Endangered Birds of Nevada

Recently I published a post on the 15 Endangered Birds of Florida. Due to the popularity of that post I decided to post a follow up article covering the endangered, or threatened, birds of Nevada.

As per usual, sadly, most of these birds are threatened as a direct result of humans’ actions such as: developing the birds’ natural habitat into residential areas or farmlands, and pesticides killing them off. (click here to go directly to how you can support Birding Planet’s conservation efforts worldwide )

So, in no particular order, here are the endangered birds of Nevada.

Bendire’s Thrasher 

It is 23–28 centimetres (9.1–11.0 in) long, with a long tail and a medium-sized bill. It is grayish-brown on its upperparts with paler, faintly dark streaked underparts. His eyes are a bright yellow, and the tips of the tail are white.

The Bendire’s thrasher makes a cup-shaped nest from twigs, lining the interior with grass stems and rootlets. It is usually placed in a cactus or an otherwise thorny desert shrub or tree. The female lays three or four eggs, which are pale green to blue in color, and speckled with brown and purple. It likes to eat small ground-dwelling insects as well as berries.

The Bendire’s thrasher is listed as Vulnerable due to range-wide declines primarily as a result of the conversion of habitat to farmland.

Southwestern Willow Flycatcher

The Southwestern Willow Flycatcher is less than 15 cm (5.75 in) long from the tip of its bill to the tip of its tail. It weighs 11-12 grams. It has a brownish-olive to gray-green upper body, a whitish throat and a pale olive breast.

They have a completely yellow lower mandible and no conspicuous eye-ring. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher as a federally endangered species in 1995, and completed a plan for its recovery in 2002. By 2002, it was estimated that only 900 to 1100 pairs existed.

One of the primary reasons for the decline of this species is the loss and degradation of dense, native riparian habitats. Water impoundment (dams), water diversion for agriculture, and groundwater pumping all have altered streamflow and thus riparian vegetation. Other impacts to riparian habitat are caused by stream bank stabilization, riparian vegetation control, livestock grazing, off-road vehicle use, increased fires and urban development. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service revised flycatcher critical habitat in January 2013, following previous designations in 1997 and 2005. The current critical habitat designation follows Recovery Plan goals, and identifies 1,975 stream kilometers in Arizona, New Mexico, and the southern portions of California, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado.

See other Flycatcher posts here.

Yuma Clapper Rail

A large-footed marsh bird with paler underparts than other Clapper Rails .  Males are larger than females, but the sexes are alike in plumage. They are monogamous and both sexes assist in incubation and brood-rearing. The female usually lays 7 to 11 eggs in a cup nest of grasses, and the chicks can fly after 9 to 10 weeks.

The Yuma clapper rail eats mostly crayfish, clams, freshwater shrimp, fish and various insects.

This species was listed as endangered in 1967. Threats include habitat destruction, primarily due to stream channelization and drying and flooding of marshes, resulting from water flow management on the lower Colorado River. Other threats include contaminants from agricultural tailwaters and exotic vegetation.

Yellow-Billed Cuckoo

Adults have a long tail, brown above and black-and-white below, and a black curved bill with yellow especially on the lower mandible. The head and upper parts are brown and the underparts are white. There is a yellow ring around the eye.

They mainly eat insects, especially tent caterpillars and cicadas, but also some lizards, eggs of other birds and berries.

They nest in a tree or shrub, usually up to 2–12 feet (1–4 meters) above the ground.

The 3-4 eggs are incubated for 14 days or less. The chicks are able to climb about with agility at 7–9 days of age.

Yellow-billed cuckoos occasionally lay eggs in the nests of other birds.