Rare and Declining Birds in Boulder County (1)

Was listed as an uncommon summer resident by Henderson (1908). Unstable water levels and increased use of lakes and reservoirs by recreationists may have eliminated nesting habitat (Bailey and Niedrach 1965). No recently confirmed nesting.

© Bill Schmoker, http://schmoker.org/BirdPics/index.html

This predatory songbird was once considered rather common on the shortgrass prairies of eastern Boulder County (Betts 1913, Alexander 1937). There have been no documented active nests in the county during the past three decades. Sharp population declines throughout the West have been attributed to consumption of contaminated prey and loss of nesting sites (Finch 1992).

© Bill Schmoker, http://schmoker.org/BirdPics/index.html

Henderson (1908) described this graceful raptor as a "common summer resident of the plains." We know of only two recently active nest sites, in cattail marshes at Boulder Reservoir and Lagerman Reservoir. As ground nesters, northern harriers are exposed to threats from predation, livestock trampling, human disturbance, flooding, and loss of wetlands (Finch 1992).

© Steve Jones

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