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Coastal Cactus Wrens
We Need Your Information on Cactus Wrens here in Orange County
by Scott Thomas, Conservation Director
 
For some years birders and ornithologists have been noticing what they suspect is a decline in the number of Cactus Wrens along the southern California coast. There is now enough concern that The Nature Conservancy, led locally by Trish Smith, was prompted this year to initiate several regional meetings aimed at launching a range wide Cactus Wren census and discussions about possible recovery efforts. Sea and Sage Audubon, Audubon California, and other Audubon chapters plan to play a significant role in the process in the coming years.
 
Cactus Wrens occur in much of the southwest including California, Baja, and Arizona. The species is divided into two larger population groups, the coastal and inland populations. These are then separated into eight subspecies. The ranges of the coastal subspecies groups are difficult to delineate and are the center of a good deal of debate. The San Diego subspecies is considered a California Species of Special Concern by the Department of Fish and Game. This subspecies occurs in parts of southern Orange County, but the ranges are currently being debated and it may occur in more of Orange County than is currently mapped. In any case, most everyone is convinced that all of the coastal populations are experiencing declines at a pace that is alarming.
 
The consensus of most scientists and conservation groups is that we need to quickly get a census estimate of all the Coastal Cactus Wren populations from Ventura down to San Diego and begin planning for conservation and recovery of all these populations.
 
In Orange County we have the advantage of good historical data from the Atlas of Breeding Birds by Sylvia Ranney Gallagher published in 1997. Breeding Cactus Wrens were mapped in 44 of 110 atlas blocks (5 km by 5km), and perhaps in another 10 blocks that were not adequately surveyed. In addition, ornithologist Robb Hamilton has been studying and documenting Cactus Wrens in the coastal region (Laguna and Irvine area) of the Coastal/ Central Natural Communities Conservation Plan (NCCP)for many years and has a very good baseline data set for much of the area.
 
With these good historical data sets we would like to use our experience with citizen science in Sea and Sage Audubon to help establish methods for surveying and monitoring cactus wren territories and nests. For starters, we need to gather as much information from all of our members and friends about recent observations of Cactus Wrens in Orange County, and anywhere along the coast for that matter.
 
Please check your notes and journals for recent sightings and, as you bird in the coming months, make note of the locations of Cactus Wrens. Send information now and in the coming months to me by email at , or you can mail it to me: Cactus Wren, Sea & Sage Audubon, PO Box 5447, Irvine CA 92616.

 

Last Modified July 8, 2007

Sea & Sage Audubon Society
PO Box 5447 • Irvine, CA 92616 • 949-261-7963

http://www.seaandsageaudubon.org