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Colorado IBAs
Alfred M. Bailey Bird Nesting Area
Summit County
Size: 3,904 acres
Elevation: 9575 feet
Habitats:
Primary – spruce/fir, wetlands, high elevation riparian
Secondary – aspen, lodgepole, cliff/rock, shore/bank
Ownership: Federal (U.S. Forest Service)
Land Use:
Primary – nature and wildlife conservation
Secondary – hunting/fishing, recreation/tourism, research, undeveloped
IBA Criteria: 3, 5
Site description
Location:
The Alfred M. Bailey Bird Nesting Area is located in the Eagle’s Nest Wilderness Area of the Arapaho National Forest in the Blue River Valley, northwest of the town of Dillon.
Vegetative/natural features:
Representative of the Southern Rockies, the site contains many different habitat types within a small area, including willow-dominated meadow, aspen, spruce-fir, lodgepole pine, bogs, marshes, creeks, and beaver ponds. North Rock Creek runs through a large willow-dominated meadow, which is converged upon by stands of spruce-fir, lodgepole pine, and aspen.
Historic features:
The Alfred M. Bailey Bird Nesting Area honors one of North America’s preeminent ornithologists. Alfred Marshall Bailey, born in 1894, was the director of the Denver Museum of Natural History (now known as the Denver Museum of Nature and Science) from 1936 to 1969. He conducted numerous international expeditions, contributed ornithological pieces to such publications as Natural History and National Geographic, and co-authored the two-volume "Birds of Colorado" which is still a standard reference for Colorado birds.
Ornithological Importance
Due to its wide variety of habitats, this site is one of the most biologically diverse mountain breeding grounds in Colorado. The area supports approximately 44 species of breeding birds, of which 29 are migratory.
Red-naped Sapsucker 6 >8
Breeding species:
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Average #
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Maximum #
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Northern Pygmy-Owl
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Data unavailable
|
|
Olive-sided Sapsucker
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2
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>2
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Williamson’s Sapsucker
|
4
|
4
|
Cordilleran Flycatcher
|
2
|
2
|
Dusky Flycatcher
|
30
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>50
|
MacGillivray’s Warbler
|
6
|
12
|
Wilson’s Warbler
|
800
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>1000
|
American Dipper
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4
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>4
|
Lincoln’s Sparrow
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200
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>300
|
Fox Sparrow
|
5
|
8
|
|
|
|
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Research and educational activities:
Colorado Bird Observatory, Colorado Division of Wildlife, and the U.S. Forest Service have conducted long-term research and education programs at the site, including summer bird studies and public bird banding demonstrations.
Conservation/Management Issues
Minor threats:
- minimal impact from recreational camping and fishing.
Potential threats:
- habitat conversion of surrounding forest caused by logging.
Management details:
The site is located within the Eagle’s Nest Wilderness, and is a Colorado Watchable Wildlife site.
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