Avian community composition and habitat importance in the Rio Grande corridor of New Mexico

Abstract

We investigated avian species richness and abundance within vegetation communities of the Rio Grande Corridor of New Mexico during spring, summer, and fall 1992 and 1993. A subset of 64 transects, for which all bird and vegetation variables were available, representing 16 composite vegetation community types were subjected to canonical correlation analysis to investigate relative habitat importance. Generally, the higher ranking community types had cottonwood and other native woody species as dominants and the lower ranking communities were those types that are highly manipulated and/or monotypic-such as mowed river edge, pecan orchards, and relatively pure stands of saltcedar. Bird occurrence and distribution in the Rio Grande Corridor is not so neatly related to composition of native vegetation as is sometimes characterized. Exotic plant species such as saltcedar and Russian olive, are utilized to varying degrees by the existing avian community. Ranking of avian use by habitat types may help direct restoration efforts towards situations where more significant gains in avian use can be made.

Parent Publication

• Desired future conditions for Southwestern riparian ecosystems: Bringing interests and concerns together

Citation

Leal, David A.; Meyer, Raymond A.; Thompson, Bruce C. 1996. Avian community composition and habitat importance in the Rio Grande corridor of New Mexico. In: Shaw, Douglas W.; Finch, Deborah M., tech coords. Desired future conditions for Southwestern riparian ecosystems: Bringing interests and concerns together. 1995 Sept. 18-22, 1995; Albuquerque, NM. General Technical Report RM-GTR-272. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. p. 62-68.