Sandhill Crane
Latin: Antigone canadensis
A new model for conservation.
Sandhill Cranes Photo: Choktai Leangsuksun
California’s public lands play a vital role in the success and survival of millions of migratory birds. As birds make their perilous journeys across the Pacific Flyway, they need safe and reliable places to rest and eat. These protected lands provide access to food, water, and nesting habitat needed to sustain them along the way.
There are 34 National Wildlife Refuges in California that play a key role in supporting migratory birds. The Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most important places for birds in North America, offering a rare spot for shorebirds to stop as they travel over large stretches of dry land.
Mono Lake and its surrounding ecosystem provide a diverse landscape, from marsh and meadow to sagebrush steppe and forest. It is ideal habitat for migrating birds, mule deer, and other big game species. In southern California, the Mojave Trails National Preserve and Joshua Tree National Park provide critical habitat for species such as the Burrowing Owl, Red-tailed Hawk, and Prairie Falcon.
So what do these regions have in common? They are all part of a network of large public lands corridors providing essential habitat along migratory flyways. When public lands are well-managed and kept healthy for migratory birds and other wildlife, they provide many benefits for people, such as clean air and water, economic opportunity, recreation, hunting, mental and physical health benefits. Plus, these intact lands buffer against the effects of climate change.
Right now, California is poised to be a national leader in public lands conservation, working at the intersection of climate change, energy production, land management, and wildlife conservation. Visit the StoryMap to see how.
Black-necked Stilt Photo: Logan Southall
Explore our new StoryMap, which identifies key migratory pathways and highlights the most important public lands in California for birds.
California is first in nation to commit to protecting 30% of our lands and waters by 2030.
By partnering with landowners, we can create lasting protections for birds.
Conservation ranching techniques create habitat and sequester carbon. Under a new bill, the state would pay ranchers to implement them.
Vital protections are needed for wetlands that depend on groundwater under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
Coalition of conservation and community groups says groundbreaking is positive step towards ending years of inaction at California’s largest lake.
Audubon science finds that two-thirds of North American birds are at risk of extinction from climate change.
The Los Angeles Times has a strong story out today about how patience is running out for the state to make good on its promises at the Salton Sea:
Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia watched with ill-disguised frustration as a hearing aimed at expediting state projects to restore habitat and control dust storms at the shrinking Salton Sea instead dissolved into discussion of why the efforts were falling further behind schedule.
"We have a plan, we have money, there is additional money lined up, and we have a constituency — myself included — that is running out of patience," Garcia (D-Coachella), chairman of the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife, said.
Local television station KMIR today launched the first in a series of pieces about the Salton Sea. Today's piece is about the history of the Sea. Learn more about our efforts to find a solution at the Salton Sea here.
Audubon California's Bobcat Ranch is a participant in Audubon's Conservation Ranching program. Learn more about that program here.
Clearly, the Desert Sun has had it with the state's inability to get projects moving at the Salton Sea:
This harkens to the years of “one more study is needed” that we’d wearily grown accustomed to as we witnessed the sea’s long decline, which shifted into overdrive with the end of Colorado River water inflows at the close of 2017.
Still, it is shocking to hear this type of refrain so shortly after the state finally stepped up with its plan to fulfill its commitment to sea restoration under the 2003 Quantification Settlement Agreement that has shifted the water that had been replenishing the sea to thirsty urban customers.
Get to work, folks. Promises were made and the state cannot let the now more-rapidly receding sea spiral into an ecological and environmental disaster which will have effects far beyond its own shores.
Audubon Calfornia's Frank Ruiz talks about the need for the everyone to pull together to avert an ecological crisis at the Salton Sea -- to protect people and birds at the Salton Sea. Thanks to the Walton Family Foundation for putting this video together. Learn more about our work at the Salton Sea.
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