Status of Breeding and Wintering Birds
in Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona
Alison Banks, Charles van Riper III, Steven S. Rosenstock(1)
     10 November 2002
     USGS Southwest Biological Science Center
     Colorado Plateau Field Station
     PO Box 5614
     Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011

            1 Arizona Game and Fish Dept., 2221 W. Greenway Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85023

ABSTRACT
This report provides information on the distribution, relative abundance, and habitat associations of breeding and wintering birds in Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona. We present a summary of historical avian records, in addition to results of standardized surveys conducted during 1998 and 1999. In 1998 we established 10 transects to sample birds within the park. The numbers of count locations within each habitat type were established in proportion to the abundance of that habitat type within the park. Two survey methodologies (strip-transects and variable circular plots) were employed to complete 130 bird surveys during the breeding and winter seasons of 1998 and 1999. We counted a total of 2,812 birds representing 51 species. In addition, birds were captured with mist-nets in riparian habitat along the Puerco River during the 1998 breeding season; sixteen birds of 10 species were banded and breeding status confirmed for two species. Evidence of breeding was observed for 24 species, of which 13 are newly recorded as breeding in the park. A revised park bird checklist is presented with detailed information on abundance and seasonal occurrence of species, with 31 new species added for Petrified Forest NP. This project also provides a monitoring protocol that will enable the park to track over time, potential changes in bird populations. The monitoring protocol will also better enable park managers to assess potential impacts of management activities on avian resources within Petrified Forest National Park.

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Location of vegetation sampling plots relative to bird survey points along transects in Petrified Forest national Park, Arizona.
Figure 2. The vegetative characteristics of bird sampling points in Petrified Forest National Park, by habitat type
Figure 3. The number of bird species detected in the park increases with subsequent sets of surveys within a year
Figure 4. The total number of species detected by strip-transect surveys during the breeding season for 1998, 1999, and the two years combined
Figure 5. Numbers of birds and species detected per hour of survey effort, which includes travel time among points for point count surveys
Figure 6. Bird communities according to habitat type

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. Bird survey transects established in Petrified Forest National Park, 1998
Table 2. Summary of vegetation characteristics by transect, Petrified Forest National Park, June 1999
Table 3. Relative abundance of bird species in Petrified Forest National Park, from all surveys, all transects, breeding and winter seasons, 1998 and 1999 combined
Table 4. Relative abundance of bird species in the park during breeding season, from all surveys, all transects, 1998 and 1999 combined
Table 5. Winter abundance of birds species along all transects in the park, surveys combined, 1998-1999
Table 6. Bird species relative abundances in grass-shrub habitats during 1998 and 1999 breeding seasons, where Horned Larks were the most abundant species
Table 7. Bird species relative abundances in cliff-side short-shrub and dune habitats, during 1998 and 1999 breeding seasons, where Rock Wrens were the most abundant species
Table 8. Bird species relative abundances in juniper woodland habitat at Pintado Point, during 1998 and 1999 breeding seasons
Table 9. Bird species relative abundances in riparian woodland habitat at Puerco River, during 1998 and 1999)breeding seasons

Appendix I. UTM coordinates for bird survey transects, Petrified Forest National Park, 1998
Appendix II. Bird survey transect descriptions for Petrified Forest National Park
Appendix III. Vegetation measurement protocol for sampling bird habitat along transects
Appendix IV. Vegetation measurement data collection sheet for sampling bird habitat, 1999
Appendix V. Data collection sheets for bird surveys in Petrified Forest National Park
Appendix VI. Species of woody vegetation found on bird survey transects in Petrified Forest National Park, June 1999
Appendix VII. Tree tally, Puerco River and Pintado Point transects, June 1999
Appendix VIII. Shrub and canopy measurements at the Puerco River transect, June 1999
Appendix IX. Reference list of unpublished documents relating to birds in Petrified Forest National Park
Appendix X. Museums queried for avian specimens collected in Petrified Forest National Park
Appendix XI. Avian specimens collected in Petrified Forest National Park
Appendix XII. A summary of Natural History Field Observation Cards submitted to Petrified Forest National Park by park personnel and visitors between 1960 and 1999
Appendix XIII. Breeding season bird detections, by survey location, in Petrified Forest National Park, 1998 and 1999
Appendix XIV. Winter season bird detections, by survey location, in Petrified Forest National Park, 1998-1999
Appendix XV. Birds captured by mist-net at Puerco River, Petrified Forest National Park, June 1998
Appendix XVI. Observations of bird breeding activity in Petrified Forest National Park, 1998 and 1999

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank Micki Hellickson, Karen Beppler, Bill Grether, Pat Quinn, and Pat Thompson at Petrified Forest National Park for their cooperation and financial support of this project. We thank Marg Lomow for assistance with conducting bird surveys and collecting habitat data in 1999. Jan Hart and Chris O’Brien helped in transect establishment and Katie Moore assisted with vegetation data collection. The following also volunteered their assistance to the project: Kim Hansen, Kuong Khau, Randy Lovejoy, Andi Rogers, and James Taurman.