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- All Subjects: Ferruginous pygmy owl
- All Subjects: Water quality
- All Subjects: Aquatic animals
- Creators: Pima County (Ariz.). County Administrator's Office
Pima Association of Governments has worked with County staff for over two years on a series of riparian and water resource studies related to the SDCP and Comprehensive Land Use Plan. The three studies found within this document represent the final versions of (1) Water Quality in Pima County; (2) Water Quality of Priority Streams in Pima County; and (3) Water Quality Requirements of Native Aquatic Species in Pima County.
Most of the owls until just the last couple of years have been found in residential areas in northwest Tucson. It take a lot of cooperation on the parts of private residents to help get the work done. These are incredible little birds that fill an interesting role in the environment since they are more diurnal versus nocturnal. Our objective is to gather as much information as fast as possible to feed into the process to make this County plan based on the best available science that we have.
The historical range of the ferruginous pygmy-owl included areas of southern Arizona, southern Texas extending south along both coasts in Mexico, through Central America into the southernmost population in Argentina. However, over the past 150 years urban and agricultural expansion within the United States has reduced its population to a few isolated pockets of uncertain stability.
The Arizona population of the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl was listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act in 1997. Historical records and recent surveys definitely show a decline of species. There is a wealth of historical information out there and it still trickles in every day.
To facilitate development of the Environmental Impact Statement which must accompany the Section 10 multi-species conservation proposal, a series of issue papers is being published. This study discusses water resources in the context of the alternatives being considered to date.
This study by DR. Philip Rosen stands as one of the most impressive, given the scope of the author's knowledge, and it is one of the most ingenious, given the proposed concepts for restoration and protection of native fish and frogs within the urban Tucson Basin.
Mr. Proudfoot, the leading pygmy-owl biologist in the United States, has worked for the last two years to gather and analyze the data that allows us to address issues regarding the genetic viability of ferruginous pygmy-owls in Arizona and to establish a framework for future management efforts. The two major questions addressed are (1) do populations of concern lack genetic variation relative to putative healthy populations, and (2) how unique are geographically distinct populations within a species of special concern?
The pygmy-owl was listed as endangered in 1997, but notice of the potential listing dates back to 1989. This paper provides a report on pygmy-owl research and rulings, evaluates whether the efforts of the community are leading to the recovery, downlisting and delisting of the pygmy-owl, and concludes that with the exception of valuable in-kind services of the Arizona Game and Fish Department pygmy-owl biologist, meaningful financial support for research and conservation planning efforts has been limited to federal and County contributions.
Provides a brief review of the rules, listing history, and biological issues relevant to the status and protection of the pygmy-owl in Pima County. Land use in unincorporated northwest Pima County is analyzed to determine existing commitments and conservation opportunities, and in order to begin to answer the question of whether a general biological goal of conserving 80 percent of the pygmy-owl's habitat can be achieved.
Pima County contracted with Arizona Game and Fish Department to conduct telemetry analysis and gather information that would lead to effective conservation and recovery initiatives for the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl. During 1997, banded birds were monitored. Beginning in 1998 and during 1999, pygmy-owls were radio-marked with backpack transmitters and followed on foot or by vehicle.