Central Valley Joint Venture

Mountain meadows are unique ecosystems that support a wide range of bird species with different habitat needs.

In the Central Valley Joint Venture planning region, an estimated 169,252 acres of mountain meadow habitat provide important breeding grounds for birds.

Protecting these landscapes is critical. Many mountain meadows are privately owned and face the risk of conversion to other uses or habitat types, which could reduce breeding densities and offset gains made through habitat restoration.

Meet the 10 focal species selected by CVJV to reflect the diversity of life found in mountain meadows.

What are the odds of encountering a hybrid duck?

Less than 1 in 5,000, or so we thought.

New research, powered by hunter-assisted science like duckDNA, suggests hybrid ducks may be more common and complex than previously understood.

From unexpected pairings to multi-generation hybrids carrying the genetics of multiple species, scientists are uncovering new insights into how and why waterfowl hybridize.

Read the full story to learn more: www.ducks.org/conservation/waterfowl-research-science/understanding-waterfowl-fascinating-hybrids

A recent report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shows that birdwatchers and hunters make up nearly one-third of all visitors to National Wildlife Refuges.

On average, hunters visited 17 times per year, while birdwatchers visited eight.
These visits translate into local spending, demonstrating how well-managed refuges bring significant economic value to surrounding communities.

Three of the 140 refuges included in the study are located in the Central Valley, including the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, where one visitor shared they have returned to the region eight times so far.

Explore the full report at www.centralvalleyjointventure.org/national-survey-shows-why-refuges-matter-for-bird-watchers-hunters-and-local-economies/

In the Central Valley, water defines everything.

New watershed studies from the California Department of Water Resources explore how to better manage cycles of flood and drought through a practice called Flood-Managed Aquifer Recharge (Flood-MAR).

The idea is simple: capture excess floodwater and use it to recharge groundwater basins, rather than letting it flow away.

Learn more about how this strategy can support both wildlife and communities.

https://www.centralvalleyjointventure.org/new-watershed-studies-show-how-managing-floods-can-help-birds-in-the-san-joaquin-valley/

Curious how habitat restoration and flood protection can work together?

In the Yolo Bypass–Cache Slough region, multi-benefit projects are restoring wetlands, improving fish passage, and reducing flood risk all in one landscape.

A new interactive StoryMap by the California Department of Water Resources and partners offers a closer look at how these projects come together on the ground.

https://www.centralvalleyjointventure.org/new-storymap-explores-habitat-restoration-flood-protection-yolo-bypass/

Have you ever seen bank swallows?

These small, fast-moving birds depend almost entirely on riverbanks, so much so that their scientific name, Riparia riparia, literally means “riverbank, riverbank.”

They nest in colonies carved into bare, eroding vertical banks. Today, 70% of California's bank swallows depend on suitable habitat along the Sacramento River between Red Bluff and Colusa, in the Central Valley.

In 2020, just 41 active colonies were documented on this stretch of river.

But there is a path forward.

In 2013, a collaborative effort among state, federal, and nonprofit partners established science-based restoration targets for this at-risk species. Those targets helped shape funding priorities in the 2017 Central Valley Flood Protection Plan.

Learn more in the Central Valley Joint Venture Implementation Plan at the link below.

https://www.centralvalleyjointventure.org/our-science/implementation-plans/

Thinking about updating your garden this spring and helping birds?

The Native Plant Database from the National Audubon Society makes it easy to find the right plants for your area. Just enter your ZIP code, and you’ll receive a list of bird-friendly native plants, along with tips for creating habitat in your yard.

Explore the tool and get started at audubon.org/native-plants

Here is a great opportunity hot off the press from our partner Ducks Unlimited!

Recruitment

For this year’s World Migratory Bird Day, the theme was, “Every Bird Counts - Your Observations Matter!”, highlights the critical role of the public in aiding conservation through everyday bird observations.

But what happens when those observations are paired with real-time tracking data?

In a recent podcast, Jeff Smith and Carson Odegard sit down with Cory Overton to break down what GPS-tagged birds revealed about this past migration season.

The data tells a more nuanced story than expected. Find out why birds stayed farther north longer than usual and why some California-marked ducks are spending more time outside the Central Valley.

Listen to the episode and learn more at the link in bio.

For 40 years, Migratory Bird Joint Ventures have united federal, state, and local agencies with private landowners, nonprofits, Tribes, and industry to advance bird conservation across North America.

Joint Ventures have leveraged every dollar of Congressional funding at a ratio of 31:1, helping conserve 27 million acres of essential habitat for birds and other wildlife.

Learn more about how this work supports our lands, wetlands, and communities.

https://youtu.be/W_RHz7StE_4?si=rSGQjFoa39i60jN5