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Birds as Indicators of Riparian Vegetation Condition in the Western U.S.

Riparian Obligate Species

These are species that place >90% of their nests in riparian vegetation or for which >90% of their abundance occurs in riparian vegetation during the breeding season. They may forage outside riparian vegetation. Without riparian vegetation in good ecological condition, these species will not occur in a given area. Some species may be classified as obligates in one geographic area but not another.

Obligate Species¹	Conservation Action Required in Geographic Region³						Vegetation Layer(s) Used⁴
Obligate Species¹	Coastal	Northern Rockies	Great Basin	Arid S. West	Co. Plat./S. Rockies	Prairies	Understory	Midstory	Canopy
Abert's Towhee				•			•
American Dipper							•
American Redstart							•	•	•
Bald Eagle							•		•
Bell's Vireo	•		•	•			•	•
Belted Kingfisher							•	•
Black Swift					•				•
Broad-billed Hummingbird				•			•	•
Brown-crested Flycatcher								•
Common Blackhawk				•	•			•	•
Common Yellowthroat	•				•		•
Elegant Trogon				•				•	•
Gila Woodpecker				•				•	•
Gray Hawk								•	•
Green Kingfisher							•	•
Lincoln's Sparrow							•
Lucy's Warbler			•	•			•	•
Northern Beardless-tyrannulet								•	•
Orange-crowned Warbler			•				•	•
Orchard Oriole								•	•
Painted Bunting				•		•	•	•
Rose-throated Becard								•	•
Song Sparrow	•						•
Streak-backed Oriole								•	•
Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher								•	•
Summer Tanager				•	•			•	•
Thick-billed Kingbird				•				•	•
Tropical Kingbird								•	•
Varied Bunting							•	•
Veery		•	•				•	•
Vermillion Flycatcher							•	•
Violet-crowned Hummingbird				•			•	•
Willow Flycatcher	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•
Wilson's Warbler	•	•	•				•	•	•
Yellow Warbler	•		•					•	•
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	•		•	•	•	•		•	•
Yellow-breasted Chat	•		•	•	•		•	•

¹Species is considered to be Obligate (see definitions) in at least one geographic region (see map).
³The Western Working Group of Partners in Flight determined that conservation action is needed now for the species in the geographic region(s) indicated.
⁴The vegetation layer(s) used most by the species. The species is most useful as an indicator of the ecological condition of the layer(s) used.

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Page Last Modified: Friday, 01-Feb-2013 19:51:25 EST
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