RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 



WILDLIFE SPECIES PARAMETERS 



Tabular Summary 



Two-hundred and eleven species of vertebrates have been observed in 

 the study areas since the studies began in 1976 (5 amphibians, 7 

 reptiles, 169 birds, and 30 mammals). Data on these vertebrates are 

 summarized in Tables 1 and 2. The types of data included and the abbrevia- 

 tions used in these tables are as follows: 



Habitat in Which Observed . Abbreviations correspond to habitat 

 categories defined in Appendix B. The major habitats in which animals 

 were observed during this study are listed in approximate order of 

 decreasing use or indicated preference. Habitats merely crossed by birds 

 in flight or transient mammals are not listed. "Various" indicates use 

 of many different habitats without a clear preference. 



Distribution. Numbers correspond to the three study areas described 

 in the text: 1 indicates the Permit Area; 2, the Mine Study Area (ex- 

 cluding the Permit Area); and 3, the Reconnaissance Study Area (excluding 

 the Mine Study Area). A number in this column indicates a sighting in 

 the corresponding study area. 



Classification . In its 1973 Red Book , the U.S. D.I. Bureau of Sport 

 Fisheries and Wildlife identified certain species of animals as endangered 

 (E), threatened (T), or status-undetermined (U). Although the classifica- 

 tions reported in the Red Book have been supplanted by the Endangered 

 Species Act of 1973, they still provide a good index of vulnerability to 

 extinction and are listed here. In addition, the Montana Department of 

 Fish and Game (1977), now the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks 

 (DFWP), has classified wildlife species as game species (G), nongame 

 species (N), furbearers (F), and migratory game birds (M) , and the 

 National Audubon Society has listed in its "Blue List" (Tate 1981) 

 certain species of birds that are experiencing regionwide or continentwide 

 noncyclic population declines (B). Classifications under each system are 

 indicated by the appropriate letter abbreviations. 



Evidence. Acceptable evidence for including a species in this 

 table, in order of decreasing reliability, is as follows: S indicates 

 specimen(s) taken (number of specimens, or "P" if partial specimen, is 

 given in parentheses); P, photograph taken; V, visual (sight) record; A, 

 auditory (sound) record; B, reported by biologist(s) other than those 

 directly involved in this study; R, reported by local residents. Only the 

 most reliable evidence is listed in the table. 



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