Wildlife data summary report for Mountain Home Air Force Base and Mountain Home Range complex

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The United States Air Force (Air Force) operates and manages Mountain Home Air Force Base (MHAFB) and Mountain Home Range Complex (MHRC). The MHRC consists of Saylor Creek Range (SCR), Juniper Butte Range (JBR), and the Remote Training Sites (RTS) in Elmore, Owyhee, and Twin Falls Counties, Idaho. This report provides an overview of existing data for wildlife resources and other species of concern on these areas. Species information includes distribution and relative abundance. Known information about Special Status Species is described in detail. Opportunities to enhance resource knowledge are highlighted.Several efforts have been made over the years to describe the wildlife resources on Air Force lands associated with the MHAFB in Elmore and Owyhee Counties, Idaho. This data has been entered into a comprehensive database which was used to generate this report. Data are from a 1994 ecosystem survey, a 1996 ETI field survey, sage grouse and raptors surveys from 2003 to the present, bird band from 2001 to 2005, general wildlife survey from 2004 to the present, 2006 fair shrimp surveys, and other observation. No federally listed threatened or endangered species have been found on Air Force lands. Ninety-four species of animals, representing 47 families, have been recorded on MHAFB. Special Status Species recorded on MHAFB include the California gull, American white pelican, long-billed curlew, western burrowing owl, loggerhead shrike, and Yuma myotis. Sixty-nine species of animals, representing 40 families, have been recorded on SCR. Special Status Species recorded on SCR include the long-billed curlew, ferruginous hawk, western burrowing owl, Brewer’s sparrow, sage sparrow, loggerhead shrike, and sage thrasher. Sixty-eight species of animals, representing 34 families, have been recorded on JBR. Special Status Species recorded on JBR include the ferruginous hawk, western burrowing owl, Brewer’s sparrow, sage sparrow, loggerhead shrike, and sage thrasher. Seventy-eight species of animals, representing 39 families, have been recorded at RTS. Special Status Species recorded on or near RTS include the long-billed curlew, ferruginous hawk, western burrowing owl, Brewer’s sparrow, black-throated sparrow, sage sparrow, loggerhead shrike, sage thrasher, and kit fox. Fire frequencies have changed from an average interval of 32-70 years historically to less than 5 years in areas infested with cheatgrass. SCR contains about 6.5% of the historic acreage of sagebrush. MHAFB contains 8% of the historic acreage of sagebrush. Big sagebrush is also disappearing from BLM lands surrounding Air Force lands. Conversion of sagebrush to grasslands, via fire and cheatgrass invasion, is the largest threat to desirable wildlife habitat on Air Force lands.

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ELECTRONIC FILE - Zoology

Citation (CSE style): Rudeen C. 2006 Oct. Wildlife data summary report for Mountain Home Air Force Base and Mountain Home Range complex. Mountain Home (ID): US Air Force, Mountain Home Air Force Base. 129 p. Unpublished report. [Since Rudeen works for MTHAFB, CSE style would leave MHAFB out of author slot. Also, none of the many other reports from MHAFB included such a suggested citation as the one below.]

(Citation recommended in the document: MHAFB. (2006.) Wildlife data summary report for Mountain Home Air Force Base and Mountain Home Range Complex. U. S. Air Force, Mountain Home Air Force Base, ID: 366 CES/CEVA, Carl Rudeen, October 2006.) [Note that 366 CES/CEVA appears to be part of the address there for Rudeen.]