Welcome to Audubon's Arizona Important Bird Areas (IBA) Program website!!
Events and News:
Lower San Pedro IBA News
Lower San Pedro River Important Bird Area. Help the AZ IBA Program conduct “backcountry” bird surveys within this IBA on BHP Billiton riparian-lands, San Manuel, Arizona*May 30, 2009, Saturday (Friday night motel provided). Survey Type: Point Counts.
*June 20, 2009, Saturday (Friday night motel provided). Survey Type: Area Search –Mature tall tree groves.
*July 11, 2009, Saturday (Friday night motel provided). Survey Type: Transect.
We continue with our special surveys to help inventory bird use of BHP Billiton's riparian held lands (9.5 mi. in length) near San Manuel, Arizona, within the Lower San Pedro IBA. Three sets of surveys are coming up soon and we ask for your assistance! We will traverse through some outstanding “backcountry” (trail-less) riparian habitat, some of the best in the state. You will be sure to be thrilled by the birds encountered! These surveys are open to all trained IBA volunteers or those with previous bird survey experience (of any kind—please call to discuss) . The May 30 th , is particularly suited to bird surveyors who can identify bird species by song and/or call.
These are “breeding time period surveys”, so the low elevation riparian-bird community will be singing in full force! The diversity is amazing as we know from last year's one time survey. These surveys should include the return of the nesting Kingbirds (Tropical and Thick-billed, Cassin's, and Western), Willow Flycatcher, and Yellow-billed Cuckoo.
Audubon is partnering to conserve these critical lands, and we are employing the best science-based bird monitoring methods using volunteers and professionals to obtain species abundance, distribution, breeding, and habitat-use information for our partners.
We can provide lodging in San Manuel (Fri. night) and offer mileage reimbursement to participants in need. We will also host a Saturday lunch after each survey in appreciation of your assistance!
Contact: Scott or Ruth at AZ IBA Program office at Tucson Audubon (520-628-1730) for more information and to sign up.
- BHP July 2008 Bird Survey Report - available now!
Patagonia/Santa Rita Mountains Area News
Patagonia Mountains, Coronado National Forest. Join the AZ IBA Program in a “backcountry” bird survey within this range .June 6, 2009, Saturday (Friday night camping & owling). 2nd survey.
Experience bird surveyors welcome (IBA trained or other program). We will be surveying the Humboldt Canyon system, as we further document the bird communities throughout the range in order to assess its potential for IBA status. Two or three canyons reaches will be surveyed on this trip, following our transect survey method. The pine/oak bird community will be our focus. Our goal within this mountain range is to document areas of high value to bird populations of conservation concern in Arizona, and to prepare our findings for the Coronado National Forest, and evaluate this range for IBA recognition under Audubon's program. Focus birds include: all Owls, all raptors, Arizona Woodpecker, Elegant Trogon, Montezuma Quail, Band-tailed Pigeon, and Olive Warbler.
Friday: Lead into camping spot from town of Patagonia on 3 pm Friday afternoon.
Saturday: Survey from 5:20 am to 11 am, return to campsite for lunch, and depart.
Contact: Scott or Ruth at AZ IBA Program office at Tucson Audubon (520-628-1730) for more information and to sign up.
Sabino Creek IBA - Tanque Verde Basin News
More survey opportunities coming soon.Western Arizona Desert News
- More news coming again soon, including summary results of our “Thrasher Bash” bird surveys at Barry M. Goldwater Range East, Cabeza Prieta NWR, and Organ Pipe NM.
Arizona IBA Bird Survey Database, hosted by the Tucson Audubon Society.
Arizona IBA Bird Survey Data Entry (valid login required)
Submit Survey & IBA Images (valid login required)
The AZ IBA Program Avian Science Initiative
This is the program's initiative to collect science-based ornithological data in order to:
- Rigorously identify IBAs in Arizona through review by our AZ IBA Program Science Committee,
- To contribute ornithological inventory and monitoring data to Arizona Game and Fish Department, through the Coordinated Bird Monitoring Program of the Arizona Bird Conservation Initiative, and to
- Provide site and species specific ornithological survey results to our agency and land manager partners in order to benefit the conservation of avian species of conservation concern.
The AZ IBA Bird Survey Database is an evolving project. The database is expected to be constantly improved upon over time.
Access to enter data into the AZ IBA Bird Survey Database is through an assigned password provided by contacting the IBA office at Tucson Audubon Society, Ruth Wilderman (520) 628-1730.
In order to obtain more specific information about forming or joining IBA Bird Survey Team, bird survey training workshops, protocols employed in the surveys, and survey designs, please contact the IBA Program office at Tucson Audubon Society (520) 628-1730.
Photo: Jim Prudente
IBA Program Resources
Conducting Bird Surveys (2009 Updates):
AZ IBA Bird Survey Protocol Document
Line Transect Datasheet
Point Count Datasheet
Point Count (100m, 5 min.) Datasheet
Area Search
Census Datasheet
Nocturnal Datasheet
Code Sheet
Universal Coversheet
Survey Time Periods and General Dates for Transects, Area Search, Point Counts and Census
Species Codes
IBA Nomination Materials:
IBA Nomination Form (Sept. 2007)
Bird Data Form Extra
IBA Site Criteria (2009)
Land Ownership Guidelines
Arizona Special Status Species 2008
Current Arizona IBA information & AZ WatchList
Arizona IBAs
Potential future AZ IBAs
Recognized IBAs in Arizona (formal IBA recognition event held)
WatchList/SGCN Species for Arizona
Index to Abundance (Density/Freq.) Species Query (valid login required)
Index to Abundance (Density/Freq.) Summary Query (valid login required)
The Arizona Important Bird Areas Program is co-administered by:
Audubon Arizona (Tice Supple, Director of Bird Conservation) and Tucson Audubon Society (Scott Wilbor, AZ IBA Program Conservation Biologist, and Ruth Wilderman, IBA Program Assistant at Tucson Audubon Society).
The Arizona IBA Program, Avian Science Initiative is led by the Arizona IBA Program at Tucson Audubon Society . This website and the AZ IBA Bird Survey Database linked within it are administered by Tucson Audubon Society.
To participate in science-based IBA bird surveys managed by Audubon's IBA Program in Arizona , including surveys at potential IBAs, existing IBAs, or at sites of interest to Audubon chapters in AZ, please contact Scott Wilbor, AZ IBA Program Conservation Biologist at Tucson Audubon Society (520) 628-1730.
To inquire about the AZ IBA Program in general, including the IBA nomination and review process, the AZ IBA Science Committee, IBAs identified to date, and IBA recognition & publicity, as well as Audubon state policy issues, please contact Tice Supplee, Director of Bird Conservation at Audubon Arizona (620) 468-6470.
Additionally, both IBA Program offices in Arizona work on issues and specific projects for the conservation of Important Bird Areas in Arizona . The IBA Program works with people to promote win-win-win objectives for people, wildlife, communities, and sustainable economies.
The AZ IBA Program also works in partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department (through the Arizona Bird Conservation Initiative), the Sonoran Joint Venture, the Intermountain West Joint Venture, Arizona State Parks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, BLM, land trusts, and various non-governmental organizations, colleges, and universities.
See Arizona IBA Program web pages at:
http://www.tucsonaudubon.org/azibaprogram
http://az.audubon.org/BirdSci.html
For IBA site information in Arizona:
http://www.audubon.org/bird/iba/index.html