The pinyon jay, pictured right here, has a reasonably uniform blue coloring, which is completely different from the extra widespread scrub jay that additionally makes its home in Northern New Mexico. Photo Courtesy LANL
Milu Velardi installs an acoustic recording unit in TA-70 to seize pinyon jay vocalizations, a sign of how the birds use the land on Lab property. Photo Courtesy LANL
LANL NEWS RELEASE
Biologists from Los Alamos National Laboratory have been gathering birdsong audio files from the pale blue, long-billed fowl that depends closely on piñon-juniper woodlands, a prevalent habitat on Lab property.
The efforts to observe the pinyon jay, a local New Mexican species in decline, are to raised perceive its on-site presence and keep away from impacts to the Lab’s mission deliveries. It’s additionally a part of the Lab’s duty to steward its pure assets.
The jay lives in teams of fifty to 300 and varieties smaller colonies of lifelong nesting pairs in the course of the breeding season. A single fowl could acquire and cache as many as 2,600 piñon seeds from their estimated 15- to 25-square-mile home vary. With impeccable spatial reminiscence, pinyon jays return to their hidden seed caches 12 months after 12 months. As they transfer about, jays disperse seeds that assist maintain piñon tree regrowth, making a steady cycle of a wholesome piñon pine ecosystem.
Unfortunately, scientists estimate pinyon jay populations have declined roughly 85% between 1970 and 2014 as a result of a wide range of environmental and anthropogenic impacts, in keeping with the landbird conservation community Partners in Flight.
“There’s an incredible amount of uncertainty regarding the pinyon jay,” stated Ethan Ditmanson of the Lab’s Environmental Stewardship group. “By collecting data and information, we can minimize that uncertainty and better understand potential impacts to operations relative to an Endangered Species Act listing.”
The jay was petitioned by wildlife advocates in April 2022 for itemizing underneath the Endangered Species Act. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is presently following its regulatory procedure to evaluation the petition, and can in the end decide whether or not the jay warrants federal protections.
A spectrogram exhibits the distinct vocalization from a pinyon jay on Lab property. The name is distinguished by its cackling snigger. Courtesy LANL
In November 2022, Lab biologists started a sitewide pilot monitoring research of the pinyon jay to grasp what areas of the Department of Energy’s property the jays use for breeding and seed caching.
Biologists are additionally figuring out how Lab operations could also be affecting the species, in addition to potential impacts to Lab operations from an Endangered Species Act itemizing.
The research started with biologists deploying autonomous recording models in appropriate habitat across the Lab, which measures into the 11,000-acre vary. They recorded optimistic jay vocalizations in the course of the breeding and nonbreeding seasons, then adopted up on the detections with standardized floor surveys.
“We now know that pinyon jays are here year-round, so we are working to develop a better understanding of how they are using the landscape at LANL,” stated Jenna Stanek, additionally of the Environmental Stewardship group. “Such understanding will help ensure a beneficial balance between mission operations and compliance if the jay does receive federal protections.”
“Proactively monitoring this species will help us prepare for an Endangered Species Act listing, potentially minimizing operational impacts like timing delays and geographic access limitations, while also protecting the pinyon jay on Lab property,” added Audrey Sanchez from Environmental Stewardship.
The Lab is presently home to a few animals protected underneath the Endangered Species Act: the Mexican noticed owl, Jemez Mountains salamander and southwestern willow flycatcher. Compliance necessities typically lead to extra challenge planning concerns and constraints, and the Lab works to steadiness operations and growth whereas stopping opposed impacts to federally listed species.
“We are fortunate to have such a diverse and rich ecosystem that supports many species,” stated J’nette Hyatt, senior director for the Lab’s Environment and Waste Programs. “To me, it’s reassuring that the manner in which we execute our mission is being reviewed to understand our impact on the natural environment and ensure the beauty and benefit of the LANL ecosystem endures for generations to come.”
Lab biologist Elisa Abeyta surveys the piñon-juniper woodlands in TA-70 for the pinyon jay, a declining species of fowl in Northern New Mexico. Photo courtesy LANL
Acoustic recording models had been placed all through the southeast portion of the Lab the place piñon-juniper woodlands dominate the panorama. The crimson stars point out the place the jays had been detected. Courtesy LANL
