2011 Abundance and productivity of long-billed curlews (Numenius americanus) in the Long-billed Curlew Area of Critical Environmental Concern of southwest Idaho

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This report summarizes 2011 efforts to study long-billed curlews (Numenius americanus) in the Long-billed Curlew Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) on the BLM Four Rivers Field Office in southwest Idaho. This includes a continued, intensive abundance survey as well as nest monitoring efforts. Long-billed curlews are identified as a "Species of Greatest Conservation Need" in the Idaho Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy and a "Watch List Species" by BLM, and are thus of particular interest to wildlife management agencies. During 2011, we detected an average of 0.86 long-billed curlews per point/survey; markedly lower than the 1.59 curlews detected per point during surveys within the ACEC during 2007–2011 combined. As with prior years, curlews were not distributed evenly throughout the ACEC, and curlews were most abundant in the eastern half of the ACEC. The estimated 2011 population size of adult curlews within the ACEC was 161, substantially lower than 2007–2010 estimates (276–306). Relative to 2009 and 2010, when we located 17 and 20 nests, respectively, results in 2011 were disappointing in that we only located/monitored 3 long-billed curlew nests, only one of which was successful. Throughout the season, we noticed fewer birds and, especially, fewer females than in recent years—suggesting that 2011 was a year in which fewer curlews attempted breeding on the ACEC. As with past years, the low nest success rate is reason for concern. During the 2011 field season, we also found three dead curlews along roadways. These results indicate that although curlews still breed in the ACEC, they continue to decline and several issues and threats need to be addressed.

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ELECTRONIC FILE - Zoology

SWAP (2/19/2016) citation (but with corrected publication date):
Carlisle J, Moulton C. 2012. 2011 Abundance and productivity of long-billed curlews (Numenius americanus) in the Long-billed Curlew Area of Critical Environmental Concern of southwest Idaho. Boise (ID): Boise State University, Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho Bird Observatory. 30 p. Annual report prepared for Idaho Department of Fish and Game, BLM Four Rivers Field Office, and US Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 6.