FLAMMULATED OWL 



The flammulated owl breeds in North America 

 in the spring and summer and migrates to the 

 tropics for the winter (McCallum 1994). 

 Flammulated owls typically nest in mature to 

 old-growth ponderosa pine or ponderosa 

 pine /Douglas-fir montane forests. In the 

 Rocky Mountains, flammulated owls typically 

 nest in stands with moderate canopy closure 

 (30-50%), at least 2 canopy layers, and an open 

 understory composed of regenerating trees, 

 pinegrass, and shrubs. All published records 

 of nesting, except one, came from forests in 

 which western yellow pine was present, if not 

 dominant (Reynolds and Linkhart 1992). 

 Preferred flammulated owl habitat is not 

 found in the project area. 



BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER 



Black-backed woodpeckers require areas with 

 high concentrations of recently dead trees and 

 logs for feeding. Feeding trees usually have 

 been dead less than 2 or 3 years and harbor 

 high concentrations of wood-boring insects, 

 particularly bark beetle larvae and pupae. 

 Black-backed woodpecker habitat is primarily 

 recently burned areas and patches of un- 

 burned insect-infested trees. Nest trees are at 

 least 17 inches in diameter, have heart rot, and 

 usually are located in dense patches of green 

 trees. 



No fires have occurred in or near the project 

 area in the recent past, and there are no large 

 concentrations of insect-infested trees within 

 the project area. Thus, the project area does 

 not currently contain suitable black-backed 

 woodpecker habitat. Because this area re- 

 ceives high human use and has several homes, 

 aggressive fire suppression will continue and 

 the likelihood of black-backed woodpecker 

 habitat developing is low. 



HARLEQUIN DUCK ' 



Harlequin ducks use swift, clean, clear streams 

 with stream-bottom rock ranging in size from 

 cobble to boulder. They feed on aquatic 

 benthic invertebrates, whose productivity is 

 affected by water quality. They are sensitive to 



human disturbance and vulnerable to manipu- 

 lation of streamside vegetation (Reichel and 

 Center 1995, Harlequin duck working group 

 1993) . There is no harlequin duck habitat in 

 the project area. The closest location known to 

 support breeding harlequin ducks is to the 

 north on Swift Creek (Reichel and Center | 

 1995). 



BIG GAME SPECIES ] 



The species considered here are elk {Cerviis \ 

 elaphus), mule deer {Odocoileus hemiomis), and \ 

 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginiana). Theyl 

 have been shown to have special needs, such 

 as winter range cover, that may not be met 

 solely through DNRC's Big Game Implemen- 

 tation Guidance in great enough quantity, so 

 they are considered in the fine-filter analysis, s 

 Implementation of the Guidance should j 



provide suitable habitat for other big game ', 

 species that occur in the project area [moose 

 (Alces alces), black bear {Ursus americaniis), and 

 mountain lions {Felis concolor)]. Because the f 

 project area is almost surrounded by private 

 ownership and quantitative information about 

 roads or cover is not readily available on those 

 private lands, the analysis focused on the 

 project area. It is assumed from a cumulative 

 effects standpoint, that those private lands will 

 continue to undergo habitat conversion ; 



through logging and home construction, 

 subdivision, and road construction, and do not 

 provide suitable habitat. The detailed data 

 available was from State lands; however, maps 

 and air photos showing the surrounding 

 ownerships were considered in the analysis. ' 



-. S'i-.'< 



rv') 



ELK 



Background on elk management 

 Habitat NEEDS 



Biologists generally recognize the "fundamen- 

 tal role of elk habitat in producing and sustain- 

 ing elk populations and perpetuating current 

 levels of elk-related public recreation..." 

 (MDFWP 1992). The four habitat elements this 

 analysis will focus on are calving grounds, 

 winter range, thermal cover, and security. 



Chapter III: Affected Environment 



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