Sprague's Pipit: Aerial Songster
 Few
birds occur in North America that are more poorly known that is
Sprague's Pipit. Like many of the other species of concern on
Otero Mesa, this species also nests in the Great Plains and uses
the mesa as a wintering area or place to rest and feed during
migration. This relatively non-descript bird requires healthy
grasslands in order to survive and recent trends in North America
run counter to this.
Recent Christmas bird counts sponsored by the National Audubon
Society show this decline. Out of over 1,900 survey areas, Sprague's
Pipits were found on only 35. While over 72.4 million birds were
found on all of the counts, less than 400 were Sprague's Pipits.
The species is known on Otero Mesa primarily as a migrant in spring
and fall but it probably also winters on the mesa at least in
low numbers during most years.
Grassland birds often have well-developed song and flight displays
to attract a mate across the formerly extensive grasslands. Sprague's
Pipit is certainly no exception with the aerial song of the male
lasting up to three hours. This display is not seen on Otero Mesa
but the area is still vital to the survival of this species.
Sprague's Pipit is regarded as "threatened" in their formerly
extensive Canadian range. Their decline in the lower 48 has been
documented by a variety of field survey techniques. In New Mexico
and elsewhere this population decline has been noted and pressure
is on to provide greater protection for the species. Overgrazing,
shrub encroachment, and habitat fragmentation (i.e. oil roads
and related development) all are the causes and hasten this decline.
Of all the species found on Otero Mesa, this is one of the most
difficult ones to find because of their cryptic plumage and secretive
behavior during non-breeding times. This is one of many grasslands
species that have declined dangerously in the past 3 decades.
A healthy grassland, to remain healthy in biological terms, must
have all of its components and just because some are less obvious
than others should have no bearing on their importance.
|
