Hawks Aloft, Inc.
New Mexico
Partners in Flight

Description, importance and conservation status:

Cliff/Cave/Rock habitat is probably better described as a sub-habitat. It occurs wherever rock is found, throughout the state. Areas above treeline are excluded from this designation and included under alpine tundra.

Small caves are found throughout the state. Large cavern openings are rare and are mainly found in the Guadalupe Escarpment, especially at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in Eddy County. Carlsbad Caverns provide nesting habitat for the majority of the state's Cave Swallows. Rocky outcroppings may exist anywhere and even small areas may provide habitat for breeding Rock Wrens. In northern New Mexico, these areas are often free of snow in winter, providing foraging areas for species such as longspurs in rocky portions of grasslands. Cliffs need not be very tall for birds such as Canyon Wrens. Rocky cliffs near or in riparian areas are also included. Black Swifts use cliffs in and around waterfalls. Golden Eagles may nest at 180 ft. or higher above the ground (Hawks Aloft, unpub. data). Steep-sided cliffs with ledges for nest sites or scrapes that allow little or no access from the ground are key components of raptor nesting cliffs.

Owners/managers of these habitats constitute almost all types in the state.

Impacts to these habitats include 1) mining operations, 2) development and 3) disturbance through recreation such as rock climbing.

Physiographic Areas covered: Mexican Highlands, Chihuahuan Desert, Colorado Plateau, Mogollon Rim, Pecos and Staked Plains, Southern Rocky Mountains

Associated Priority Species from Appendices B and C:

Table 1. Cliff/Cave/Rock Priority Species

Highest Priority	Priority	High Responsibility
Prairie Falcon Peregrine Falcon Black Swift Cave Swallow		White-throated Swift Violet-green Swallow Canyon Wren Rock Wren

Bird Habitat Requirements, Population and/or Habitat Objectives
:(in taxonomic order)

Prairie Falcon _{(Steenhof 1998)}

Associated Species: White-throated Swift, Western Kingbird, Horned Lark, Violet-green Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Eastern Meadowlark, Western Meadowlark

open grasslands and shrub-grasslands
most common nest sites are ledges or cavities in cliffs or bluffs
availability of appropriate nest sites can be highly limiting
ground squirrels are important breeding season food source; Horned Larks and meadowlarks in non-breeding season
may be outcompeted for nesting sites when Peregrine Falcon is present (D. Cleary pers. comm.)

Distribution: Found in appropriate habitat, especially in areas near cliffs, statewide.

Population and/or Habitat Objectives:

in the West, T = -2.7%, p = 0.11, N = 97, RA = 0.12 (Sauer et al. 1997)
keep population at estimated level in 1975 of 293-406 pairs (Platt 1975)
limit human activity to a minimum of 410ft (125m) from known nests (Holthuijzen et al. 1990); preferably 0.62mi (1km) (Suter and Joness 1981)
avoid overgrazing in areas within 4-24mi (7-38km) (Steenhof 1998) of known nesting sites. Sheet erosion and plant cover associated with overgrazing limits food for ground squirrels (Platt 1974)

Peregrine Falcon _(NMPIF)

Associated Species: Golden Eagle, White-throated Swift, Common Raven, Canyon Wren

Breeds on relatively tall cliffs in New Mexico
often found in remote areas free from much human disturbance
in NM will prey on a variety of locally available birds including doves, swifts, flickers, jays, meadowlarks and other birds
at one aerie, 62 species of birds' remains were identified (S. Williams, unpubl. data)

Distribution: Found in western New Mexico east to the Sangre de Cristo, Sandia/Manzano and Sacramento mountains.

Population and/or Habitat Objectives:

insufficiently sampled by BBS
maintain 2.14 productivity rates until occupany of territories increases (Johnson 1998)
increase occupancy rate of territories to 85% in any given year by 2019, and then maintain(Johnson 1998)
after gaining above occupancy rate a minimum productivity rate of 1.45 young per adult pair should be maintained
encourage organic farming practices
among non-organic farms limit insecticide use to lowest feasible levels and encourage crops that do not need extensive insecticide control
continue a ban on falconry harvesting until population has stabilized for five years
limit human disturbance around nest sites

Black Swift _{(Yanishevsky and Petring-Rupp 1997)}

Associated Species: American Dipper

a high aerial forager
uses high walls underneath or near waterfalls for nest sites
nests on walls in cool, wet areas that are shaded from the sun
time between parental visits varies (H. Schwarz pers. comm.), therefore nests must be hidden from predators
extremely high nest-site fidelity

Distribution: Currently breeding only at Jemez Falls in the Santa Fe National Forest

Population and/or Habitat Objectives:

in the West, T = -6.1%, p = 0.24, N = 49, RA=1.60 (Sauer et al. 1997)
maintain current population at Jemez Falls
eliminate recreation use in areas where humans may impact on nest sites. At Jemez Springs, use above the waterfall does not seem to impact nesting activity but streamside access to the falls from below should be discouraged. Passive measures should be taken, such as making it more difficult to descend the steep trail below overlook (H. Schwarz pers. comm.)

Cave Swallow _{(West 1998)}

Associated Species: None

in New Mexico, largest colony nests in caverns; recent discoveries of colonies in southern Dona Ana county are under low bridges over irrigation ditches.
open foraging areas generally near water are critical
foraging often occurs within 6.2mi (10km) of nesting area
nests in caves placed in the "twilight zone"; often in solution pockets or other cavities
minimal height for nests in culverts is 3.28ft (1m) above ground and 1ft (0.3m) from the ceiling structure; often in areas where daylight approximates the "twilight zone" in caves

Distribution: Found at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, and in the Mesilla Valley south of Las Cruces; may be spreading north in the Mesilla Valley.

Population and/or Habitat Objectives:

insufficiently sampled by BBS
maintain or increase numbers of birds at Carlsbad Caverns National Park
reduce use of pesticides through education in surrounding agricultural areas
encourage organic farming practices
among non-organic farms limit insecticide use to lowest feasible levels and encourage crops that do not need extensive insecticide control
limit disturbance near nesting areas during breeding season

Canyon Wren _{(Jones and Dieni 1995)}

Associated Species: Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, White-throated Swift, Cliff Swallow, Rock Wren

uses crevices and interstices in cliffs, steep canyon walls, rocky areas; occasionally high, steep river banks

vertical component is critical

nests in crevices, caverns, cliffs or occasionally banks, usually with a protective overhanging element

not associated with any particular vegetative community

occurs up to approximately 9000 ft in elevation

diet consists of seeds and insects blown into rock crevices

Distribution: Found throughout the state where tall, vertical walls are present. Much less common in the Pecos and Staked Plains.

Population and/or Habitat Objectives:

in NM, T = -11.2%, p = 0.30, N = 11, RA = 0.13 (Sauer et al. 1997)
develop appropriate monitoring technique for this species
maintain stable or increasing population in known areas of occurrence

Overall Habitat Strategies:

Maintain the integrity of bluffs and cliffs. Observe recommended buffer zones for Peregrine and Prairie Falcons.

Mining - In reclamation of mining areas: replace rocky outcroppings with boulders/stones to create artificial rocky areas for perches.

Recreation - Manage recreational activities in these areas to avoid disturbance during the nesting season

Research and monitoring needs:

1. Continue monitoring of Peregrine Falcon in the state.

2. Estimate current numbers of breeding pairs of Prairie Falcon in the state.

3. Determine extent to which pesticide use in agricultural areas affects reproductive success in Cave Swallow in New Mexico. Determine extent to which Cave Swallow is using Forest Service areas of the Guadalupe Escarpment.

4. Determine the effect of noise produced by gas compressors on nesting raptors.

5. Evaluate the impacts of rock-climbing and other recreational activities on cliff-nesting birds in New Mexico. Evaluate overall use of this recreation in New Mexico and develop overall management strategies.

Table 2. Cliff/Cave/Rock: Priority Species Habitat Requirements

Species	Vegetation Composition/ Structure	Abiotic Factors	Landscape Factors	Special Factors
PRFA	open or shrubby grasslands near nesting sites		must have cliffs for nesting adjacent to grasslands	availability of nest sites limiting; PEFA may outcompete for nest sites
PEFA			relatively tall cliffs for breeding	found in areas with little human disturbance. Falconry taking of young assumed to have detrimental effect on total nesting success
BLSW		cool wet high walls in areas shaded from the sun;		often under or beside waterfalls
CASW		uses bridges and culverts associated with irrigation and agricultural areas in the southern Rio Grande	use of cave entrances is critical	pesticide use in agricultural areas may reduce productivity
CANW		vertical component of cliffs/walls critical	occurs up to about 9000ft.