Protecting Nesting Habitat for the Tricolored Blackbird on Private Rangelands in the Foothill Grassland Region of the Sierra Nevada

Abstract

The recent statewide Tricolored Blackbird (Agelaius tricolor) survey (Meese 2014, 2015) documented a dramatic decline in the population of this near-endemic California species. In response, on 3 December 2014, the California State Fish and Game Commission listed the species as Endangered under its emergency listing provisions for a minimum period of six months, with eventual full listing expected. A petition for listing under the Federal Endangered Species Act also is under evaluation.