Westward’s Permitted Biologists Assist with Bird Surveys and Compliance
Springtime is fast approaching and that means bird survey season! Surveys for the presence of listed and proposed endangered bird species are generally conducted during breeding season in the spring. Two bird species of particular concern for Texas are the Golden-cheeked Warbler and the Lesser Prairie Chicken.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
The Golden-cheeked Warbler is a federally-listed endangered species which nests exclusively in old growth juniper woodland throughout central Texas. Surveys for the warbler must be conducted between March 15 and June 1, with 60 percent of the surveys being conducted prior to May 15.
The Lesser Prairie Chicken first became a candidate species in 1998 and has been variously listed or under review for listing by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since that time. Currently the Service has proposed to list the prairie chicken as two separate populations, and a decision regarding their proposed listing status is expected by the summer of 2022.
The northern population, which includes portions of the northeast Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado, is proposed to be listed as threatened. The southern population, which included portions of the northwest Texas panhandle and New Mexico, is proposed to be listed as endangered. Surveys for the Lesser Prairie Chicken must be conducted between March 15 and May 7, with at least one of the surveys taking place in April.
Westward Environmental’s permitted biologists can facilitate your project’s compliance with federal, state, and municipal endangered species regulations. Westward offers compliance presence/absence surveys and habitat assessments/evaluations for multiple reasons including:
Project Due Diligence
Endangered Species Act Sections 7 & 9 compliance
Habitat Conservation Plan participation
Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances participation
Conservation Bank development
Voluntary Conservation Measures
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.