Creat Basin Naturalist 52(3), pp. 278-283 AVIFAUNA OF CENTRAL TULE X'ALLEY, W ESTERN BONNEVILLE BASIN Peter Hoxiiiiih Ki'ij ivnnls: hirds. inifdiaia. dcscii. (UjUdtir liahitiit. Great Ba.siii. uctlaiid-s Fautiii (1946) (k>scril)ed the flora and fauna of sewral northern desert biotic coniniunities in Tule \alle\-, located 80 km west of Delia, Utah, in Millard Countv of western Bonnexille Basin. His study durintj; 1939 (June to September) and 1940 (.'Vpril to September) included a descrip-tion of greasewood {Sarcohatiis vcniiicidatiis) and pickleweed {AUenwlfea occiclentaUs) com-nnuiities. From 1980 through 1991 while in ven-torxing the acpiatic habitats of Tule Valley, I noted the axifamia utilizing wetlands, springs, adjact^nt greasewood and pickleweed commu-nities, and saline flats. This note reports on the a\ifauna oc-curring within the two communities and compares the 1980-91 faunal lisitng with that reported prexiously by Fautin (1946). Com-parisons are also made with Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, located 50 km north of the Tule Valle\ springs. This study identifies changes in raptors and songbirds that ha\e occurredoxer 40 years and notes the differences bet\yeen natural springs and wetlands and those dedicated to waterfowl management. Description of tiik Tiii.k \'alley AgiATIC EN\ IHONMKNTS Within the greasewood and ])icklc>weed connnunities of central Tule Valle\ are some 25 tissure-fault springs and associated wetlands. Saline flats coxered in part by water from saline seepage springs occiu" to the east and west of these fissiu-e-fault springs. The springs-wetlands yar\-in si/.e from 100 nr to o\er 97.000 nr (Coyote Springs) with a total of 195,000 nr. Couductixity oltlie aquatic sxstems \aries from 1200 (spring .sources) to greater than 93.000 umbos per cm (some wetlands and saline-ponds). Tln"ee-comered bulrush (Sciiyiis aincr-ic(inus) and salt grass [Distichlis spicata) are the dominant emergent species, with Phra<j^inifcs aiistralis, Tijplui doDiiti^cnsis, and Scirpiis aciittis occurring in highl\-localized stands. Tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissiina) is the only shrub gnnxing within some springs-wetlands but was not noted by Fautin (1946). Methods A total ot 36 \isits were made to Tule Villex' bet\yeen 1980 and 1991, with 10 \isits of t\yo-day dvu'ations occvniing in 1981. Imentories were conducted during each month (except Jan-uan) with emphasis during March, Maw and June. Birds were inxentoried b\ random encounters, and unidentified species were not pursued. Nomenclature follows that of Peterson (1990). Results and Discussion Table 1 lists the 80 species of birds identified during 1980-91, the months they were encoun-tered, and those species also reported b\' Fautin ( 1946). Mallard (scientific names noted in Table 1), Northern Harrier, Horned Lark, Connnon Raxen, and Marsh Wren xxere encountered year-roimd and are considered permanent resi-dents. Almost half (31) of the species inxento-lied during this studx' xx'ere obsened t\yo or fex\ t'r times (dates included in Table 1 ) and are considered casual or transient xisitors. The single Palm Warbler, a casual bird in Utah ( Belile et al. 1985), xx'as identified by its charac-teristic tail moxement as prexiouslxobserxedby me on numerous occasions durinti iuuiual 721 Scttmcl Avenue. Sail l,iil;e ( \{\ Tl.ili S ll(K5. 278
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