Natural
History A
Compendium of Environmental and Resource Information
Species At Risk Topics
Birds
Overview
At this time (March, 1999) there
are 78 bird species on the provincial RED and BLUE lists. Of these,
19 are found in the Columbia Basin (Table 1). Brief species accounts
for the19 species are provided by Beardmore, 1999.
Table 1. Rare Birds
of the Columbia Basin (from Beardmore, 1999).
Common
Name
Latin
Name
Status
Provincial
List
White-throated
Swift
Aeronautes
saxatilis
G5/S3,S4
Blue
Great
Blue Heron
Ardea
herodias
G5/S3B,SZN
Blue
Short-eared
Owl
Asio
flammeus
G5/S2N,S3B
Blue
American
Bittern
Botaurus
lentiginosus
G4/S3B,SZN
Blue
Swainson's
Hawk
Buteo
swainsoni
G5/S2B,SZN
Blue
Bobolink
Dolichonyx
oryzivorus
G5/S3B,SZN
Blue
Prairie
Falcon
Falco
mexicanus
G5/S2B,SZN
Red
Peregrine
Falcon
Falco
peregrinus anatum
G4T3/S2B,SZN
Red
Sandhill
Crane
Grus
canadensis
G5/S3B,SZN
Blue
Canyon
Wren
Catherpes
mexicanus
G5/S3
Blue
Western
Grebe
Aechmophorus
occidentalis
G5/S1B,S3N
Red
Lewis'
Woodpecker
Melanerpes
lewis
G5/S3B,SZN
Blue
Long-billed
Curlew
Numenius
americanus
G5/S3B,SZN
Blue
Flammulated
Owl
Otus
flammeolus
G4/S3,S4B,SZN
Blue
Western
Screech Owl
Otus
kennicottii macfarlanei
G5TQ/S2
Blue
Williamson's
Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus
thyroideus nataliae
G5TU/S1,S2B
Red
Sharp-tailed
Grouse
Tympanuchus
phasianellus columbianus
G4T3/S3
Blue
American
Avocet
Recurvirostra
americana
G5/S2,S3B,SZN
Blue
Foster's
Tern
Sterna
forsteri
G5/S1B,SZN
Red
Great
Blue Heron
The
centre of rarity for birds in the Columbia Basin is along the Rocky
Mountain Trench, and in the drier parts of the basin, mainly the
southern East Kootenay. There are two reasons for this. First, most
of the Yellow-Listed species shown on the map (below) are individual
documented occurrences of Bald Eagles. Yellow-listed species are
"of management concern," but not necessarily rare, vulnerable
or endangered. Secondly, many of the species of dry habitat types
(Ponderosa Pine and Interior Douglas Fir biogeoclimatic zones) are
at the northern limits of there range in British Columbia and are
therefore rare enough, or their typically valley-bottom habitat
is threatened enough, to warrant listing, although they may not
necessarily be vulnerable or endangered throughout their range,
most of which is to the south.
The
centre of rarity for birds in the Columbia Basin is along the Rocky
Mountain Trench, and in the drier parts of the basin, mainly the
southern East Kootenay. There are two reasons for this. First, most
of the Yellow-Listed species shown on the map (below) are individual
documented occurrences of Bald Eagles. Yellow-listed species are
"of management concern," but not necessarily rare, vulnerable
or endangered. Secondly, many of the species of dry habitat types
(Ponderosa Pine and Interior Douglas Fir biogeoclimatic zones) are
at the northern limits of there range in British Columbia and are
therefore rare enough, or their typically valley-bottom habitat
is threatened enough, to warrant listing, although they may not
necessarily be vulnerable or endangered throughout their range,
most of which is to the south.