Associated Species: Cooper’s Hawk, Red-headed Woodpecker, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Yellow Warbler, Summer Tanager, Indigo Bunting, Painted Bunting, Bullock’s Oriole

• riparian obligate preferring later seral stages of cottonwood/willow associations with a dense understory
• nests in tamarisk when native vegetation not available in the Pecos Valley, not elsewhere (Howe 1986)
• density along the Pecos is positively correlated with height of tamarisk (B. Howe pers.comm.)
• along the Gila, breeding is confined to the tallest, densest patches (Stoleson and Finch 1998)
• prefers standing or slow-moving water within 328 ft (100m)
• sensitive to fragmentation and patches of 99ac (40ha) minimum in many areas; occupy much smaller patches on the Gila:sometimes as little as 7ac (3ha) with short distances 164-1640 ft (50-500m) between patches. (S. Stoleson pers.comm.)
• along the Gila River, nest heights range from 8.9-61.7 ft (2.7 -18.8m) averaging 30.5 ft (9.3m) in deciduous trees (S. Stoleson pers. comm.) often overgrown with vines and well concealed by surrounding or overhanging foliage
• breeding often coincides with cicada or tent caterpillar outbreaks
• hairy caterpillars comprise a large proportion of diet

Distribution: Found statewide in riparian areas and walnut-lined corridors, but less common in the far northwestern and far northeastern portions of the state.

• in Region 2, T = -1.6%, p = 0.001, N =200, RA=6.35 (Sauer et al. 1997)
• maintain habitat or enhance more cottonwood/willow associations where appropriate along the lower Pecos River (Fort Sumner south) and Middle Rio Grande Valley (Espanola to La Joya excluding urbanized areas) to maintain species density at 3pair per 100ac (Howe 1986)
• maintain density at 1pair per 100ac along the San Juan River and in urbanized stretches in the Middle Rio Grande Valley (Howe 1986)
• protect current cuckoo nesting areas
• regenerate potential cuckoo habitat near existing habitat using not only cottonwood but willow pole plantings
• graze riparian areas that meet habitat requirements lightly or in ways which do not destroy the density of the understory
• maintain a minimum 20ft (65.6 m) height in dominant trees. Well developed low- and mid-story are essential to maintain a high density of birds
• encourage any and all native revegetation efforts below Caballo Dam on the Rio Grande

Associated species: Western Screech-Owl, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Western Wood-Pewee, Eastern Phoebe, Cassin’s Kingbird, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Summer Tanager

• a very large open canopy, and standing dead or downed snags are important for perches and food sources
• found in three distinct habitats: open cottonwood-dominated riparian woodland, but also open ponderosa pine forest and burned pine forest. May also use old orchards and semi-urban areas
• pine forests may be preferred at higher elevations; cottonwood forests are preferred at lower elevations
• in burned forest, may move in several years after a fire
• nests in large, dead or decaying trees often just before a branching limb
• nest trees are larger and taller than random sample
• often exhibits semi-colonial nature

Distribution: found in mountainous areas from the Sacramento and Mogollon Mountains north and in lower riparian areas from Belen north.

• in the West, T = -1.9%, p = 0.32, N =65, RA=0.18 (Sauer et al. 1997)
• monitoring populations may be difficult due to a minimum of nest-site fidelity
• maintain known populations south of Cochiti Lake especially in the Corrales Bosque and along the Rio Grande between Isleta Pueblo and Belen
• reverse BBS trend to positive significant trend
• maintain old, mature cottonwoods and snags where possible and allow regeneration of young cottonwoods

Associated Species: American Kestrel, Northern Flicker, Blue Jay, Eastern Bluebird

• riparian forests; also agricultural areas with large trees; may use utility poles
• territory size in the eastern U.S. is reported as 10ac (4ha)
• may select old burn areas
• nest sites generally surrounded by 98ft (30m) of open areas that contain dead or live trees
• in Colorado, cottonwoods with the most dead limb length are selected
• prefers limbs without bark for nests
• excavates cavities where natural crevices exist, generally 10-50 ft (3-18m) above the ground
• European Starlings outcompete for nest sites; may be outcompeted by Lewis’s Woodpecker

Distribution: Breeds in the eastern plains, west to Maxwell, possibly Las Vegas, and the Pecos Valley from Fort Sumner south.

• in Region 2, T = -4.3%, p = 0.001, N = 87, RA=0.82 (Sauer et al. 1997)
• maintain at least 30 breeding pairs in the Fort Sumner area
• maintain populations of at least 8 breeding pair at Bosque Grande (Chaves County), Boone’s Draw, Tucumcari area, and Corrumpa Creek (Union County)
• increase other breeding populations in the Pecos and Staked Plains and eastern Colorado Plateau
• encourage continual regeneration or pole planting of cottonwoods to keep established populations as older nest trees become unusable in the future
• maintain dead limbs or limit their removal
• protect snags in groups
• maintain a range of tree heights and diameters within known breeding areas
• avoid activities that encourage European Starlings
• preserve habitat blocks of greater than 10ac (4ha)

Associated Species: Green Heron, Bell’s Vireo, Gray Catbird, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, Blue Grosbeak

• riparian obligate needing dense habitat and wet soil (NM PIF)
• often found on broad, floodplain areas; avoids narrow and steep-sided canyons
• 10-33 ft (3-10m) tall willows, especially mid-successional stages of willows with coyote willow or other dense shrub understory offering multi-layered structure, is very important (NM PIF)
• Willows are the preferred nesting substrate throughout New Mexico. The exceptions are: nesting in boxelders along the Gila River and tamarisk nesting on the Rio Grande
• mean nest height on the Gila is 24.3 ft (7.4m); much lower in the rest of the state (NM PIF)
• preliminary analyses of microhabitat along the Gila indicates preference for open water or saturated soils, high stem densities, dense understory, dense foliage structure, high canopy cover, and presence of willows; outside of the high canopy cover other habitat variables are consistent with the rest of the state
• predation is a larger problem in the north than further south
• will nest in tamarisk and Russian-olive to varying degrees with appropriate understory structure

Distribution: Core population for the United States in along the Gila River. Other populations scattered across the state but only one current nesting site east of the Rockies.

• No BBS data available for this subspecies
• establish 3 disjunct populations of at least 12 breeding pair in the state by 2009
• establish 2 populations of lesser numbers near each core breeding area
• manage potential habitat to achieve structural and vegetation characteristics necessary to support increasing numbers of breeding Flycatchers within 20 years
• establish or maintain 6 disjunct populations of at least 12 breeding pairs each with 2 satellite populations of lesser numbers by 2019
• maintain dense multi-storied riparian habitat
• maintain mature boxelders on the Gila River. In general, extremely dense, tall 10-33 ft (3-10m) willows or other shrubs are required for nesting. Nesting in taller boxelder occurs on this river. On the Gila River, work will also benefit this species as long a multi-story habitat with willow presence is maintained
• manage water levels to maintain soil saturation in appropriate habitat
• tamarisk eradication is not necessarily part of managing for this species, however when paired with cottonwood and willow reintroduction the habitat eventually produced is considered more suitable

Associated Species: Green Heron, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, Song Sparrow, Black-headed Grosbeak, Blue Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting, Bullock’s Oriole, Lesser Goldfinch

• New Mexico, closely tied to streams and/or irrigation ditches with dense shrubs (NMPIF)
• uses extremely dense thickets of shrubs, willow or alder; Catbird density increases with shrub/tree density
• nests near main trunk of plant in dense shrubbery; average height of nest is generally 56.9% of nest plant height; average height of support tree is 7.5 ft (2.5m)
• most frequently uses horizontal supporting branches averaging 0.51 in (1.3cm) in diameter

Distribution: Breeds in the Rio Grande Valley from Bosque del Apache NWR north, and from Las Vegas north. Recently also found along the San Juan River and along the Rio Grande near Radium Springs.

• in Region 2, T = 0.4%, p = 0.93, N = 25, RA=0.10 (Sauer et al. 1997)
• maintain dense streamside thickets of shrubs, generally willow or alder; density is positively correlated with shrub/tree density

Associated Species: Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Summer Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, Blue Grosbeak, Bullock's Oriole

• mature closed-canopy riparian bosque and late successional stage woodlands, (Stoleson 1998) up to approximately 5000 ft in elevation (T. Corman pers.comm.)
• nests in cavities or behind loose bark, burrows or depressions in banks or rocky crevices, may use tamarisk if all that is available. Will occasionally nest in deserted Verdin or Toxostoma thrasher spp. cavities
• nests in New Mexico have been found in cottonwood, Goodding willow and boxelder; in Arizona where the species has been more extensively studied, the species nests primarily in tall, dense mesquite. This has not been documented in New Mexico
• nests in New Mexico range from 3-43 ft (0.9 - 13.2m) above ground with mean height of 23 ft (7.1m)
• will not use nest boxes

Distribution: Found in the southwestern quadrant of the state north in the Rio Grande Valley to Socorro and occasionally to Bernardo and in the west north to Glenwood area. Not found further east than the Rio Grande River.

• in Region 2, T = -0.3%, p = 0.8, N = 35, RA=8.22 (Sauer et al. 1997)
• maintain or enhance suitable habitat to establish 8 pair per mile in the Rio Grande watershed from Socorro south
• maintain closed canopy riparian forest
• maintain snags along streamsides
• reduce the use of levees to allow floodplain use by rivers during highflow events

Associated Species: Black-crowned Night-Heron, Cooper’s Hawk, Common Black-Hawk, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Lucy’s Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Blue Grosbeak

• occupies riparian woodlands dominated by tall cottonwood, willow, and sycamore where they occur (NM PIF)
• uses cottonwood, Goodding willow and boxelder for nesting in New Mexico (S. Stoleson pers.comm.)
• May use tamarisk dominated woodland at higher elevations (up to approx. 5500ft); tamarisk must be at least 20 ft (66m) in height (B. Howe pers. comm.)
• nests on the Gila River ranged from 14-98 ft (4.3-30m) averaging 39.7 ft (12.1m in height) (Stoleson and Finch 1998)
• bee and wasp specialist; also takes other flying insects; will eat fruit in fall
• forages at average heights of approx. 31 ft (10m) in trees depending on forest structure
• in CA, average height of nests was 35ft (11.3m)

Distribution: Found in drainages in most of the southern two thirds of the state north to Cochiti, probably also regular in small numbers in the Canadian River drainage south of Mills Canyon.

• in Region 2, T = -0.05%, p = 0.37, N = 115, RA=1.44 (Sauer et al. 1997)
• maintain a density of 10 pair per mile along the Rio Grande from Cochiti Lake to Bosque del Apache NWR (Hink & Ohmart 1985), 2 pair per mile along the Pecos River from Santa Rosa south in appropriate habitat (Howe 1986)
• enhance habitat to create conditions favorable to the reestablishment of populations in at least one site above Cochiti Lake
• maintain mature riparian forests with cottonwood and willow associations
• maintain riparian tree height at 20ft (66m), preferably higher

Associated Species: Northern Bobwhite, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Western Kingbird, Northern Cardinal, Blue Grosbeak, Common Grackle

• open areas with large trees or shrubs, sometimes near water, especially streamsides
• in TX, somewhat open areas with scattered shrubs, or streamside bushes with patches of grass or weeds, becoming less abundant with increased or decreased tree density (Oberholser 1974 in Lowther et al. 1999)
• in southeastern NM, often nests in mesquite grassland and desert shrubs such as hackberry; in central-eastern NM, uses dense shelter belts and hedgerows adjacent to open fields and mesquite grasslands (NMPIF)
• nests in deep cups attached to twigs from 3-48 ft (0.9 - 15m) above ground averaging 3.5ft (1.14m) above ground in TX (Barber and Martin 1997 in Lowther et al. 1999)
• susceptible to cowbird parasitism
• may raise two or more broods a year

Distribution: Found in the Pecos Valley north to Carlsbad, occasionally in Roswell and the Rio Grande Valley north to Hatch; also a small population in the Tucumcari area.

• in Region 2, T = -3.2%, p = 0.00, N = 189, RA = 10.21 (Sauer et al. 1997)
• increase population at Rattlesnake Springs to pre-1988 levels: 8 breeding pairs
• increase to 5 populations in the Chihuahuan Desert and 2 in the Pecos and Staked Plains
• maintain presence at recently discovered sites in the Chihuahuan Desert