Important Updates about Pinyon Jay Community Science Project
August 17th 2023
Pinyon Jay becomes a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act
The 90-day finding on the listing status of the Pinyon Jay was released on August 17th, 2023 after a petition was submitted in April of 2022. The finding was “positive”, which does not mean the species is currently listed, but that there was credible and substantial information included in the petition to warrant listing the Pinyon Jay under the Endangered Species Act. The US Fish and Wildlife Service cited threats such as increased wildfire, invasive species, lack of current regulatory mechanisms, and climate change to Pinyon Jay habitat may endanger or threaten the species throughout all or a significant portion of its range.
What happens next?
Now that the Pinyon Jay is a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act, there will be a 12-month in-depth review process to determine the status of the Pinyon Jay population. During this period of review there is a special emphasis on the conservation of a candidate species and gathering information for review. Data collection by community scientists may help inform the birds use across the landscape and identify high priority areas in the future. A final determination on whether the listing of the Pinyon Jay is warranted or unwarranted will be released after the 12-month review and a comment period. You can find more information on the finding using the link below:
US wildlife managers agree to review the plight of a Western bird linked to piñon forests | AP News
In order to keep you informed about these changes, it is critically important for you to visit the Hub Site here, log in with your account credentials, and opt to become an initiative “follower” if you’ve not already done so. There are two ways to do this from the Hub Site’s home page as shown in the two screen shots below. Either way will work fine.
Only followers of the initiative will receive announcements about these updates, and only followers will be able to use online survey forms, so please be sure to become an initiative follower, ASAP. We look forward to continuing working with you to grow and improve this initiative and to conserve Pinyon Jays!
Get Involved!
Project background:
Great Basin Bird Observatory has been researching Pinyon Jays since 2008, when we began the first radio telemetry study ever done on this species. Pinyon Jays have showed nearly an 80% population decline since 1970, and the reasons are not totally clear. You can help us collect data by joining our community science effort! With your help, and a larger data set, we can begin to understand why Pinyon Jay populations are in decline.
Become a data collector:
Visit the Pinyon Jay Community Science Hub and sign up to collect data
Download ESRI’s Survey123 App
Instructions to use ESRI’s Survey123 app
Collect data on Pinyon Jays, including the absence of flocks, in pinyon-juniper woodlands throughout the state!
