Amargosa Canyon Songbird Project 2021 Progress Report
In 2021, the Amargosa Canyon Songbird Project completed its 17th season of monitoring Southwestern Willow Flycatchers and Least Bell’s Vireos along the Amargosa River in Inyo County, California. Researchers documented a 50% decline in Bell’s Vireo territories compared to 2020, a drop likely linked to severe drought conditions across the species’ wintering, migratory, and breeding range that delayed arrival and nesting. Despite this decline, at least 12 fledglings were successfully raised, with all four mated pairs producing young on their first attempts, although no second broods were observed due to late arrival dates. Nesting success remained high, with about three-quarters of nests fledging young, and productivity per nesting attempt was among the highest recorded in the 17-year study, aided by a Brown-headed Cowbird trapping program that resulted in 53 captures and no observed parasitism. While the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher was a target species, no specific survey results were reported for this species in 2021.
McCreedy, Chris. (2021). Amargosa Canyon Songbird Project 2021 Progress Report. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359891716_Amargosa_Canyon_Songbird_Project_2021_Progress_Report.