Brewer's sparrow (Spizella breweri breweri)

WHA planning objectives

Maintain the integrity of nesting habitat within the current and historic occupied range.

Wildlife habitat area

Establish WHAs over breeding aggregations of >5 pairs and selected high suitability historic breeding aggregations. The WHA should be based on Brewer's sparrow polygons as delineated by the Conservation Data Centre.

GWM management objectives

Maintain the integrity of nesting habitat by retaining density and structure of sagebrush habitat.

General wildlife measures

These measures must be applied within a WHA approved for the species. Access Do not construct roads unless the district manager and regional fish and wildlife manager are satisifed there is no other practicable option and the variance is approved by the district manager and regional fish and wildlife manager. Range Limited thinning of dense (>50% foliar cover) stands of sagebrush may be appropriate as long as the primary objective is the improvement of nesting habitat. Grazing should be carried out in a manner that will not lead to crown breakage, but is sufficiently intensive to maintain the desired density of sage, and prevent succession to climax bunchgrass. Protect large sagebrush during weed control operations. Maintain clumps of large (>1 m tall) sage. Other Do not conduct range burning or shrub clearing.

Landscape unit planning considerations (not mandatory)

Brewer's sparrow WHAs, adjacent wetlands, moist gullies and remaining late seral sagebrush communities should be managed to a late seral grassland stage.

Cross references

Racer, gopher snake, night snake, sage thrasher

Requirements of the long-billed curlew and the grasshopper sparrow may conflict with the management prescription for Brewer's sparrows. The long-billed curlew requires more open grassland, and the grasshopper sparrow requires grassland with few or no shrubs.

Sage thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus)

WHA planning objectives

Maintain big sage nesting habitat.

Wildlife habitat area

Establish WHAs at breeding locations and areas where habitat capability is high. WHAs should be 200-250 ha; this reflects the current size of occupied areas in BC. WHAs should have at least 16% cover of sage, clumps of 2-10 big sage, preferably 1 m in height for nesting, minimal cover of annual grass or rock, but good cover of perennial grasses (~15-35%). Location of WHAs in habitat adjacent to Washington State breeding habitat might be most successful.

GWM management objectives

Maintain the integrity of nesting habitat by retaining density and structure of sagebrush habitat.

General wildlife measures

These measures must be applied within a WHA approved for the species. Access Do not construct roads unless the district manager and regional fish and wildlife manager are satisifed there is no other practicable option and the variance is approved by the district manager and regional fish and wildlife manager. Range Limited thinning of dense (>50% foliar cover) stands of sagebrush may be appropriate as long as the primary objective is the improvement of nesting habitat. Grazing should be carried out in a manner that will not lead to crown breakage, but is intensive enough to maintain the desired density of sage, and prevent succession to climax bunchgrass. Protect large sagebrush during weed control operations. Maintain clumps of large (>1 m) sage. Other Do not conduct range burning or shrub clearing.

Landscape unit planning considerations (not mandatory)

The most important feature affecting habitat selection by this species appears to be proximity to historical nest sites. Reproductive success in Washington seems to affect abundance in BC. Links to populations in Washington seem to be along valleys with bunchgrass habitat. At the landscape level, maintenance of dispersed, large, fully crowned sagebrush clumps is desirable. WHAs should be managed to maintain and restore late seral/climax grassland communities.

Cross references

Brewer's sparrow