Restoring habitat for riparian birds in the lower Colorado River watershed: An example from the Las Vegas Wash, Nevada

Abstract

The success of riparian restoration projects in the arid southwestern U.S. is often measured in terms of vegetation characteristics such as growth, cover, and structure. Among low-elevation riverine environments within the Colorado River watershed, restoration is typically conducted to improve degraded habitats for birds of conservation concern by replacing the exotic tamarisk ( Tamarix ramosissima) with native cottonwoods ( Populus spp.) and willows ( Salix spp.). The working assumption for many restoration practitioners is that replacing exotic plants with native plants will improve habitat quality and will, therefore, benefit birds. Based on data collected at exotic and restored (i.e., native) sites along the Las Vegas Wash, Nevada, not all birds benefit from restoration. Broad measures of community benefit, including benefits to birds of conservation concern and riparian obligate/dependent birds, were not detected. There were, however, some species-specific benefits. Some environmental variables that were associated with exotic and native sites were significant in explaining the composition of the bird community. For example, the richness of forbs and grass-like plants (a proxy of soil moisture), invertebrate mass, and percent shade (a proxy for canopy characteristics) were important. Considering our results and depending on restoration goals, tamarisk replacement projects may not inherently provide benefits to birds.