RFA - alpine Brewer's Sparrows

[Walker - DNR, Brett]

I wanted to let our high-country birders know about a citizen science opportunity happening over the next month or so to help Colorado Parks and Wildlife with research on Brewer's Sparrows (Spizella breweri) that breed in alpine willow and willow/krummholz above treeline in Colorado.

There are now June-July records of Brewer's Sparrows at 59 different alpine sites ranging from 10,800-12,900 ft. elevation across Colorado (98 sites if you include Aug-Sep records!). But there are only a handful of confirmed records of breeding at alpine sites. I'm hoping birders that will be in the high country over the next month can help us document evidence of breeding at additional alpine sites!

Reporting observations is easy, just submit an eBird checklist with eBird breeding behavior codes. Many sites are easy to reach by car, you can drive right to the top of a mountain pass and take a short walk out into suitable habitat!

If interested, feel free to contact me by email, or you can visit the project website at: https://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/RAV-Brewers-Sparrow.aspx to download a PDF file with background information, a map and list of locations where they've been found, and a map and list of priority sites to check over the next month.

I'll also be at the CFO-WFO meeting in Copper Mountain on July 21-22 to talk about alpine Brewer's Sparrows if you want to hear more about it!

Thank you,
Brett Walker

Brett Walker

Wildlife Researcher

               P 970.255.6125 | F 970.255.6111

               711 Independent Ave., Grand Junction, CO 81505

               brett....@state.co.us | cpw.state.co.us