Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Rivers, Dams, And Willow Flycatchers: A Summary Of Their Science And Policy Connections, William Graf, Julie Stromberg, Brad Valentine

William L. Graf

The southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus) is a riparian bird that spends winter months in Central and South America and summer breeding months in riparian zones of the American Southwest. Decline of the willow flycatcher population to less than 1000 breeding pairs prompted the Federal government to declare the species endangered, triggering a major recovery effort. The most important aspect of recovery is management and improvement of the riparian habitat of the bird population. Although the direct management of the species is primarily a biological issue, fluvial hydrology and geomorphology play an important role in understanding the dynamics of …