New bird checklist available
by Wyoming Game & Fish Department
February 10, 2010
Birders, take note. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has a bird checklist available that contains 426 species of birds that have been known to occur in Wyoming. It is designed to enhance opportunity of wildlife enthusiasts to view and understand Wyoming’s wildlife and wildlands.
Laurie Van Fleet, nongame wildlife biologist in the Game and Fish Lander office said the Game and Fish is appreciative of birders who return their checklist at the end of each year. "Return of the listsis an important tool for biologists, Van Fleet said. "It is another tool that allows us to track populations through incidental observations and compare the species that have been sighted from one year to the next." When a checklist is returned, a new one is sent by return mail.
"With spring coming and the migrations getting underway, this is an excellent time to get a checklist started for this year," Van Fleet said. "Next to each species, the checklist has a slot where birders can list the date and location of the observation. It helps increase awareness of birds occurring in Wyoming and provides an organized method for recording observations."
Compiled into a booklet format, the checklist divides the state into six regions and lists distribution information for various species within those regions. Information on abundance or status and seasonal information and preferred habitats is included.
Van Fleet said there is a similar checklist for birds in the Jackson area. The Jackson checklist is available at the Jackson Game and Fish office, the Interagency Visitor’s Center and Grand Teton National Park Visitor’s Center. The Wyoming Bird Checklist is available at any Game and Fish regional office or by calling 307-777-4600. Both checklists were revised in 2008 with updates to species distribution and status information.
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