West Mojave Plan FEIR/S - Desert Managers Group

3.3.6.15 Western Yellow-billed CuckooLife History: Yellow-billed cuckoos have one of the most restrictive suites of macrohabitatrequirements of any bird species. Not only are they restricted to a single habitat type, thesize and configuration of the habitat is also extremely important. During the breeding season inCalifornia, they are confined to cottonwood-willow riparian forest containing a tall canopy.Population Status in the Planning Area: While there are no records of nesting areaswithin the planning area, birds have been seen during the breeding season along the MojaveRiver between Victorville and Barstow. Desert oases, with willows and cottonwoods, couldprovide habitat for migrating yellow-billed cuckoos. One migratory bird was observed in 2001at upper Sand Canyon in Kern County.Regulatory Status: Federal Candidate, California Endangered.Threats Affecting the Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo: The primary threat to this birdis riparian habitat loss.3.3.6.16 Yellow-breasted chatLife History: All breeding in the western Mojave Desert occurs in riparian habitatsdominated by cottonwoods and willows. Nesting habitat must have dense understory vegetationand larger trees that are used for singing perches.Population Status in the Planning Area: Yellow-breasted chats have nested at fivelocalities: the Mojave River at Victorville (6-10 pairs annually), Camp Cady (2 pairs in 1985),Morongo Valley (2-7 pairs annually), Cushenbury Springs (1 pair, sporadically), and AftonCanyon (1 pair in 1977).Yellow-breasted chats are uncommon to rare migrants throughout the West Mojave.They have not been reported during winter.Regulatory Status: California Species of Special Concern.Threats Affecting the Yellow-breasted Chat: Habitat destruction and parasitism bybrown-headed cowbirds are the primary threats to breeding yellow-breasted chats in the westernMojave Desert. Habitat destruction and degradation occurs in many ways, with the mostcatastrophic losses resulting from clearing of large tracts of forest or woodland for agriculture,development, or flood control. Groundwater pumping can also lead to loss of suitable nestinghabitat.3.3.6.17 Yellow WarblerLife History: In the California desert, yellow warblers occur in riparian woodland orforest dominated by cottonwoods and willows. This species nests in habitats with denseunderstory vegetation that contain cottonwoods and willows. Fremont cottonwoods and largerChapter 3 3-181