Area Birding Guide
The maps and directions provided here come directly from A Birding Guide to Reno and Beyond, Second Edition, published by the Lahontan Audubon Society. This guide can be purchased from our online store. For photographs of species and detailed species information we recommend visiting All About Birds hosted by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
* Denotes that the Area has been recognized by the National Audubon Society as a Nevada IBA. ** Denotes that the Area lies within a Nevada IBA. |
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CONSERVATION
Lahontan Audubon Society has been and continues to be an active organization in Nevada conservation efforts in support of birds, and
in collaboration with other conservation organizations.
in collaboration with other conservation organizations.
The Important Bird Areas, or IBAs, Program is a world-wide effort to identify the most important places for bird populations and to focus conservation efforts. Within Nevada, there are 40 recognized IBAs, which are sites that provide essential breeding, migration, or wintering habitat for one or more species of birds. These sites contain threatened or endangered species, endemic (i.e., native and only found at a specific location) species representative of a habitat type, or a high concentration of species.
The NV IBA Program is focused on setting conservation priorities for the IBAs and developing partnerships for the ongoing protection and conservation of these sites. Habitat destruction and degradation contribute to a large percentage of avian species decline. The NV IBA program is focused on monitoring and conserving the unique habitats that make these sites Important Bird Areas. Through monitoring, project implementation, advocacy, and public outreach, conservation will have a greater chance at success. Nevada currently has 40 recognized IBAs. All of the Nevada IBAs have resource challenges and issues ranging from low to high risk to the IBA. Some of the most prevalent concerns include the following: Invasive plants Habitat degradation Development Fire management Water quantity & quality.
Learn more about the Nevada IBA program and view a list of Nevada IBAs here:
The NV IBA Program is focused on setting conservation priorities for the IBAs and developing partnerships for the ongoing protection and conservation of these sites. Habitat destruction and degradation contribute to a large percentage of avian species decline. The NV IBA program is focused on monitoring and conserving the unique habitats that make these sites Important Bird Areas. Through monitoring, project implementation, advocacy, and public outreach, conservation will have a greater chance at success. Nevada currently has 40 recognized IBAs. All of the Nevada IBAs have resource challenges and issues ranging from low to high risk to the IBA. Some of the most prevalent concerns include the following: Invasive plants Habitat degradation Development Fire management Water quantity & quality.
Learn more about the Nevada IBA program and view a list of Nevada IBAs here:
list of nevada ibas
- Sheldon NWR: Home to a suite of habitats for birds such as the Greater Sage-Grouse, Loggerhead Shrike, Sage Thrasher, and Brewer’s Sparrow
- Bilk Creek-Montana Mountains: Large Greater Sage-Grouse populations. Heavily monitored due to the 2012 Halloway fire that ravaged through 80% of this IBA
- Gridley Lake: High breeding Snowy Plover population, American Avocets and Killdeer are also known to breed here
- High Rock Canyon: Greater Sage-Grouse & cliff nesters such as raptors and swallows
- Pyramid Lake/Anaho Island: American White Pelicans breeding colony with 8,000-10,000 individuals on Anaho Island. This island also provides suitable breeding habitat for Double-crested cormorants, California gulls, Great blue herons, Black-crowned night herons, and occasionally Caspian terns.
- Swan Lake: Important habitat for birds year-round. Large numbers of Tundra Swans, shorebirds, and wading birds depend on this area for stopover habitat.
- Lower Truckee River: During the breeding season this area provides habitat for American White Pelican, Swainson’s hawk, bank swallow, western bluebird, yellow-breasted chat; several other species occur within the site during fall migration
- Lahontan Valley Wetlands: Provides habitat for upwards of 250,000 species of waterbirds during the breeding season and during migration. Long-billed Dowitcher, Western and Least sandpipers, American Avocet, Wilson's Phalarope, and Long-billed Curlew are a few notable species.
- Washoe Valley: Heron rookery & waterbird density
- Carson Range: High diversity of Sierra Nevada avian species, some do not occur anywhere else in the state or only occur in very few numbers: Pygmy Nuthatch, Band-tailed Pigeon, Mountain Quail, Pileated Woodpecker, White-headed Woodpecker, Black-backed Woodpecker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, and Winter Wren
- Carson Valley: The only colony of Tri-colored Blackbirds in Nevada is found in the Carson Valley The valley's wetlands are home to a diversity of waterbirds and an abundance of over-wintering raptors.
- Carson River Delta: Likely the last best remnant of a cottonwood-willow riparian forest in northwestern Nevada and an important migration corridor for neotropical species. Yellow-billed Cuckoos & Willow Flycatchers, White-faced Ibis, Swainson's Hawk, Western Bluebird, and Wilson's Warbler
- Jarbidge Mountains: High montane bird species such as the Blue Grouse and Red Crossbill, Cassin's Finch, Hermit and Swainson's Thrushes, Mountain Bluebird and Winter Wrens
- Mary’s River: Exceptional habitat for many species
- Goshute Mountains: Raptor species and migratory corridor
- North Ruby Valley: Highest density of breeding Long-billed Curlews and multiple Sage-Grouse leks.
- Ruby Mountains: Alpine habitat & alpine bird species such as all three rosy finch species, Himalayan Snowcocks and Hungarian Partridges.
- Owyhee Uplands: Home to approximately 110 Sage-Grouse leks and other songbirds such as Sage Thrashers and Brewer's Sparrows.
- Franklin Lake: High density of waterbirds such as Forster's, Caspian, and Black Terns
- Ruby Lake NWR: One of the most important areas for Great Basin wildlife with a wide variety of habitats including pristine marsh bordered by meadows, grasslands, shrub-steppe, and playa supporting over 225 species of birds and the largest breeding population of the canvasback west of the Mississippi River.
- Walker Lake: Habitats such as riparian, wetland, riverine, and desert lake supporting high density of waterbirds such as Western Snowy Plover, Common Loon, Western, Clarks, and Eared Grebes, Double-crested Cormorant, White-faced Ibis, Tundra Swan, Snow Goose, Gadwall, Redhead, Ruddy Duck, Northern Shoveler, and American White Pelican.
- Mount Grant: Exceptional habitat for upland and riparian birds. The landscape and habitat are topographically diverse and geologically complex, that have remained ungrazed for over 70 years.
- Wellington-Pine Grove Hills: High-quality habitat with a 5,000 foot-plus elevation range for sagebrush obligate and riparian species
- Toiyabe Range: Extensive Montane Shrub and pinyon-juniper communities are interspersed with mountain mahogany, with limited aspen and limber pine groves. Greater Sage-Grouse populations found throughout.
- Monitor Valley: High diversity of habitats within this range, isolated from human activity. Large Greater Sage- Grouse breeding population
- Snake Range: High quality habitat. Northern Goshawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Juniper Titmouse, Three-Toed Woodpecker, Black-throated Gray Warbler, MacGillivray’s Warbler, Pinyon Jay, Vesper Sparrow, and Sage Sparrow
- Great Basin National Park: Consisting of riparian habitat that includes sub-alpine meadows, aspen, cottonwood and dense-shrub supporting Rosy finch complex & alpine species
- Pahranagat Valley Complex: High density of migratory birds
- Meadow Valley Wash: Migratory corridor and Southwest Willow Flycatcher nesting area
- Oasis Valley: Migrating corridor between Great Basin and Mojave Deserts
- Sheep Range: Northernmost occurrence of Mexican Whip-poor-will
- Ash Meadows: Highest density of warblers and breeding habitat for Southwest Willow Flycatcher
- Moapa Valley: Breeding population of Southwest Willow Flycatcher. Ash-throated Flycatcher, Phainopepla, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Western Bluebird, Yellow-breasted Chat, Blue Grosbeak, and Prairie Falcon
- Virgin River: Good habitat and important migration corridor. Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, Yuma Clapper Rail, and American White Pelican
- Spring Mountains: Highest density of breeding Flammulated Owls & migrating Rufous Hummingbirds
- Lake Mead: Migration & wintering habitat for waterbirds. Bald Eagle, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, American White Pelican, American Avocet, Peregrine Falcon, Clark’s Grebe, Yellow-breasted Chat, and Lucy’s Warbler
- Wee Thump Joshua Tree Forest: Supreme habitat for cavity nesters
- Catclaw Washes: Highest Phainopepla densities. Ash-throated Flycatcher, Loggerhead Shrike, Western Bluebird, and Scott’s Oriole
- Lower Muddy River: Yuma Clapper Rail and SW Willow Flycatcher
- Corn Creek IBA: Largest density of LeConte's and Crissal Thrashers
local efforts
GREATER SAGE-GROUSE CONSERVATION
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LAS has monitored the progress of Governor Sandoval’s Sagebrush Ecosystem Council which was formed to bring stakeholders together to work towards ensuring that the greater sage-grouse was not a listed species in Nevada. The Council brings together representatives from mining, industry, energy, ranching, BLM and conservation to work together to protect the sagebrush ecosystem and the greater sage-grouse. This Council also interfaces with similar efforts in other states, which also are responsible in conservation of this bird. It is an example of stakeholders working together in support of the greater good.
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Mine Claim Marker Legislation
Audubon in Nevada scored a victory for Nevada’s state bird, the Mountain Bluebird, as well as for many other bird species when the Governor signed into law Senate Bill 108 on May 26, 2009. The new legislation (Nevada Revised Statues 517.030) called for the removal of all PVC posts used as mine claim markers across Nevada. Members of Lahontan Audubon Society’s Conservation Committee worked tirelessly with the Nevada Mining Association, members of the industry, and our legislators starting in 2007 in a cooperative effort to pass the legislation.
Other LAS Conservation Efforts
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LAS monitors the activities of the Nevada Legislature in years it is in session and tracks various Bills, testifies when necessary and tracks conservation efforts in general.
LAS has cooperated with and supported local efforts to build bird-friendly environments in local parks and open areas. Lahontan Audubon Society has made a donation to have several thousand sagebrush seedlings raised and donated to BLM. LAS has been involved in several past efforts in regards removal of mining claim posts and many other projects. LAS is also a member and participant in the Nevada Conservation League, a group established to monitor the activities of the Nevada Legislature and lobby bills as needed to protect our public lands, water, habitat, and energy needs. Lahontan Audubon is a partner in the Nevada Conservation League Education Fund. Why you should care about the Nevada Legislature |
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Ntional Audubon Society Video: Sagebrush Country
Photo: Evan Barrientos/Audubon Rockies
Birds In Town
©Jacque Lowery: California quail chicks
©Jacque Lowery: Cedar Waxwing
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©Jacque Lowery: White-crowned sparrows
©Jacque Lowery: Bullock's Oriole
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Field Trips - Come Birding With Us!
Field trips are free to Audubon members and non-members unless otherwise noted. We encourage birders of all skill levels to participate. Trips are subject to change or cancellation so please pre-register with field trip leaders with your contact information so they can reach you in the event the trip does change and/or is cancelled. Remember to dress accordingly as the weather can be very unpredictable in Nevada, and please bring a snack and lots of water, and binoculars if you have them!
Citizen Science
Christmas bird counts
National Audubon's Christmas Bird Count (or CBC, as its known to seasoned pros) is the nation's longest-running citizen science bird project. Over a century's worth of data has been collected since the project began, and now its as much of a tradition for many friends and families as it is a massive scientific project. Data from the Christmas Bird Count has been used in countless important research discoveries, including National Audubon's landmark Birds and Climate Change study. For more information about CBCs click here.
More information on the LAS Christmas Bird Count can be found here
More information on the LAS Christmas Bird Count can be found here
BIRDS OF THE TRUCKEE MEADOWS CLASSES
Photo Courtesy of Olivia Sembach
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The popular Birds of the Truckee Meadows bird identification classes are an excellent opportunity for new birders to learn from some of the area’s experts and a great refresher for seasoned birders. Learn how to tell a kestrel from a buteo, a sparrow from a jay, AND WHAT THE HECK ARE THE BIRDS ABOVE? As of now, LAS is not offering its Birds of the Truckee Meadows series of bird identification classes, but classes may resume in the future. All our Bird Class teachers are accomplished birders and a friendly group of volunteers.
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