter.

Habitat: Hermit thrushes in southern

California breed primarily in forests dominated by white fir. They are usually found on

steep, north-facing slopes (Garrett and Dunn

1981).

Conservation Considerations: Stand-replacing wildfire in dense montane conifer

forests is probably the biggest threat to hermit thrushes. Otherwise, the densification of

forest stands caused by the exclusion of lowto moderate-intensity fires is probably increasing the amount of suitable habitat for this

species.

Virginia’s warbler (Vermivora virginiae)

Status and Distribution: The Virginia’s

warbler is a California Species of Special Concern and an extremely rare breeder in southern

California. Within the assessment area, breeding has been documented only in the San

Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains. The

warbler has been observed in the summer in

the Blue Ridge area on the northeastern end

of the San Gabriel Mountains (D. Cooper, UC

Riverside, in litt.), and at 6,900 feet along

Arrastre Creek and at 6,000 feet along the

South Fork of the Santa Ana River in the San

Bernardino Mountains (Johnson and Garrett

1974).

Habitat: In the breeding season Virginia’s

warblers occupy brushy areas (e.g., mountain

mahogany, manzanita, and serviceberry)

within arid coniferous forest (Garrett and

Dunn 1981).

Conservation Considerations: More information is needed on the breeding
203

 Chapter 4

distribution of this species in the assessment

area. However, the habitats occupied by

Virginia’s warblers are not highly vulnerable

to existing land use activities.

Montane Conifer Mammals

Long-eared myotis bat (Myotis evotis)

Status and Distribution: The long-eared

myotis was a C2 candidate species for federal

listing before that designation was discontinued. Its distribution in southern California

appears to be restricted to high-elevation habitats. This bat was found in the assessment area

at fifteen of seventy-six sites surveyed for bats

from 1996 to 1998 (Simons et al. in prep.).

Localities include Indian Creek (at Bluff

Camp) and Pine Springs (north of Cuddy

Valley) on the Los Padres National Forest;

Dorr Canyon Spring, Islip Saddle, and Big

Rock Campground on the Angeles National

Forest; Arrastre Creek, Holcomb Valley, Alpine Canyon, and Coon Creek on the San

Bernardino National Forest; and the Laguna

and Cuyamaca mountains within the Cleveland National Forest and adjoining Cuyamaca

Rancho State Park. Long-eared myotis bats

were found only at elevations above 4,000 feet

and most were in conifer forests.

Habitat: Long-eared myotis bats can occur in a variety of habitats, but are usually

associated with coniferous forests. They roost

under exfoliating tree bark, in tree hollows,

caves, mines, cliff crevices, and rocky outcrops

(Vonhof and Barclay 1996). They also sometimes roost in buildings and under bridges.

Conservation Considerations: Protection

of conifer forest habitats from stand-replacing fire will be important to maintaining

long-eared myotis populations in the southern California mountains. The ability of this

species to roost in a wide variety of sites may

help reduce its vulnerability to human activities.

Fringed myotis bat (Myotis thysanodes)

Status and Distribution: The fringed

myotis was a C2 candidate species for federal

listing before that designation was discontinued. Its distribution in southern California

appears to be restricted to high-elevation habitats. This bat was found in the assessment area

at ten of seventy-six sites surveyed for bats from

1996 to 1998 (Simons et al. in prep.). Localities include Frazier Mountain and Pine Springs

(north of Cuddy Valley) on the Los Padres

National Forest, Buckhorn and Big Rock

campgrounds on the Angeles National Forest, Arrastre Creek on the San Bernardino

National Forest and Laguna Mountain on the

Cleveland National Forest. Fringed myotis

bats were found only at elevations above 4,600

feet, primarily in montane conifer forests but

also in pinyon-juniper woodland.

Habitat: Fringed myotis bats reportedly

occur in a wide variety of habitats but are most

commonly found in dry pine or mixed conifer forests and in pinyon-juniper woodlands.

Caves, buildings, mine shafts, rock crevices in

cliff faces, trees, and bridges are used for maternity and night roosts, while hibernation has

only been documented in buildings and mines

(Bradley and Ports 1998). On Laguna Mountain, these bats were observed roosting in cliff

crevices along the eastern escarpment (Miner

and Brown 1996).

Conservation Considerations: Same as

those described for the long-eared myotis,

with the addition that abandoned mines

may provide important hibernacula for this

species and efforts are needed to identify

mines that are used and protect them from

human disturbance.

Long-legged myotis (Myotis volans)

Status and Distribution: The long-legged

myotis was a former C2 candidate species for

federal listing before that designation was discontinued. Its distribution in southern

California appears to be restricted to high-elevation habitats. This bat was found in the

assessment area at twelve of seventy-six sites

surveyed for bats from 1996 to 1998 (Simons

et al. in prep.). Localities include Frazier

Mountain and Chief Peak (just north of Ojai)

on the Los Padres National Forest; Dorr Canyon Spring and Buckhorn and Big Rock

campgrounds on the Angeles National Forest;
204

Habitat: The San Bernardino flying squirrel is known from mid- to upper-elevation

coniferous forest habitats. Distributional information from spotted owl pellets indicates

that flying squirrels do not inhabit lower montane bigcone Douglas-fir/canyon live oak

forests. Flying squirrels use cavities in large

trees, snags, and logs for cover. Habitats are

typically mature, dense conifer forest, particularly those containing white fir, in close

proximity to riparian areas (Zeiner et al.

1990b).

Conservation Considerations: The apparent disappearance of flying squirrels from the

San Jacinto Mountains and their limited distribution in upper elevation forests give rise

to concerns about their vulnerability in the

San Bernardino Mountains. They appear to

Big Bear Lake Dam and Holcomb, Deep, and

Arrastre creeks on the San Bernardino National Forest; and Laguna Mountain and Lost

Valley (north of Hot Springs Mountain) on

the Cleveland National Forest. All but one of

the locations where long-legged myotis bats

were found were at elevations above 4,500 feet.

Habitat: The long-legged myotis is primarily a bat of coniferous forests but also

occurs seasonally in riparian and desert habitats. It uses abandoned buildings, cliff crevices,

exfoliating tree bark, and hollows within snags

as summer day roosts; caves and mine tunnels

as hibernicula (Bogan et al. 1998c).

Conservation Considerations: Same as

those described for the fringed myotis.

Golden-mantled ground squirrel

(Spermophilus lateralis)

Status and Distribution: The goldenmantled ground squirrel is a local species of

concern because in southern California it is

found only in the San Bernardino Mountains.

The population in these mountains is considered to be a distinct subspecies, S. l.

bernardinus (Bartels and Thompson 1993). It

ranges in elevation from approximately 6,000

feet to over 10,000 feet (Williams 1986).

Habitat: Golden-mantled ground squirrels inhabit a wide variety of montane habitats

from the upper edge of the pinyon belt to

above timberline. They are most common in

open, well-illuminated forests with a mix of

tall trees, brush, and open ground supporting

herbaceous plants (Williams 1986; Bartels and

Thompson 1993).

Conservation Considerations: This species does not appear to be sensitive to land use

activities; it is typically common around campgrounds and buildings and invades logged

timber stands (Bartels and Thompson 1993).

It could be negatively affected by the trend

toward increasingly dense forests, but the

golden-mantled ground squirrel population in

the San Bernardino Mountains seems to be

large and well distributed in a variety of plant

communities.

San Bernardino flying squirrel

(Glaucomys sabrinus californicus)

Status and Distribution: The San Bernardino flying squirrel is a Forest Service Region

5 Sensitive Species and a California Species of

Special Concern. It occurs in the San Bernardino Mountains and, at least historically, in

the San Jacinto Mountains. Williams (1986)

lists its elevation range as between 5,200 and

8,500 feet. Flying squirrels are preyed upon

by spotted owls, and the best information we

have on the distribution of this squirrel comes

from an analysis of spotted owl pellets which

were collected throughout the San Bernardino

Mountains (fig. 4.28) (W. LaHaye, unpubl.

data). These data suggest that flying squirrels

are widespread within the general elevational

range reported by Williams.

Grinnell and Swarth (1913) captured a

single flying squirrel near Idyllwild in the San

Jacinto Mountains, and there reportedly are

several other old museum specimens from this

range (Williams 1986). However, there have

been no recent sightings. Analysis of a substantial number of owl pellets from the San

Jacinto Mountains did not turn up any flying

squirrel remains (W. LaHaye, unpubl. data).

Williams (1986) suggested that flying squirrels were probably present in the San Gabriel

Mountains as well, but there is no documented

evidence to support that contention.
205

 Chapter 4

Figure 4.28. The distribution of flying squirrels in the San Bernardino Mountains, based primarily on their

occurrence in spotted owl pellets.

still be widespread in the San Bernardino

Mountains, but essentially nothing is known

about their population dynamics or threat factors. Flying squirrels are often observed using

bird feeders around low-density developments

in heavily forested areas such as organizational

camps and cabins, but it is unclear if they successfully inhabit higher-density residential

areas.

An important question is how adept are

flying squirrels at dispersing through areas of

unsuitable habitat to maintain populations in

suitable, but fragmented, areas. They have

evolved with a naturally fragmented habitat

pattern in the San Bernardino Mountains, but

it is unclear what effect, if any, increasing developments on private lands and habitat

modifications on public lands (e.g., ski area

developments) are having on the squirrel’s distribution. This species may respond positively

to increases in white fir density resulting from

recent fire exclusion, but large stand-replacing fires have the potential to dangerously

reduce suitable habitat and isolate populations.

Surveys are needed in the San Jacinto Mountains to more conclusively determine its status

there.
206

Laguna Mountains skipper

(Pyrgus ruralis lagunae)

Status and Distribution: The Laguna

Mountains skipper was federally listed as endangered in 1997. This butterfly is known

only from Laguna and Palomar mountains in

San Diego County (fig. 4.29). On Palomar

Mountain, it is known to occur in Mendenhall

Valley, lower French Valley, and in the vicinity of Observatory Campground. On Laguna

Mountain, it occurs near the Laguna-El Prado

Campground (Levy 1996). Survey information collected to date indicates that the

San Bernardino white-eared pocket mouse

(Perognathus alticolus alticolus)

Status and Distribution: The San Bernardino white-eared pocket mouse is a Forest

Service Region 5 Sensitive Species and a California Species of Special Concern. Known

localities of this species are all from the vicinity of Strawberry Peak and Little Bear Valley

in the western San Bernardino Mountains at

elevations between 5,400 and 5,800 feet (Williams 1986; Best 1994). These are old museum

collections; the white-eared pocket mouse has

not been collected since 1934 despite extensive surveys to relocate it in the late 1970s and

early 1980s (Sulentich 1983; Williams 1986).

Habitat: Little is known, but historic

white-eared pocket mouse localities were in

open pine forests that contained bracken fern

(Best 1994). Williams (1986) suggests that

white-eared pocket mice may occur in sagebrush, pinyon-juniper woodlands, and open

pine forests on the north side of the San Bernardino and possibly the San Gabriel

mountains.

Conservation Considerations: Surveys are

needed to determine the current status and

distribution of this species within the assessment area. This taxon is endemic to the San

Bernardino Mountains, yet there are no recent observations of it.

Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)

Status and Distribution: The porcupine

is a species of local concern because it is rare

in southern California and most known locations are within the assessment area. The

distribution of porcupines in the assessment

area is somewhat of a mystery. Range maps in

Zeiner et al. (1990b) suggest they inhabit the

northern and southern Santa Lucia Ranges,

the southern Los Padres ranges, and the San

Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains. However, maps in Ingels (1965) and Dodge (1982)

suggest they are only in the San Bernardino

and possibly the San Gabriel mountains.

Documented sightings of porcupines in

these mountains are very rare. Vaughan’s

(1954) thorough report on mammalian fauna

in the San Gabriel Mountains makes no mention of this species. Glenn Stewart (Cal Poly

Pomona, in litt.) saw a road kill porcupine in

the San Bernardino Mountains in the 1960s.

There are also thirdhand reports of a road kill

being found in the San Gabriel Mountains.

In 1989, one of the authors (J. Stephenson)

observed lodgepole pines stripped of bark, in

a fashion that is often indicative of porcupine’s

presence (Dodge 1982), in the upper end of

Balky Horse Canyon in the eastern San Bernardino Mountains.

Habitat: In California, porcupines are primarily found in coniferous forests, but across

western North America they occur in a wide

variety of habitats including pinyon-juniper

woodlands, sagebrush, and desert chaparral

(Dodge 1982; Zeiner et al. 1990b). Porcupines

feed extensively on the cambium and foliage

of woody shrubs and small trees in winter and

on forbs, grasses, and succulent riparian vegetation in spring and summer (Dodge 1982).

Conservation Considerations: Surveys are

needed to determine the current status and

distribution of this species within the assessment area.

Animals of Montane Meadow

Habitats

Five animals that are primarily associated

with montane meadow habitats received individual consideration in this assessment (table

4.19). Two of these are butterflies and three

are birds.
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 Chapter 4

Table 4.19. Animals associated with montane meadows that received individual consideration.

Displayed for each species: (1) the level of knowledge about where it occurs in southern California and, in

parentheses, the estimated percentage of locations that are on national forest system lands; (2) the mountain

subareas occupied (y = occurs in breeding season, h = historically occurred, p = potentially occurs, t = transient,

w = winter visitor)—if the species is localized and data are available, the approximate number of occurrences may be

displayed; (3) the vulnerability of populations on national forest system lands to existing threat factors; (4)

population trends; and (5) the assigned conservation category.

Invertebrates

Laguna Mts. skipper High y High Decl1 Site

 endangered (40-70%) specific

San Gabriel greenish Mod y High Decl2 Site

 blue butterfly (> 90%) specific

Birds

Calliope hummingbird Mod p y y y p y p Mod Unkn Landscape

(> 50%) level

Macgillivray’s warbler Low t t p y y t p t p Mod Unkn Landscape

(> 50%) level

Lincoln’s sparrow Mod-Low w y y y w y w w Mod Unkn Landscape

(> 50%) level

1 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1997d)

2 Murphy (1990)

Montane Meadow

Animals of Concern

federal status

(1)

Knowledge

of SoCal

Locations

(% on NFs)

(5)

Conservation

Category

(4)

 Pop.

Trend

(3)

Vulnerability

on NFs

(2) areas occupied or estimated # of occurrences if spp. localized

Cleveland NF San Bern. NF Angeles NF Los Padres NF

San

Diego

Rngs

San

Jac

Mts

Snta

Ana

Mts

San

Bern

Mts

No.

SL

Rng

So.

SL

Rng

San

Gab

Mts

Castaic

Rngs

So.

LP

Rngs

Habitat: The Laguna Mountains skipper

is found in montane meadows where its larval

host plant, Cleveland’s horkelia (Horkelia

clevelandii), occurs. This horkelia, and the

butterfly, are typically found in edaphic or topographic situations that provide patches of

bare ground or at least reduced grass cover

(e.g., areas with shallow rocky soils or the drier

upper margins of meadows). They appear to

be absent from areas that have dense, tall grass

cover (Levy 1996). Adult Laguna Mountains

skippers have been frequently observed visiting the flowers of a small annual composite,

Pentachaeta aurea. This plant may be an important nectar resource (Levy 1996).

population in Mendenhall Valley is substantially larger than the others and may support

several hundred individuals (Levy 1996; R.

Mattoni, in litt., 1998). Laguna Mountain,

Observatory Campground, and a portion of

Mendenhall Valley are within the Cleveland

National Forest. The occupied portion of

lower French Valley is within Palomar Mountain State Park.

Conservation Considerations: This butterfly occurs in very small numbers at only a

handful of sites. There is great concern about

the viability of remaining populations and

much uncertainty over how to manage them.

Land use activities occurring in or near areas

occupied by the skipper include cattle grazing

and developed recreation sites. Actions are currently being taken by the Cleveland National

Forest to exclude recreational activity in the

vicinity of potential skipper habitat. Fences

have also been erected to exclude grazing in

some patches of Cleveland’s horkelia in

Mendenhall Valley.

The effect of cattle grazing on the host

plant and the butterfly needs further investigation. In some respects grazing appears to be

clearly detrimental, since cattle have been observed foraging on horkelia plants and

trampling flowering stalks. However, one

theory attributes the skipper’s decline to reductions in the extent of horkelia (and bare

ground which may be important for skipper

thermoregulation) because of increased grass
208

Figure 4.29. Documented localities for the Laguna Mountains skipper.

cover caused by reduced fire frequencies and

the spread of non-native grasses (Levy 1996).

If this is true, grazing may serve an important

function as a surrogate for fire—a useful

mechanism to keep grass cover in check. Further research is needed to clarify this situation.

Also, additional surveys are needed, particularly on Laguna Mountain, to determine if

additional skipper populations are present.

San Gabriel Mountains greenish blue

(Plejebus saepiolus aureolus)

Status and Distribution: The San Gabriel

Mountains greenish blue butterfly is a former

C2 candidate species. Murphy (1990) stated

it was “arguably the prime conservation emergency among the butterfly taxa of California.”

It has been collected by several lepidopterists

in a single wet meadow on the Angeles National Forest in the immediate vicinity of Big

Pines. It is considered to be a distinctive subspecies, well differentiated from P. s. saepiolus

which occurs in the Sierra Nevada and P. s.

hilda which occurs in wet meadows above

5,000 feet on Palomar Mountain and in the

San Jacinto and San Bernardino mountains

(Murphy 1990). This new greenish blue butterfly has not recently been observed at the

meadow near Big Pines and is feared to be

extirpated.

Habitat: The San Gabriel Mountains greenish blue butterfly is associated with a clover,
209

 Chapter 4

Trifolium wormskioldii, that grows in moist to

marshy meadow situations (G. Pratt, UC Riverside, pers. comm., 1999).

Conservation Considerations: Diversion

of water from the meadow at Big Pines, and

subsequent drying of the habitat, has been

implicated in the possible extirpation of this

undescribed subspecies (Murphy 1990). Surveys are needed to determine if the taxon still

occurs in this meadow or at other potential

localities. This situation underscores the importance of maintaining adequate surface and

ground water supplies to meadows and other

wet microhabitats.

Calliope hummingbird (Stellula calliope)

Status and Distribution: The calliope

hummingbird is a species of local concern

because it is a rare breeder in the southern

California mountains. Reported localities on

the Los Padres National Forest include the

Mount Pinos/Mount Abel area (i.e., around

Iris Meadow, Sheep Camp Meadow, and along

the McGill trail), Big Pine Mountain

(Chokecherry Spring), Frazier Mountain, and

Reyes Peak (Garrett and Dunn 1981; Lentz

1993). Calliope hummingbirds are described

as rare on the north side of the San Gabriel

and San Bernardino mountains (Garrett and

Dunn 1981). In the San Jacinto Mountains

they are historically known from Round and

Tahquitz valleys (Grinnell and Swarth 1913).

Calliopes also potentially breed on San Diego

County’s tallest peak, Hot Springs Mountain

(Unitt 1981).

Mist-net and point-count surveys done

from 1992 to 1996 at Bluff Lake and Metcalf

meadows in the San Bernardino Mountains

found calliope hummingbirds present in low

numbers at both sites; mist-net results were

similar at each meadow, with approximately

six captures per year at Metcalf Meadow and

five per year at Bluff Lake (Rotenberry and

Carlson 1997). Another reported locality in

the San Bernardino Mountains is upper

Arrastre Creek (D. Freeman, unpubl. notes).

Habitat: Calliope hummingbirds breed

along meadow borders and in streamside

thickets (especially willows) within arid mixed

conifer forests (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Lentz (1993) found them in association with

currants (especially Ribes cereum) on Mount

Pinos.

Conservation Considerations: Maintenance of riparian vegetation in and around

montane meadows is important for this species. Heavy recreation use, facilities

development, and overgrazing by livestock can

degrade montane riparian habitat condition.

Surface water diversions and/or groundwater

extraction can reduce or eliminate these habitats. More information is needed on the

current distribution of this species, particularly in relation to ongoing land use activities

in montane riparian and meadow habitats.

MacGillivray’s warbler (Oporornis tolmiei)

Status and Distribution: The MacGillivray’s warbler is a species of local concern

because it is a rare breeder in the southern

California mountains. It is most common in

the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains and may only breed in those two ranges

(Garrett and Dunn 1981). In the southern Los

Padres, Lentz (1993) reports summer observations of MacGillivray’s warbler on Big Pine

Mountain, upper Quatal Canyon, at Thorn

Meadows near Pine Mountain, and at Iris

Meadow on Mount Pinos. However, breeding was not confirmed.

Mist-net and point-count surveys done

from 1992 to 1996 at Bluff Lake and Metcalf

meadows in the San Bernardino Mountains

found MacGillivray’s warblers present in low

numbers at both sites. Mist-net results indicate they were considerably more common at

Metcalf Meadow where a high of twenty captures was reached in 1993. The high for Bluff

Lake was five in 1994 (Rotenberry and

Carlson 1997).

Habitat: MacGillivray’s warblers occur in

willow thickets and other brushy, montane

riparian areas within coniferous forests above

6,000 feet elevation (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Conservation Considerations: Same as

those described for the Calliope hummingbird.
210

Lincoln’s sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)

Status and Distribution: The Lincoln’s

sparrow is a species of local concern because it

is a rare breeder in the southern California

mountains. Historic nesting localities include

Mount Pinos (Iris Meadow), the San Gabriel

Mountains (Big Pines), the San Bernardino

Mountains (vicinity of Big Bear Lake, Green

Valley, and South Fork of the Santa Ana River),

and the San Jacinto Mountains (Tahquitz and

Round valleys) (Grinnell and Swarth 1913;

Garrett and Dunn 1981; Lentz 1993).

Mist-net and point-count surveys done from

1992 to 1996 at Bluff Lake and Metcalf meadows in the San Bernardino Mountains found

Lincoln sparrows to be common at both sites.

Twenty to fifty of these sparrows were captured

per year in each meadow during constant-effort

mist netting (Rotenberry and Carlson 1997).

Habitat: Lincoln’s sparrows breed in wet

montane meadows; typical vegetation components include corn lily, sedges, and low willows

(Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Conservation Considerations: Same as

those described for the Calliope hummingbird.

Table 4.20. Animals associated with subalpine or alpine habitats that received individual

consideration. Displayed for each species: (1) the level of knowledge about where it occurs in southern California

and, in parentheses, the estimated percentage of locations that are on national forest system lands; (2) the

mountain subareas occupied (y = occurs in breeding season, h = historically occurred, p = potentially occurs,

t = transient, w = winter visitor)—if the species is localized and data are available, the approximate number of

occurrences may be displayed; (3) the vulnerability of populations on national forest system lands to existing threat

factors; (4) population trends; and (5) the assigned conservation category.

Subalpine or Alpine

Animals of Concern

(1)

Knowledge

of SoCal

Locations

(% on NFs)

(5)

Conservation

Category

(4)

 Pop.

Trend

(3)

Vulnerability

on NFs

(2) areas occupied or estimated # of occurrences if spp. localized

Cleveland NF San Bern. NF Angeles NF Los Padres NF

San

Diego

Rngs

San

Jac

Mts

Snta

Ana

Mts

San

Bern

Mts

No.

SL

Rng

So.

SL

Rng

San

Gab

Mts

Castaic

Rngs

So.

LP

Rngs

American (water) pipit Low t t p y p t t t t Mod Unkn Site

(100%) specific

Lodgepole chipmunk Mod y y y y* Low Unkn Landscape

(> 70%) level

* A distinct subspecies, the Mount Pinos lodgepole chipmunk occurs in the southern Los Padres ranges.

American (water) pipit (Anthus spinoletta)

Status and Distribution: The American

water pipit is a local species of concern because it breeds in alpine habitats and is known

from only one location in the southern California mountains. A pair of water pipits was

present, and probably nested, on Mount San

Gorgonio in the summer of 1978 (Garrett and

Dunn 1981).

Habitat: Water pipits nest above timberline. They commonly winter in the vicinity of

agricultural fields (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Conservation Considerations: Surveys are

needed to determine if water pipits breed regularly on Mount San Gorgonio or if breeding

is a rare, irregular occurrence. Potential breeding habitat on Mount San Gorgonio and the

highest portions of the San Gabriel Mountains

should also be surveyed. All of these areas are

within designated wilderness areas, but recreation activity near mountain summits could

potentially impact this species.

Lodgepole chipmunk (Tamias speciosus)

Status and Distribution: Two subspecies

of lodgepole chipmunk occur in the assessment area. The Mount Pinos lodgepole

chipmunk, T. s. callipeplus, occurs only in the

forests around Mount Pinos and Mount Abel

(Williams 1986). It is a Forest Service Region

Animals of Subalpine or Alpine

Habitats

Two animal species that are primarily associated with subalpine or alpine habitats were

considered individually in this assessment

(table 4.20).
211

 Chapter 4

5 Sensitive Species. Lodgepole chipmunks in

the San Gabriel, San Bernardino, and San

Jacinto mountains belong to the subspecies T.

s. speciosus (Best et al. 1994). The elevation

range of this species is from just above 6,000

feet to over 10,000 feet (Williams 1986;

Zeiner et al. 1990b).

Habitat: Lodgepole chipmunks are generally found in open-canopy forests with a mix

of shrubs and trees. They are common in

lodgepole pine forests but also occur in opencanopy stages of other forest habitats including

white fir, Jeffrey pine, and mixed conifer. They

appear to avoid pure stands of conifers, preferring an understory shrub component,

particularly chinquapin or manzanita

(Vaughan 1954; Williams 1986; Zeiner et al.

1990b).

Conservation Considerations: The lodgepole chipmunk’s high elevation habitats do not

appear to be highly vulnerable to existing land

use activities or agents of change. However,

habitat for the Mount Pinos subspecies is extremely limited, which increases the impact

of even small losses of suitable habitat in the

Mount Pinos/Mount Abel area. A single, large

stand-replacing fire could eliminate this subspecies.

Animals of Desert Montane

Habitats

Sixteen animal species that are primarily associated with desert montane habitats

were considered individually in this assessment (table 4.21). There are six

invertebrates, one reptile, seven birds, and

two mammals.

Desert Montane Invertebrates

Desert monkey grasshopper

(Psychomastix pysylla deserticola)

Status and Distribution: The desert monkey grasshopper is a former C2 candidate for

federal listing. It is endemic to lower desertside slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains

(J. Powell, UC Berkeley Department of Entomology, pers. comm.).

Habitat: Little information is available. It

is described as occurring in arid environments,

and chamise is identified as a possible food

plant.

Conservation Considerations: No threats

have been identified for this species. More information is needed on its distribution and

habitat requirements on the desert side of the

San Bernardino Mountains.

San Bernardino Mountains silk moth

(Coloradia velda)

Status and Distribution: The silk moth

Coloradia velda is a species of local concern

because it is endemic to the San Bernardino

Mountains. The type locality for this species

is at Coxey Meadow on the north side of the

San Bernardino Mountains, and it has also

been collected at Horse Springs, Crab Flat,

Cactus Flat and Barton Flats (Johnson and

Walter 1979).

Habitat: Coloradia velda is most commonly found in stands of pinyon pine, which

is suspected to be the larval host plant

(Johnson and Walter 1979).

Conservation Considerations: More information is needed on the distribution and

habitat requirements of this silk moth. No

threat factors have currently been identified

for it.

Bright blue copper

(Lycaena heteronea clara)

Status and Distribution: The bright blue

copper butterfly is a local species of concern.

Murphy (1990) considered it to be a category

B taxon, which he defined as one that warrants listing as endangered, but with a less

pressing need than category A taxa. This butterfly historically occurred in isolated areas of

the Piute and Tehachapi mountains, in the

Castac Valley (near Fort Tejon), and near

Silverwood Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains (Orzak 1976). However, as of 1976, it is

known only from Cuddy and Lockwood valleys near Frazier Park (Murphy 1990). Orzak

(1976) estimated that as many as thirty populations existed in this area, with the highest
Desert Montane

Animals of Concern

federal status

(1)

Knowledge

of SoCal

Locations

(% on NFs)

(5)

Conservation

Category

(4)

 Pop.

Trend

(3)

Vulnerability

on NFs

(2) areas occupied or estimated # of occurrences if spp. localized

Cleveland NF Angeles NF Los Padres NF San Bern. NF

San

Diego

Rngs

San

Jac

Mts

Snta

Ana

Mts

San

Bern

Mts

No.

SL

Rng

So.

SL

Rng

San

Gab

Mts

Castaic

Rngs

So.

LP

Rngs

Table 4.21. Animals associated with desert montane habitats that received individual consideration.

Displayed for each species: (1) the level of knowledge about where it occurs in southern California and, in

parentheses, the estimated percentage of locations that are on national forest system lands; (2) the mountain

subareas occupied (y = occurs in breeding season, h = historically occurred, p = potentially occurs, t = transient,

w = winter visitor)—if the species is localized and data are available, the approximate number of occurrences may be

displayed; (3) the vulnerability of populations on national forest system lands to existing threat factors; (4)

population trends; and (5) the assigned conservation category.

Invertebrates

Desert monkey Low y Unkn Unkn Landscape

 grasshopper (30-70%) level

San Bernardino Mts. Mod y Unkn Unkn Landscape

 silk moth (> 70%) level

Bright blue copper Mod h/p p y High Unkn Site

 butterfly (10-50%) specific

San Emigdio blue Low y y y Unkn Unkn Site

 butterfly (10-40%) specific

Dammer’s blue butterfly Mod y Unkn Unkn Landscape

(> 70%) level

Vernal blue butterfly Mod y Unkn Unkn Landscape

(> 90%) level

Reptiles

Small-scaled lizard Mod y Low Unkn Landscape

(< 20%) level

Birds

Zone-tailed hawk Mod y y Low Unkn Landscape

(40-60%) level

Common nighthawk Mod p y y Mod Unkn Site

(40-70%) specific

Gray flycatcher Low p y y Low Unkn Landscape

(> 50%) level

Pinyon jay Mod y y p Mod Unkn Landscape

(< 20%) level

Gray vireo Mod y y y y Mod Decl1 Landscape

(40-80%) level

Plumbeus solitary vireo Low y y Low Unkn Landscape

(> 50%) level

Hepatic tanager Mod t y t t Low Unkn Landscape

(> 60%) level

Mammals

Tehachapi pocket mouse Mod p h/p y Unkn Unkn Landscape

(> 60%) level

Peninsular Ranges’ High y High Decl2 Site

 bighorn sheep (< 5%) specific

 endangered

1 Garrett and Dunn (1981)

2 USDI Bureau of Land Management et al. (1996)
213

 Chapter 4

concentration in Cuddy Valley, 2 to 5 miles

west of Interstate 5.

Habitat: In the arid montane valleys

around Cuddy Valley and Frazier Park, the

bright blue copper occurs in sagebrush-dominated shrublands. Three different buckwheat

(Eriogonum) species are known larval food

plants: E. heermannii, E. umbellatum munzii,

and E. fasciculatum polifolium (Orzak 1976).

Conservation Considerations: Most of

the valley bottomland in Cuddy and

Lockwood valleys is private land and a lot of

development is occurring in this area. There

is some potential habitat for this butterfly on

the Los Padres National Forest. Surveys are

urgently needed to see if populations of the

bright blue copper occur on national forest

system lands in this area. Any discovered populations should receive site-specific

management attention until the status of this

taxon is better determined.

San Emigdio blue butterfly

(Plebulina emigdionis)

Status and Distribution: The San

Emigdio blue butterfly is a former Category 2

Candidate Species. Murphy (1990) considers

it to be a category B taxon, which he defined

as one that warrants listing as endangered, but

with a less pressing need than category A taxa.

The primary location where this species has

been collected is along the Mojave River near

Victorville, but isolated colonies within or near

the assessment area are reported from Bouquet and Mint canyons near Castaic, in

canyons along the north side of the San

Gabriel Mountains near the desert’s edge, and

in arid areas south of Mount Abel near San

Emigdio Mesa (Emmel and Emmel 1973;

Murphy 1990).

Habitat: The San Emigdio blue is closely

associated with the widespread saltbush,

Atriplex canescens, in alkali sink areas (Murphy

1990). However, the butterfly’s distribution

is much more localized than the host plant,

suggesting that other factors may determine

habitat suitability. Murphy (1990) speculates

that there may be an obligatory mutualistic

relationship between this species and one or

more ant species.

Conservation Considerations: Additional

information is needed on the distribution and

status of this butterfly on public lands in the

assessment area. At a minimum, the known

localities mentioned above need to be revisted

to see if populations still exist. The best-known

populuation near Victorville has declined due

to urbanization (Murphy 1990).

Dammer’s blue butterfly

(Euphilotes enoptes dammersi)

Status and Distribution: This subspecies

is newly described and known only from

Baldwin Lake, Arrastre Flat, and Arrastre

Creek in the San Bernardino Mountains (Pratt

and Emmel 1998).

Habitat: At Baldwin Lake and Arrastre

Flat, this butterfly is closely associated with

spring-blooming populations of the wild

buckwheat Eriogonum kennedyi, which commonly grows on pebble plains. On dry slopes

near Arrastre Creek, a slightly different form

of this subspecies is associated with springblooming populations of Eriogonum davidsonii

(Pratt and Emmel 1998).

Conservation Considerations: Too little

is currently known about this taxon to assess

its conservation status. Gordon Pratt at UC

Riverside is the authority on this butterfly.

Vernal blue butterly

(Euphilotes baueri [battoides] vernalis)

Status and Distribution: This newly described subspecies has only been found at

Coxey Meadow (elevation 5,600 feet) on the

north side of the San Bernardino Mountains

(Pratt and Emmel 1998). It also occurs far to

the north of the assessment area in the Coso

Mountains near China Lake.

Habitat: The vernal blue butterfly is associated with spring-blooming populations of

the wild buckwheat, Eriogonum kennedyi. This

association is similar to that of the Dammer’s

blue, but it occurs in different areas and is distinctly different taxonomically (Pratt and

Emmel 1998).
214

Conservation Considerations: More information is needed on the distribution and

habitat requirements of this species within the

assessment area. As yet, no threat factors have

been identified for this taxon.

Desert Montane Reptiles

Small-scaled lizard

(Urosaurus microscutatus)

Status and Distribution: The small-scaled

lizard is a local species of concern because its

range in the United States is restricted to the

rocky mountains and foothills of eastern San

Diego County (Zeiner et al. 1988). Known

localities in or near the assessment area include

canyons in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

that come off the east sides of Bucksnort, Hot

Springs and San Ysidro mountains (i.e., Alder

Canyon, South Fork of Sheep Canyon,

Borrego Palm Canyon, and Hellhole Canyon),

and far to the south at Jacumba, Barrett Junction, and near Barrett Dam along the Dulzura

Conduit (J. Copp, CA Academy of Sciences,

pers. comm.).

Habitat: The small-scaled lizard inhabits

arid and semiarid environments in areas where

there are rock outcrops or rocky canyons

(Zeiner et al. 1988). It is most common in

desert-side habitats, particularly desert canyons, but also occurs on coastal slopes in

southern San Diego County in chaparral and

other habitats (J. Copp, pers. comm.).

Conservation Considerations: Surveys are

needed to better determine the distribution

and abundance of this species on public lands

within the assessment area. However, the

small-scaled lizard’s habitat requirements are

not likely to make it particularly vulnerable

to land use activities occurring on national

forest system lands.

Desert Montane Birds

Zone-tailed hawk (Buteo albonotatus)

Status and Distribution: The zone-tailed

hawk is a local species of concern because it is

a rare breeder in southern California and the

few known nesting localities are within the

assessment area. Zone-tailed hawk nests have

been documented on Hot Springs Mountain

(San Diego County) in 1993 (SDNHM 1998)

and on Santa Rosa Mountain (Riverside

County) in 1980 (Garrett and Dunn 1981;

McCaskie 1982). These locations are the extreme western extent of this species’ breeding

range.

Habitat: Zone-tailed hawks commonly

inhabit desert mountains, particularly in

northern and central Arizona.

Conservation Considerations: Additional

survey work is needed to determine if zonetailed hawks breed regularly in either the Santa

Rosa Mountains or the eastern mountains of

San Diego County. However, we believe their

vulnerability to existing land use activities is low.

Common nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)

Status and Distribution: The common

nighthawk is a local species of concern because

it is a rare breeder in southern California and

the few known nesting localities are within the

assessment area. This species is found only in

the eastern San Bernardino Mountains (particularly near Baldwin Lake) and on Table

Mountain near Wrightwood in the San

Gabriel Mountains (Garrett and Dunn 1981;

D. Cooper, UC Riverside, in litt.).

Habitat: Common nighthawks forage

over a variety of habitats from open coniferous forest to sagebrush plains and are

frequently seen foraging over open bodies of

water. Some open, gravelly substrate is required for nesting (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Conservation Considerations: Surveys are

needed to identify the specific areas where this

highly localized species nests. Both of the locations where common nighthawks occur are

areas that receive a high level of recreation use.

More survey work is needed to determine if

land use activities in these areas are affecting

nighthawk nesting grounds.

Gray flycatcher (Empidonax wrightii)

Status and Distribution: The gray flycatcher is a local species of concern because it

is a rare breeder in southern California and

the few known nesting localities are within the

assessment area. This species is found only in
215

 Chapter 4

Habitat: In the San Jacinto Mountains

and San Diego ranges, gray vireos are typically found in stands of dense, mature

chaparral that are dominated by chamise or

redshank (Unitt 1984). In the San Gabriel and

San Bernardino mountains they are found on

brushy slopes in pinyon-juniper woodlands

(Garrett and Dunn 1981). However, gray

vireos are highly localized in these plant associations, suggesting that other habitat

requirements may be influencing their distribution.

Conservation Considerations: Survey

work is needed to better document the distribution and abundance of gray vireos in the

assessment area. Systematic surveys resulting

from the development of breeding bird atlases

in Los Angeles (LACBBA 1999) and San Diego (SDNHM 1999) counties should help in

this regard. Like most vireos, gray vireos are

considered highly susceptible to cowbird nest

parasitism and this has been implicated as a

possible reason for their decline (Unitt 1984).

Cowbird parasitism of gray vireo nests has

northern portions of the San Gabriel and San

Bernardino mountains (Garrett and Dunn

1981). This species was not detected in surveys conducted in the early 1900s and may

have expanded its breeding range into the assessment area in just the last fifty years

(Johnson and Garrett 1974). Documented

localities include Sheep Creek near

Wrightwood and areas east of Baldwin Lake,

including Arrastre Creek (Johnson and Garrett

1974).

Habitat: Gray flycatchers are closely tied

to pinyon-juniper-sagebrush associations but

do breed locally in other arid conifer associations (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Conservation Considerations: More information is needed on the distribution and

status of gray flycatchers in the assessment area.

However, we believe their vulnerability to existing land use activities is low.

Pinyon jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus)

Status and Distribution: The pinyon jay

is a local species of concern because it is a rare

and localized breeder in the assessment area.

Known localities include the northeastern San

Bernardino Mountains, particularly around

Baldwin Lake, and Garner Valley in the San

Jacinto Mountains (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Small groups have been seen around Mount

Pinos but generally only in the fall and winter

(Garrett and Dunn 1981). Lentz (1993) does

not mention pinyon jays in her review of birds

in the southern Los Padres mountain ranges.

Habitat: Pinyon jays occupy mature pinyon-juniper-yucca woodland on arid

mountain slopes and open montane valleys

of sagebrush and grassland with are bordered

by pinyons, western junipers, or Jeffrey pines

(Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Conservation Considerations: Same as

those described for the gray flycatcher. However, the pinyon jay may be negatively

affected by the steady increase in housing

developments on private lands in some

montane valleys (e.g., Baldwin Lake and

Garner Valley).

Gray vireo (Vireo vicinior)

Status and Distribution: The gray vireo

is a California Species of Special Concern. It

is a summer resident in a few highly localized

areas within the assessment area (fig 4.30). It

occurs on dry desert-facing slopes in the San

Gabriel Mountains (e.g., near Valyermo), San

Bernardino Mountains (e.g., Rose Mine and

Cactus Flats), and San Jacinto Mountains (e.g.,

Pinyon Flats) (Garrett and Dunn 1981; D.

Cooper, UC Riverside, in litt.). In San Diego

County, gray vireos occur in arid shrublands

north of Warner Springs between Palomar and

Hot Springs mountains, and on the southern

flank of the Laguna Mountains from Pine

Valley Creek southeast to La Posta Creek

(Unitt 1984; SDNHM 1998).

Early work by Grinnell and associates indicates that the gray vireo used to be more

widespread, particularly in the San Gabriel and

San Jacinto mountains (Grinnell and Swarth

1913; Grinnell and Miller 1944). Little is

known about the extent or cause of its decline

in these areas.
216

been documented in the San Bernardino

Mountains (Hanna 1944).

Plumbeus solitary vireo

(Vireo solitarius plumbeus)

Status and Distribution: The rarity of this

distinctive subspecies in southern California

and its restriction to arid montane habitats are

why the Plumbeus solitary vireo was identified as a local species of concern. It has been

observed in Big Rock Creek Canyon on the

north side of the San Gabriel Mountains and

in upper Arrastre Creek on the north side of

the San Bernardino Mountains (Garrett and

Dunn 1981). This subspecies was not recorded

in California prior to 1962 and appears to have

undergone a major westward expansion of its

range in the mid-1900s (Johnson and Garrett

1974).

Habitat: Plumbeus solitary vireos breed

in arid woodlands of mature pinyon pine,

white fir, and Jeffrey pine, often extending into

adjacent riparian growth (Garrett and Dunn

1981).

Conservation Considerations: More information is needed on the distribution and

abundance of this subspecies in the assessment

area. However, we believe its vulnerability to

existing land use activities is low.

Figure 4.30. Known locations of the gray vireo in the assessment area.
217

 Chapter 4

Hepatic tanager (Piranga falva)

Status and Distribution: The rarity of this

distinctive species in southern California and

its restriction to arid montane habitats are why

the hepatic tanager was identified as a local

species of concern. It is known to occur only

in the San Bernardino Mountains; documented localities include upper Arrastre Creek

and Round Valley, both east of Baldwin Lake

(Johnson and Garrett 1974; Garrett and Dunn

1981).

Habitat: Breeding habitat for hepatic tanagers in the San Bernardino Mountains consists

of mature pinyon pine woodland with a mixture of taller conifers, such as white fir or

Jeffrey pine (Garrett and Dunn 1981).

Johnson and Garrett (1974) suggest these

tanagers also may occur in pine and deciduous oak woodlands on warm, arid slopes.

Conservation Considerations: Additional

information is needed on the distribution and

abundance of this species in the assessment

area. It could also occur in the San Gabriel

and San Jacinto mountains. The mature woodland habitats occupied by hepatic tanagers are

at some risk to loss in stand-replacing fires but

otherwise are not particularly vulnerable to

existing land use activities.

Desert Montane Mammals

Tehachapi white-eared pocket mouse

(Perognathus alticola inexpectatus)

Status and Distribution: The Tehachapi

pocket mouse is a Forest Service Region 5 Sensitive Species and a California Species of

Special Concern. This taxon is endemic to the

Tehachapi Mountains and the western Transverse Ranges (Best 1994). Known localities

within the assessment area, based on museum

records and historic information, are near Lake

Hughes, Elizabeth Lake, and Quail Lake on

the desert side of the Castaic Ranges, and at

Pinyon Pines, Cuddy Valley, and Chuchupate

Campground in the Mount Pinos/Frazier

Mountain region (Williams 1986; Best 1994;

CNDDB 1999). The only one of these locations where Techachapi pocket mice have been

recently observed is at Chuchupate Campground, where they were found in 1998 by

public health biologists monitoring vectorborne diseases (R. Davis, CA Department of

Health Services, pers. comm. to M. Foster,

1998).

Habitat: Habitat associations of the

Tehachapi pocket mouse are not well defined.

They have been collected in arid annual grassland, desert scrub communities, pinyon pine

woodland, a grain field, and in open desertside pine forest at elevations between 3,500

and 6,000 feet (Williams 1986).

Conservation Considerations: So little is

known about the status of the Tehachapi

pocket mouse that it would be shear speculation to suggest threat factors and conservation

needs. Surveys are needed to determine the

distribution and relative abundance of this

species on public lands within the assessment

area. Williams (1986) identifies desert-facing

slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains, the

Castaic Ranges, and the Mount Pinos/Frazier

Mountain region as areas where this mouse

may be found.

Peninsular Ranges’ bighorn sheep

(Ovis canadensis “cremnobates”)

Status and Distribution: Bighorn sheep

(fig. 4.31) populations in the Peninsular

Ranges of southern California were federally

listed as endangered in 1998. There is uncertainty over whether these populations

represent a taxonomically distinct subspecies

or simply a discrete metapopulation

(Wehausen and Ramey 1993; USFWS

1998f). Peninsular Ranges’ bighorn sheep occur from the eastern flanks of the San Jacinto

and Santa Rosa mountains southeast into the

desert ranges of Anza-Borrego State Park to

the Mexican border (fig. 4.32) (Rubin et al.

1998).

The Peninsular Ranges’ metapopulation

is composed of eight distinct populations

(Boyce 1995). Four of these populations lie

partially within the assessment area; the rest

are in desert ranges to the east. There are an

estimated 25 sheep in the San Jacinto Mountains, and 117 sheep in three recognized

populations within the Santa Rosa Mountains
218

Based on discussions with people who have

knowledge of these species’ distributions, it

appears that none of the six have significant

populations on public lands within the assessment area. Thus, we consider all of them to

be species whose conservation can be minimally influenced by management of public

lands in this area.

in some areas by mountain lions and possibly

coyotes (USDI BLM et. al. 1996).

Specific management actions for conserving Peninsular Ranges’ bighorn sheep and their

habitats have been developed by an interagency coordinating committee. This

direction is in the process of being adopted by

all state and federal land and resource management agencies in the affected region (USDI

BLM et. al. 1996).

Animals of Desert Floor Habitats

Six potentially vulnerable animals are

desert species whose distributions may extend

into the assessment area along its extreme

northern and eastern boundaries (table 4.22).

Although we knew from the start that the assessment area contains little suitable habitat

for these species, it was still important to evaluate their conservation potential and

vulnerability. One important reason for doing this is to clearly document that public lands

in the assessment area will not be sufficient to

conserve these species.

(USDI BLM et. al. 1996). However, only an

estimated 2 percent of Peninsular Ranges’ bighorn sheep habitat occurs on the San

Bernardino National Forest; BLM (29 percent) and state park (41 percent) lands make

up most of the sheep’s range, and some critical lambing habitat also occurs on private lands

(USDI BLM et. al. 1996). Studies have documented declines in most of the Peninsular

Ranges’ populations (USDI BLM et. al. 1996).

Habitat: Bighorn sheep habitat in the Peninsular Ranges is characterized by steep slopes,

canyons, and washes. Although they can occur at high elevations, these sheep typically

are found at elevations below 4,600 feet, which

in this area is below the pinyon-juniper woodlands (Rubin et al. 1998). Topography in a

patchwork of varying slopes is important for

bighorn sheep. Steep (50 to over 70 percent

slope) and rough (i.e., with a lot of small-scale

changes in slope) terrain is utilized extensively

for escape cover, but flatter areas at the base of

the mountains are often used for foraging

(USDI BLM et. al. 1996).

Conservation Considerations: The primary factors believed to be affecting Peninsular

Ranges’ bighorn sheep are (1) habitat loss or

abandonment due to encroaching human development along the base of the mountains

and extending up into them; (2) diseases that

can be transmitted by domestic livestock, particularly sheep; and (3) high levels of predation

Desert tortoise

(Xerobates [Gopherus] agassizii)

Status and Distribution: The desert tortoise is state and federally listed as endangered.

Surveys for the desert tortoise have been fairly

widespread and it has been documented close

to the assessment area (fig. 4.33)(CNDDB

1999). However, suitable habitat for this species disappears rapidly as you move up into

the mountains. It is possible that tortoises occur in small numbers along the northern base

of the San Bernardino Mountains, where there

is friable soil and relatively flat terrain.

Habitat: Desert tortoises occur in a wide

variety of desert habitats, including washes and

Joshua tree woodlands. They reach highest

Figure 4.31. Peninsular Ranges’ bighorn sheep are

often found in steep, rocky terrain above the desert

floor. USFWS FILE PHOTO
219

 Chapter 4

Bendire’s thrasher (Toxostoma bendirei)

Status and Distribution: The Bendire’s

thrasher is a California Species of Special Concern and is identified as an “extremely high

densities in creosote bush communities with

extensive annual wildflower blooms, such as

occur in the western Mojave Desert (Zeiner

et al. 1988). They require friable soil for burrow construction.

Conservation Considerations: It appears

unlikely that desert tortoises occur within the

assessment area in any significant numbers.

Thus, management of public lands within the

assessment area will have little influence on

the conservation of this species.

priority” watch list species by Partners in Flight

(Carter et al. 1998). There are several reported

locations of Bendire’s thrasher in Joshua tree

woodlands along the northern and eastern base

of the San Bernardino Mountains, including

Lucerne Valley and Pioneertown (England and

Laudenslayer 1989).

Habitat: At almost all sites where Bendire’s

thrashers nest in California the most prominent plants are Joshua tree, Spanish bayonet

(Yucca baccata), or Mojave yucca (Yucca

schidigera). They seem to avoid steep slopes

and rocky terrain (England and Laudenslayer

1989).

Conservation Considerations: Protection

of Joshua tree woodlands is important for this

Figure 4.32. Distribution of the Peninsular Ranges’ bighorn sheep.
220

species. More information is needed on the

distribution and abundance of Bendire’s

thrashers on public lands in the San Bernardino Mountains. However, the assessment area

is on the extreme edge of this species’ range with

only a small amount of potential habitat.

Le Conte’s thrasher (Toxostoma lecontei)

Status and Distribution: The Le Conte’s

thrasher is a California Species of Special Concern and is identified as an “extremely high

priority” watch list species by Partners in Flight

(Carter et al. 1998). LeConte’s thrashers are

known to occur in Joshua tree woodlands in

the Mojave Desert and arid desert scrub in

the Carrizo Plain (Garrett and Dunn 1981),

but we found no documented localities within

the assessment area.

Habitat: Le Conte’s thrashers require less

vegetation than other thrashers; they inhabit

very sparse desert scrub (e.g., creosote bush),

especially around small washes. They also occupy Joshua tree woodlands in the Mojave

Desert, although the Joshua trees themselves

seem an unimportant element. In the southwestern San Joaquin Valley, stands of saltbush

are occupied and nesting usually takes place

around the edges of washes (Garrett and Dunn

1981).

Conservation Considerations: It appears

unlikely that Le Conte’s thrashers currently

occur within the assessment area. Thus, management of public lands within the assessment

area will not influence the conservation of this

species.

Summer tanager (Piranga rubra)

Status and Distribution: The summer

tanager is a California Species of Special Concern. There is recent (1998) documentation

of summer tanagers nesting along the Santa

Clara River in Soledad Canyon and along Big

Rock Creek near the town of Valyermo (D.

Cooper, UC Riverside, in litt.), although neither location appears to be on public land. Dan

Birds

Bendire’s thrasher Mod y Low Unkn Minimal

(< 1%) Influence

Le Conte’s thrasher Mod p p p p Low Unkn Minimal

(< 1%) Influence

Summer tanager Mod t t t y Low Unkn Minimal

(< 5%) Influence

Mammals

California leaf-nosed Low y p p p p p Unkn Unkn Minimal

 bat (< 5%) Influence

Mohave ground squirrel Low p p Low Unkn Minimal

 (0%) Influence

Desert Floor

Animals of Concern

federal status

(1)

Knowledge

of SoCal

Locations

(% on NFs)

(5)

Conservation

Category

(4)

 Pop.

Trend

(3)

Vulnerability

on NFs

(2) areas occupied or estimated # of occurrences if spp. localized

Cleveland NF Angeles NF Los Padres NF San Bern. NF

San

Diego

Rngs

San

Jac

Mts

Snta

Ana

Mts

San

Bern

Mts

No.

SL

Rng

So.

SL

Rng

San

Gab

Mts

Castaic

Rngs

So.

LP

Rngs

Table 4.22. Animals associated with desert habitats that received individual consideration.

Displayed for each species: (1) the level of knowledge about where it occurs in southern California and, in

parentheses, the estimated percentage of locations that are on national forest system lands; (2) the mountain

subareas occupied (y = occurs in breeding season, h = historically occurred, p = potentially occurs, t transient,

w = winter visitor)—if the species is localized and data are available, the approximate number of occurrences may be

displayed; (3) the vulnerability of populations on national forest system lands to existing threat factors; (4)

population trends; and (5) the assigned conservation category.

Reptiles

Desert tortoise Mod p p Low Unkn Minimal

 threatened (< 1%) Influence
221

 Chapter 4

Figure 4.33. Range of the desert tortoise and known locations of the tortoise and Mohave ground squirrel in

the vicinity of the assessment area (from CNDDB 1999).

Cooper stated that they probably nest in Fremont cottonwood groves all along the

northern base of the San Gabriel Mountains.

Summer tanagers are also reported from the

Mojave River at Mojave Narrows Regional

Park and Whitewater Canyon along the base

of the San Bernardino Mountains (P. Unitt,

SDNHM, unpubl. document), and the lower

reaches of Palm and Andreas canyons on the

desert-side of the San Jacinto Mountains (D.

Freeman, San Bernardino NF, unpubl. notes).

Habitat: Summer tanagers nest in desert

riparian groves, typically dominated by mature Fremont cottonwoods (Garrett and Dunn

1981).

Conservation Considerations: Riparian

gallery forests on the desert’s edge at the base

of the San Gabriel, San Bernardino, and San

Jacinto mountains are important habitats for

summer tanagers and should be protected.

There is a need to document where these habitats occur on public lands and survey those

areas for summer tanagers.

California leaf-nosed bat

(Macrotus californicus)

Status and Distribution: The California

leaf-nosed bat is a California Species of Special Concern. The distribution of this species

in the assessment area is poorly known; it was
222

not detected in bat surveys conducted by the

Forest Service from 1996 to 1998 (Simons et

al. in prep.). California leaf-nosed bats have

reportedly been observed in the Arrastre Creek

area of the San Bernardino Mountains and on

the desert side of the San Jacinto Mountains

(Diane Freeman, San Bernardino NF, unpubl.

notes).

Habitat: California leaf-nosed bats are

strongly associated with desert riparian and

wash habitat. Radio-telemetry work done on

this species in the California desert found them

foraging almost exclusively in desert washes

(Brown et al. 1993). They roost in mine shafts

and caves (Brown 1998). Long, warm mine

tunnels are utilized for winter roosts and maternity colonies (Berry and Brown 1995).

Conservation Considerations: Desert riparian habitats and suitable mine shafts are

important to the conservation of this species.

Surveys are needed to determine if occupied

roosting or foraging habitat occurs within the

assessment area.

Mohave ground squirrel

(Spermophilus mohavensis)

Status and Distribution: The Mohave

ground squirrel is state listed as threatened.

The current range of this species, delineated,

is well north of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains in the Mojave Desert (Best

1995). However, there are historic records

from Apple Valley and Lucerne Valley (fig.

4.33) (Whitaker 1991). These are close to the

San Bernardino Mountains and potential habitat seems to extend a short ways up into the

mountains. Mohave ground squirrels have

been found at elevations up to 5,000 feet in

some desert ranges (Best 1995).

Habitat: Optimal habitats for Mohave

ground squirrels are open desert scrub (e.g.,

creosote bush), open alkali scrub (e.g., saltbush), and Joshua tree woodlands (Zeiner et

al. 1990b). They typically construct burrows

in the sandy soils of desert washes (Best 1995).

Conservation Considerations: It appears

unlikely that Mohave ground squirrels currently occur within the assessment area. Thus,

management of public lands within the assessment area will not influence the conservation

of this species.