In 2014, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) listed the Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The majority of the 500,000 acres of its proposed critical habitat is in Arizona. Even before the cuckoo’s listing, Audubon Arizona field crews have been conducting surveys for the bird to identify and preserve its habitat.
Summer 2017 produced another season of field surveys for the Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo, with results sent to the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, and USFWS to drive management recommendations. Findings showed that potentially-breeding cuckoos occupy reaches of the Agua Fria River, San Pedro River, Verde River, and the Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch, but just as important were surveys in areas where cuckoos were not detected. Data collected identified factors that inhibit the cuckoo’s breeding potential, like summer grazing pressure, and that knowledge can aid decision-makers in establishing responsible management practices.
Not only does Audubon Arizona help the cuckoo– we provide opportunities for youth interested in conservation careers. |
