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Potential Habitat for Mountain Plovers on Colorado Springs Utilities Property
The Mountain Plover (Charadrius montanus) is endemic to the Western Great Plains and Colorado Plateau (Mengel, 1970). The bird has become of greater interest with the recent proposal for listing of the species for threatened or endangered status with the USFWS. According to Knopf and Miller (1994), “the Continental population of Mountain Plovers has declined 63% from 1966 to1991.” The species is considered a short grass prairie associate (Graul and Webster 1976), but is also associated with bare ground and disturbance (Knopf and Miller, 1994). Breeders are also found on tall grass where excessive grazing by large herbivores (Luan 1957, Knopf 1996) and prairie dogs has occurred (Tyler 1968, Knowles et al. 1982, Knowles and Knowles 1984, Shackford 1991). To identify potential habitat on current and future Colorado Springs Utilities property, the Utility funded a habitat survey conducted by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program at Colorado State University.
Year Published: 2003.
File Size: .75 MB
