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Vermont Important Bird Areas Technical Report
Vermont IBA Criteria
Below are the 5 IBA Criteria developed for Vermont. Any nomination needs to meet only one of these criteria in order to be designated a Vermont IBA although sites meeting multiple criteria were often ranked higher.
Criteria 1. Sites important to endangered or threatened species in
Vermont.
Description: Sites that regularly support breeding or non-breeding densities of one or more of the following species listed as endangered or threatened in the state of Vermont. Applies primarily to breeding or wintering sites, though regular migratory areas may be considered if known to be of exceptional importance. The site should be one of regular and/or recent occurrence in the last 10 years. Thresholds will vary and may include sites with 1% of the state population (if known) in a season, or the 3-5 sites in the state with the highest regularly occurring numbers.
| Endangered | | Threatened |
|---|
| Common Loon | Spruce Grouse | Upland Sandpiper |
| Osprey | Common Tern | Black Tern |
| Bald Eagle | Loggerhead Shrike | Sedge Wren |
| Peregrine Falcon | Henslow's Sparrow | Grasshopper Sparrow |
Criteria 2. Sites important to species of high conservation priority in Vermont.
Description: Sites that regularly support significant breeding or non-breeding concentrations identified by the Vermont Nongame and Natural Heritage Program as declining or vulnerable (S1, S2, or S3) and which are not listed as state endangered and threatened. Thresholds will vary and may include sites with 1% of the state population (if known) in a season, or the 3-5 sites in the state with the highest regularly occurring numbers. May also include sites with a significant complement of species.
| State Rank S1 | State Rank S2 | State Rank S3 |
|---|
| Cattle Egret | Pied-billed Grebe | American Bittern |
| Black-crowned Night Heron | Least Bittern | Blue Gray Gnatcatcher |
| Great Black-backed Gull | Great Blue Heron (B) | Bicknell's Thrush |
| Barn Owl | Turkey Vulture (B) | Pine Warbler |
| Red-headed Woodpecker | Northern Harrier | Prairie Warbler |
| Gray Jay | Cooper's Hawk | Vesper Sparrow |
| Carolina Wren | Sora | Rusty Blackbird |
| Bay-breasted Warbler | Common Moorhen | |
| Wilson's Warbler | Long-eared Owl | |
| Orchard Oriole | Common Nighthawk | |
| Whip-poor-will | |
| Black-backed Woodpecker | |
| Philadelphia Vireo | (B) = applies to breeding season only |
| Blue-winged Warbler | |
| Tennessee Warbler | |
| Cape May Warbler | |
| Golden-winged Warbler | |
Criteria 3. Sites that contain rare or unique habitat within the state/region or an exceptional representative of natural habitat, and that hold important species or species assemblages largely restricted to a distinctive habitat type.
Description: Sites with habitats that are rare or unique in the state, or are exceptional examples (large and intact) of the habitats that should support, or could be managed to support, the full complement of bird species dependent on that habitat type. Examples in Vermont might include alpine or sub-alpine habitat (Bicknell's Thrush, etc), forest interior (Cerulean Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Wood Thrush, Ovenbird, etc.) or freshwater wetlands (bitterns, rails, etc.). Consideration will also be given to sites with exceptionally high species and habitat diversity, and some attempt will be made to distribute representative sites throughout the state.
Criteria 4. Sites where significant numbers of birds concentrate for breeding, during migration, or in winter.
Description: Sites that regularly hold significant numbers of one or more species, breeding or non-breeding, including migration. Significant numbers are not easily defined. The following guidelines are suggested to provide some logical thresholds for site selection. Except where indicated, numerical estimates should be based on a short period of time, e.g. one-time counts such as daily surveys - not on cumulative totals. Introduced, feral, and nuisance species (Mute Swan, resident Canada Geese, American Crow, European Starling, etc.) should not be counted.
- (4a)
- Single-species Concentrations: The site regularly supports significant
concentrations of a "congregatory" species but may not meet the thresholds
below. Such sites should support a higher proportion of a species statewide
population (>1%, if known) than other similar areas.
- (4b)
- Waterfowl: The site regularly supports 1,000 or more waterfowl.
- (4c)
- Gulls and Terns: The site regularly supports 5,000 or more gulls or 100 or
more terns in a season.
- (4d)
- Shorebirds: The site regularly supports 200 or more shorebirds (over a short
period) at any time of the year.
- (4e)
- Raptors: The site is a "bottleneck' or migration corridor for 1,000 or more
migratory raptors (seasonal total).
- (4f)
- Wading Birds: The site regularly supports 100 or more wading birds.
- (4g)
- Landbirds: The site is an important migratory stopover or seasonal
concentration site for migratory landbirds. Sites may qualify on the basis of
exceptionally high numbers of birds during migration, high densities of breeding
species as shown from point counts or other surveys; or as "migrant traps"
relative to the surrounding areas. Strong considerations will be given to areas with
consistently high overall species diversity or diversity within a particular group
(i.e. warblers)
Criteria 5. Sites important for long-term research and /or monitoring projects that contribute to ornithology, bird conservation, and/or education.
Description: These are generally sites with distinguished record and/or unique potential for long-term research and monitoring, or exceptional educational value. Such sites may occur in urban, suburban, rural, or other settings. Evidence should be cited showing the area's value, such as publications of research conducted at the site.
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