March 15 Marks Presence/Absence Surveys for Golden-cheeked Warbler

Did you know the territory of the Golden-cheeked Warbler spans 35 counties from west of San Antonio to the Dallas-Fort Worth area? Its habitat follows much of the Interstate 35 corridor, a rapidly growing region of Texas where the human population has encroached on the birds’ breeding and nesting grounds. Thus, the Golden-cheeked Warbler was listed as endangered in 1990 due to the rapid loss of its habitat and the small size of its estimated population.

Because of its endangered status, many cities and counties require will habitat assessments for the species as a part of their development permitting process. Habitat assessments can be performed by a qualified biologist any time of year. However, if potential warbler habitat is identified on a property, a presence / absence survey can only be conducted during the bird’s breeding season, between March 15 and June 1, with 60 percent of the surveys being conducted prior to May 15.

 Westward Environmental's permitted biologists can help your project comply with federal, state, and local endangered species regulations. They offer various compliance services, including habitat assessments and presence/absence surveys. These services can support project due diligence, state and local permitting, compliance with the Endangered Species Act, participation in Habitat Conservation Plans, enrollment in Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances, Conservation Bank development, voluntary conservation measures, and wildlife property tax valuations.

For more information about our endangered species or environmental compliance, please contact Westward at 830-249-8284 and ask for a member of our Natural Resources Department or visit www.westward.env.com. Photo credit: Melissa Cheatwood