Birds counted during the 2006 BBS continue to remain
well above the annual mean at the INL. Species closely associated with
shrub-steppe/grassland habitats were detected in the greatest numbers.
Horned larks continue to be the most common species detected on both
remote and facility routes, boosting the overall total of birds.
Western meadowlark, Brewer’s sparrow, sage thrasher, and sage sparrow
continue to be the top five species observed. The Tractor Flats route
had the most species recorded during 2006 as well as the most
individuals identified than any other route.
Data analysis shows a significant difference in the
total number of birds detected from 1985 to 2006 over the entire INL.
This difference was also noticed in remote areas as well as facility
areas. Factors that affect a population range from natural events,
such as drought, wildfires and normal population fluctuations, to
non-natural events such as the removal of resources through
development or chemical application, and observer bias and experience.
A significant difference was also detected in the
number of species detected from 1985 to 2006 using data from all
routes, and the combination of data from remote and facility routes.
Factors that influence species richness range from a change in habitat
(creation or destruction) to the dispersion of individuals from nearby
habitats looking for new places to nest. Overall, the most species
seen per year occurs on the Kyle Canyon route, while PBF has the least
number of species detected per year. Although the total number of
species recorded during 2006 was slightly down from last year, more
species per route were observed in 2006 than any other year.
Due to the expanding activities on the INL, we would recommend further
analysis to determine factors that may be influencing abundance and
species diversity on individual routes. This will provide insight to
the impacts that activities on the INL are having on breeding bird
populations.
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