The Aubrey Valley Important Bird Area falls within Game Management Unit 10, which is a part of the Northern Arizona Grassland Initiative (NAGI) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The COA is home to several wildlife species that are dependent on grasslands. This COA also contains the Aubrey Cliffs, which serve as nesting and migration corridor habitats for raptors. Another significant feature of this COA is that it is home to the endangered black-footed ferret recovery program.
Conservation Goals
- Maintain quality habitats that sustain grassland species like Gunnison prairie dogs and black-footed ferrets.
- Conserve and protect an unique ecosystem and the populations of special status migratory raptors and other avian species from potential wind farm development.
Map
Primary Threats
1. Agriculture
2. Biological Resource Use
3. Climate Change and Severe Weather
6. Energy Production and Mining
Potential Conservation Actions
1. Land and Water Protection
- Pursue and maintain access and conservation agreements with private ranches within GMU 10.
2. Land and Water Management
- Control the spread of invasive and problematic rangeland plant species.
- Implement projects focused on improving the quality of altered systems creating suitable habitat and/or habitat features for wildlife.
- Increase connectivity by removing barriers and other impediments to species movement.
3. Species Management
- Establish and augment populations of wildlife species in high quality habitats.
- Conduct research that includes surveying and monitoring species and habitats to determine status and conditions so that resources can be appropriately allocated where they are most needed
- Ensure at-risk species have viable populations through captive breeding, artificial propagation and gene banking.
4. Education and Awareness
- Increase awareness of effects of specific threats (ie. climate change, invasive and problematic species, illegal take of reptiles and amphibians) on wildlife species and habitats with an emphasis on how the threats can be reduced.
6. Livelihood, Economic and Other Incentives
- Actively seek opportunities to partner with Arizona agricultural producers and private landowners on a variety of habitat enhancements that benefit both livestock and wildlife.
Habitats Present
Strategy Species
Birds
American Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle, Common Nighthawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Golden Eagle, Gray Vireo, Juniper Titmouse, American Goshawk (Northern Goshawk), Pinyon Jay, Western Burrowing Owl
Mammals
American Pronghorn, Arizona Myotis, Black-footed Ferret, Cave Myotis, Greater Western Mastiff Bat, Gunnison's Prairie Dog, Mexican Free-tailed Bat, Mexican Vole, Pale Townsend's Big-eared Bat, Pocketed Free-tailed Bat, Spotted Bat, Stephen's Woodrat, Western Red Bat, Mule Deer
Reptiles
Arizona Black Rattlesnake, Sonoran Spotted Whiptail, Milksnake
Fish
See Associated Aquatic COAs for fish species.
Protected Areas and Other Areas of Conservation Value
- Black-footed Ferret 10J Plan Area
- Aubrey Valley and Cliffs IBA
Potential Partners
- US Fish and Wildlife Service
- Private Landowners
- Arizona State Land Department
- Arizona Department of Fire and Forestry Management
- Hualapai Tribe
- Navajo Nation
- Arizona Elk Society
- Arizona Antelope Foundation
- Mule Deer Foundation
- Arizona Mule Deer Organization
- Arizona Deer Association
- Audubon Southwest
- Quail Forever/Pheasants Forever
- Coconino NRCD
- Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
- Natural Resources Conservation Service
Relevant Conservation Plans
- Black-footed Ferret Statewide Management Plan
- Black-tailed Prairie Dog - Multi-State Conservation Plan
- Gunnison's Prairie Dog - Interagency Management Plan
- Gunnison's Prairie Dog - WAFWA Conservation Assessment
- White-tailed and Gunnison's Prairie Dog Conservation Strategy
- Western Burrowing Owl Clearance Protocol
- Arizona Landscape Integrity and Wildlife Connectivity Assessment
- USFWS White-nose Syndrome National Plan
- BLM Instruction Memorandum (IM) 2010-181, White Nose Syndrome
Associated Aquatic COAs
- No associated Aquatic COAs