Arizona Wildlife Conservation Strategy

Imperial-Cibola COA

This COA consists of an important network of lentic, lotic, and wetland habitats that occur within two adjacent National Wildlife Refuges along the Lower Colorado River, the Cibola NWR and the Imperial NWR. This COA is part of Audubon’s Important Bird Areas (IBA) program for its abundance of important breeding habitats for birds, in particular the Ridgway’s rail and California black rail. This COA also offers important wintering habitat for species like sandhill crane, Ross’ goose, and a suite of other waterfowl. Invasive salt cedar and phragmites are encroaching on native habitats and impairing the quality of these areas for birds and other wildlife. Recent years have seen efforts to restore native trees like cottonwoods and willows.

Conservation Goals

  • Remove invasive vegetative species that are having adverse effects on quality wetland and riparian habitats.
  • Improve natural function of wetlands to improve water quality for aquatic habitats.

Map

Primary Threats

3. Climate Change and Severe Weather

3.2: Droughts

8. Invasive and Other Problematic Species

8.1: Invasive non-native species

10. Pollution

10.1: Household sewage and urban waste water
10.3: Agricultural and forestry effluents

Potential Conservation Actions

2. Land and Water Management

2.2: Invasive/problematic species control
  • Remove invasive salt cedar and restore native plant species such as cottonwoods and willows.
  • Determine the distribution of banded watersnakes and develop a plan to reduce their numbers or eradicate them.
2.3: Habitat and natural process restoration
  • Enhance wetland habitats to restore natural function that helps reduce water pollution.

Habitats Present

Strategy Species

Birds

American Kestrel, Black-necked Stilt, Bullock's Oriole, Common Gallinule, Costa's Hummingbird, Gilded Flicker, Hooded Oriole, Inca Dove, Loggerhead Shrike, Ridgway's Rail, Sora, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, Verdin, Virginia Rail, Western Burrowing Owl, Western Meadowlark, Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Mammals

California Leaf-nosed Bat, Cave Myotis, Colorado River Cotton Rat, Desert Pocket Mouse, Hoary Bat, Mexican Free-tailed Bat, Western Red Bat, Western Yellow Bat, Yuma Hispid Cotton Rat, Yuma Myotis

Reptiles

Sonoran Collared Lizard, Mexican Gartersnake

Fish

See Associated Aquatic COAs for fish species.

Protected Areas and Other Areas of Conservation Value

  • Cibola National Wildlife Refuge
  • Imperial National Wildlife Refuge
  • Cibola Valley Conservation and Wildlife Area

Potential Partners

  • US Fish and Wildlife Service
  • Ducks Unlimited
  • US Bureau of Reclamation
  • Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program
  • California Department of Fish and Wildlife
  • Central Arizona Project

Relevant Conservation Plans

  • Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program
  • Yuma Clapper Rail Recovery Plan

Associated Aquatic COAs