Yellow-breasted chat (Icteria virens)

WHA planning objectives

Maintain breeding and foraging habitats.

Wildlife habitat area

Establish WHAs at sites of current breeding concentrations and historical breeding concentrations in high capability or high suitability habitat. Sites of historical breeding concentrations are where the species was once known to breed, but at which there has been no verified breeding in the last 20 years. WHAs should provide 1-1.5 ha per pair and should include the entire area of thickets that may potentially be used by the chats.

GWM management objectives

Maintain riparian thicket habitat for breeding and foraging habitat.

Ensure cattle do not fragment thicket habitat.

General wildlife measures

These measures must be applied within a WHA approved for the species. Access Do not build new roads, stream crossings and fenceline rights-of-way 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 Avoid cattle use by providing alternate water, forage and salt licks. If there is no other practicable option to avoid use, fencing may be required. Consult MELP for fencing arrangements.

Management considerations (not mandatory)

Maintain or restore riparian habitat in rangelands. Riparian thickets damaged by cattle can be rehabilitated by excluding cattle. Areas completely cleared may be revegetated by planting new wild rose thickets.

Cross references

Lewis's woodpecker, bobolink, water birch-red-osier dogwood