Wildlife
The Boise-Payette-Weiser subbasins support diverse populations of wildlife, including species that have become uncommon or extirpated across large portions of their historic geographic ranges. For summary purposes, these species have been grouped into the following categories: threatened and endangered species; mammals (big game, forest carnivores, and small mammals); birds (raptors, upland birds, cavity nesters, and migratory birds); herpetofauna; and exotic species. A documented 303 vertebrate species are found across the three subbasins (Table 25). These species constitute all those known to be present in the subbasin complex on at least a seasonal basis.
Table 25. Wildlife species documented to occur within the Boise-Payette-Weiser subbasins, including current state and federal status for threatened, endangered, and special status species (Idaho Conservation Data Center, IDFG).
Common Name
|
Scientific Name
|
State Status1
|
Federal Status2
|
Long-toed salamander
|
Ambystoma macrodactylum
|
|
|
Pacific giant salamander
|
Dicamptodon ensatus
|
|
|
Tailed frog
|
Ascaphus truei
|
|
|
Western toad
|
Bufo boreas
|
SC
|
W/SC
|
Woodhouse's toad
|
Bufo woodhousei
|
|
W
|
Striped chorus frog
|
Pseuacris triseriata
|
|
|
Pacific treefrog
|
Hyla regilla
|
|
|
Great Basin spadefoot
|
Scaphiopus intermontanus
|
|
|
Northern leopard frog
|
Rana pipiens
|
SC
|
SC
|
Spotted frog
|
Rana pretiosa
|
SC
|
|
Mojave black-collared lizard
|
Crotaphytus bicinctores
|
SC
|
W
|
Longnose leopard lizard
|
Gambelia wislizenii
|
|
|
Short-horned lizard
|
Phrynosoma douglassii
|
|
|
Desert horned lizard
|
Phrynosoma platyrhinos
|
|
|
Sagebrush lizard
|
Sceloporus graciosus
|
|
|
Western fence lizard
|
Sceloporus occidentalis
|
|
|
Side-blotched lizard
|
Uta stansburiana
|
|
|
Western skink
|
Eumeces skiltonianus
|
|
|
Western whiptail
|
Cnemidophorus tigris
|
|
|
Rubber boa
|
Charina bottae
|
|
|
Racer
|
Coluber constrictor
|
|
|
Ringneck snake
|
Diadophis punctatus
|
SC
|
W
|
Night snake
|
Hypsiglena torquata
|
|
|
Striped whipsnake
|
Masticophis taeniatus
|
|
|
Gopher snake
|
Pituophis melanoleucus
|
|
|
Western terrestrial garter snake
|
Thamnophis elegans
|
|
|
Common garter snake
|
Thamnophis sirtalis
|
|
|
Western rattlesnake
|
Crotalus viridis
|
|
|
Pied-billed grebe
|
Podilymbus podiceps
|
P
|
|
Red-necked grebe
|
Podiceps grisegena
|
P
|
|
Western grebe
|
Aechmophorus occidentalis
|
P
|
|
American bittern
|
Botaurus lentiginosus
|
P
|
|
Great blue heron
|
Ardea herodias
|
P
|
|
Snowy egret
|
Egretta thula
|
P
|
|
Black-crowned night heron
|
Nycticorax nycticorax
|
P
|
|
Canada goose
|
Branta canadensis
|
G
|
|
Wood duck
|
Aix sponsa
|
G
|
|
Green-winged teal
|
Anas crecca
|
G
|
|
Mallard
|
Anas platyrhynchos
|
G
|
|
Northern pintail
|
Anas acuta
|
G
|
|
Blue-winged teal
|
Anas discors
|
G
|
|
Cinnamon teal
|
Anas cyanoptera
|
G
|
|
Northern shoveler
|
Anas clypeata
|
G
|
|
Gadwall
|
Anas strepera
|
G
|
|
American wigeon
|
Anas americana
|
G
|
|
Redhead
|
Aythya americana
|
G
|
|
Barrow's goldeneye
|
Bucephala islandica
|
G
|
|
Bufflehead
|
Bucephala albeola
|
G
|
|
Common merganser
|
Mergus merganser
|
G
|
|
Ruddy duck
|
Oxyura jamaicensis
|
G
|
|
Turkey vulture
|
Cathartes aura
|
P
|
|
Osprey
|
Pandion haliaetus
|
P
|
|
Bald eagle
|
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
|
E
|
LT
|
Northern harrier
|
Circus cyaneus
|
P
|
|
Sharp-shinned hawk
|
Accipiter striatus
|
P
|
|
Cooper's hawk
|
Accipiter cooperii
|
P
|
|
Northern goshawk
|
Accipiter gentilis
|
SC
|
W
|
Swainson's hawk
|
Buteo swainsoni
|
P
|
|
Red-tailed hawk
|
Buteo jamaicensis
|
P
|
|
Ferruginous hawk
|
Buteo regalis
|
P
|
W
|
Golden eagle
|
Aquila chrysaetos
|
P
|
|
American kestrel
|
Falco sparverius
|
P
|
|
Peregrine falcon
|
Falco peregrinus
|
E
|
|
Prairie falcon
|
Falco mexicanus
|
P
|
|
Gray partridge
|
Perdix perdix
|
G
|
|
Chukar
|
Alectoris chukar
|
G
|
|
Ring-necked pheasant
|
Phasianus colchicus
|
G
|
|
Spruce grouse
|
Dendragapus canadensis
|
G
|
|
Blue grouse
|
Dendragapus obscurus
|
G
|
|
Ruffed grouse
|
Bonasa umbellus
|
G
|
|
Sage grouse
|
Centrocercus urophasianus
|
G
|
|
Columbian sharp-tailed grouse
|
Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus
|
GSC
|
SC
|
Wild turkey
|
Meleagris gallopavo
|
G
|
|
Northern bobwhite
|
Colinus virginianus
|
|
|
California quail
|
Callipepla californica
|
G
|
|
Mountain quail
|
Oreortyx pictus
|
P,SC
|
SC
|
Virginia rail
|
Rallus limicola
|
P
|
|
Sora
|
Porzana carolina
|
P
|
|
American coot
|
Fulica americana
|
G
|
|
Sandhill crane
|
Grus canadensis
|
G
|
|
Killdeer
|
Charadrius vociferus
|
P
|
|
Black-necked stilt
|
Himantopus mexicanus
|
P
|
|
American avocet
|
Recurvirostra americana
|
P
|
|
Spotted sandpiper
|
Actitis macularia
|
P
|
|
Upland sandpiper
|
Bartramia longicauda
|
P,SC
|
W
|
Long-billed curlew
|
Numenius americanus
|
P
|
SC
|
Common snipe
|
Gallinago gallinago
|
P
|
|
Wilson's phalarope
|
Phalaropus tricolor
|
P
|
|
California gull
|
Larus californicus
|
P
|
|
Mourning dove
|
Zenaida macroura
|
G
|
|
Common barn-owl
|
Tyto alba
|
P
|
|
Flammulated owl
|
Otus flammeolus
|
P,SC
|
W
|
Western screech-owl
|
Otus kennicottii
|
P
|
|
Great horned owl
|
Bubo virginianus
|
P
|
|
Northern pygmy-owl
|
Glaucidium gnoma
|
SC
|
W
|
Western burrowing owl
|
Speotyto cunicularia hypugaea
|
P
|
SC
|
Barred owl
|
Strix varia
|
P
|
|
Great gray owl
|
Strix nebulosa
|
SC
|
W
|
Long-eared owl
|
Asio otus
|
P
|
|
Short-eared owl
|
Asio flammeus
|
P
|
|
Boreal owl
|
Aegolius funereus
|
SC
|
W
|
Northern saw-whet owl
|
Aegolius acadicus
|
P
|
|
Common nighthawk
|
Chordeiles minor
|
P
|
|
Common poorwill
|
Phalaenoptilus nuttallii
|
P
|
|
Vaux's swift
|
Chaetura vauxi
|
P
|
|
White-throated swift
|
Aeronautes saxatalis
|
P
|
|
Black-chinned hummingbird
|
Archilochus alexandri
|
P
|
|
Calliope hummingbird
|
Stellula calliope
|
P
|
|
Broad-tailed hummingbird
|
Selasphorus platycercus
|
P
|
|
Rufous hummingbird
|
Selasphorus rufus
|
P
|
|
Belted kingfisher
|
Ceryle alcyon
|
P
|
|
Lewis' woodpecker
|
Melanerpes lewis
|
P
|
|
Williamson's sapsucker
|
Sphyrapicus thyroideus
|
P
|
|
Red-naped sapsucker
|
Sphyrapicus nuchalis
|
P
|
|
Downy woodpecker
|
Picoides pubescens
|
P
|
|
Hairy woodpecker
|
Picoides villosus
|
P
|
|
White-headed woodpecker
|
Picoides albolarvatus
|
SC
|
W
|
Three-toed woodpecker
|
Picoides tridactylus
|
SC
|
W
|
Black-backed woodpecker
|
Picoides arcticus
|
SC
|
W
|
Northern flicker
|
Colaptes auratus
|
P
|
|
Pileated woodpecker
|
Dryocopus pileatus
|
P
|
|
Olive-sided flycatcher
|
Contopus borealis
|
P
|
|
Western wood-pewee
|
Contopus sordidulus
|
P
|
|
Willow flycatcher
|
Empidonax traillii
|
P
|
|
Hammond's flycatcher
|
Empidonax hammondii
|
P
|
|
Dusky flycatcher
|
Empidonax oberholseri
|
P
|
|
Cordilleran flycatcher
|
Empidonax difficilis
|
P
|
|
Say's phoebe
|
Sayornis saya
|
P
|
|
Western kingbird
|
Tyrannus verticalis
|
P
|
|
Eastern kingbird
|
Tyrannus tyrannus
|
P
|
|
Horned lark
|
Eremophila alpestris
|
P
|
|
Tree swallow
|
Tachycineta bicolor
|
P
|
|
Violet-green swallow
|
Tachycineta thalassina
|
P
|
|
Northern rough-winged swallow
|
Stelgidopteryx serripennis
|
P
|
|
Bank swallow
|
Riparia riparia
|
P
|
|
Cliff swallow
|
Hirundo pyrrhonota
|
P
|
|
Barn swallow
|
Hirundo rustica
|
P
|
|
Gray jay
|
Perisoreus canadensis
|
P
|
|
Steller's jay
|
Cyanocitta stelleri
|
P
|
|
Clark's nutcracker
|
Nucifraga columbiana
|
P
|
|
Black-billed magpie
|
Pica pica
|
P
|
|
American crow
|
Corvus brachyrhynchos
|
P
|
|
Common raven
|
Corvus corax
|
P
|
|
Black-capped chickadee
|
Parus atricapillus
|
P
|
|
Mountain chickadee
|
Parus gambeli
|
P
|
|
Red-breasted nuthatch
|
Sitta canadensis
|
P
|
|
White-breasted nuthatch
|
Sitta carolinensis
|
P
|
|
Pygmy nuthatch
|
Sitta pygmaea
|
P,SC
|
W
|
Brown creeper
|
Certhia americana
|
P
|
|
Rock wren
|
Salpinctes obsoletus
|
P
|
|
Canyon wren
|
Catherpes mexicanus
|
P
|
|
House wren
|
Troglodytes aedon
|
P
|
|
Winter wren
|
Troglodytes troglodytes
|
P
|
|
Marsh wren
|
Cistothorus palustris
|
P
|
|
American dipper
|
Cinclus mexicanus
|
P
|
|
Golden-crowned kinglet
|
Regulus satrapa
|
P
|
|
Ruby-crowned kinglet
|
Regulus calendula
|
P
|
|
Western bluebird
|
Sialia mexicana
|
P
|
|
Mountain bluebird
|
Sialia currucoides
|
P
|
|
Townsend's solitaire
|
Myadestes townsendi
|
P
|
|
Veery
|
Catharus fuscescens
|
P
|
|
Swainson's thrush
|
Catharus ustulatus
|
P
|
|
Hermit thrush
|
Catharus guttatus
|
P
|
|
American robin
|
Turdus migratorius
|
P
|
|
Varied thrush
|
Ixoreus naevius
|
P
|
|
Gray catbird
|
Dumetella carolinensis
|
P
|
|
Sage thrasher
|
Oreoscoptes montanus
|
P
|
|
American pipit
|
Anthus spinoletta
|
P
|
|
Cedar waxwing
|
Bombycilla cedrorum
|
P
|
|
Loggerhead shrike
|
Lanius ludovicianus
|
SC
|
SC
|
Solitary vireo
|
Vireo solitarius
|
P
|
|
Warbling vireo
|
Vireo gilvus
|
P
|
|
Red-eyed vireo
|
Vireo olivaceus
|
P
|
|
Orange-crowned warbler
|
Vermivora celata
|
P
|
|
Nashville warbler
|
Vermivora ruficapilla
|
P
|
|
Yellow warbler
|
Dendroica petechia
|
P
|
|
Yellow-rumped warbler
|
Dendroica coronata
|
P
|
|
Townsend's warbler
|
Dendroica townsendi
|
P
|
|
American redstart
|
Setophaga ruticilla
|
P
|
|
MacGillivray's warbler
|
Oporornis tolmiei
|
P
|
|
Common yellowthroat
|
Geothlypis trichas
|
P
|
|
Wilson's warbler
|
Wilsonia pusilla
|
P
|
|
Yellow-breasted chat
|
Icteria virens
|
P
|
|
Western tanager
|
Piranga ludoviciana
|
P
|
|
Black-headed grosbeak
|
Pheucticus melanocephalus
|
P
|
|
Lazuli bunting
|
Passerina amoena
|
P
|
|
Green-tailed towhee
|
Pipilo chlorurus
|
P
|
|
Rufous-sided towhee
|
Pipilo erythrophthalmus
|
P
|
|
Chipping sparrow
|
Spizella passerina
|
P
|
|
Brewer's sparrow
|
Spizella breweri
|
P
|
|
Vesper sparrow
|
Pooecetes gramineus
|
P
|
|
Lark sparrow
|
Chondestes grammacus
|
P
|
|
Black-throated sparrow
|
Amphispiza bilineata
|
P
|
|
Sage sparrow
|
Amphispiza belli
|
P
|
|
Savannah sparrow
|
Passerculus sandwichensis
|
P
|
|
Grasshopper sparrow
|
Ammodramus savannarum
|
P
|
|
Fox sparrow
|
Passerella iliaca
|
P
|
|
Song sparrow
|
Melospiza melodia
|
P
|
|
Lincoln's sparrow
|
Melospiza lincolnii
|
P
|
|
White-crowned sparrow
|
Zonotrichia leucophrys
|
P
|
|
Dark-eyed junco
|
Junco hyemalis
|
P
|
|
Bobolink
|
Dolichonyx oryzivorus
|
P
|
|
Red-winged blackbird
|
Agelaius phoeniceus
|
P
|
|
Western meadowlark
|
Sturnella neglecta
|
P
|
|
Yellow-headed blackbird
|
Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
|
P
|
|
Brewer's blackbird
|
Euphagus cyanocephalus
|
P
|
|
Brown-headed cowbird
|
Molothrus ater
|
P
|
|
Scotts oriole
|
Icterus parisorum
|
P
|
|
Rosy finch
|
Leucosticte arctoa
|
P
|
|
Pine grosbeak
|
Pinicola enucleator
|
P
|
|
Cassin's finch
|
Carpodacus cassinii
|
P
|
|
House finch
|
Carpodacus mexicanus
|
P
|
|
Red crossbill
|
Loxia curvirostra
|
P
|
|
Pine siskin
|
Carduelis pinus
|
P
|
|
American goldfinch
|
Carduelis tristis
|
P
|
|
Evening grosbeak
|
Coccothraustes vespertinus
|
P
|
|
Masked shrew
|
Sorex cinereus
|
|
|
Vagrant shrew
|
Sorex vagrans
|
|
|
Dusky shrew
|
Sorex monticolus
|
|
|
Water shrew
|
Sorex palustris
|
|
|
Merriam's shrew
|
Sorex merriami
|
|
|
Coast mole
|
Scapanus orarius
|
SC
|
W
|
Little brown myotis
|
Myotis lucifugus
|
|
|
Yuma myotis
|
Myotis yumanensis
|
|
W
|
Long-eared myotis
|
Myotis evotis
|
|
W
|
Fringed myotis
|
Myotis thysanodes
|
SC
|
W
|
Long-legged myotis
|
Myotis volans
|
|
W
|
California myotis
|
Myotis californicus
|
|
W
|
Western small-footed myotis
|
Myotis ciliolabrum
|
|
W
|
Silver-haired bat
|
Lasionycteris noctivagans
|
|
|
Western pipistrelle
|
Pipistrellus hesperus
|
SC
|
W
|
Big brown bat
|
Eptesicus fuscus
|
|
|
Hoary bat
|
Lasiurus cinereus
|
|
|
Spotted bat
|
Euderma maculatum
|
SC
|
W
|
Townsend's big-eared bat
|
Plecotus townsendii
|
SC
|
W
|
Pallid bat
|
Antrozous pallidus
|
|
|
Pika
|
Ochotona princeps
|
P
|
|
Nutall's cottontail
|
Sylvilagus nuttallii
|
|
|
Snowshoe hare
|
Lepus americanus
|
|
|
White-tailed jackrabbit
|
Lepus townsendii
|
|
|
Black-tailed jackrabbit
|
Lepus californicus
|
|
|
Pygmy rabbit
|
Brachylagus idahoensis
|
GSC
|
W
|
Least chipmunk
|
Tamias minimus
|
P
|
|
Yellow-pine chipmunk
|
Tamius amoenus
|
P
|
|
Red-tailed chipmunk
|
Tamias ruficaudus
|
P
|
|
Yellow-bellied marmot
|
Marmota flaviventris
|
|
|
Hoary marmot
|
Marmota caligata
|
|
|
Townsend's ground squirrel
|
Spermophilus townsendii
|
|
|
Idaho ground squirrel
|
Spermophilus brunneus
|
|
|
Columbian ground squirrel
|
Spermophilus columbianus
|
|
|
Golden-mantled ground squirrel
|
Spermophilus lateralis
|
P
|
|
Red squirrel
|
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
|
P
|
|
Northern flying squirrel
|
Glaucomys sabrinus
|
P
|
|
Townsend's pocket gopher
|
Thomomys townsendii
|
|
|
Northern pocket gopher
|
Thomomys talpoides
|
|
|
Great Basin pocket mouse
|
Perognathus parvus
|
|
|
Ord's kangaroo rat
|
Dipodomys ordii
|
|
|
Chisel-toothed kangaroo rat
|
Dipodomys microps
|
|
|
Beaver
|
Castor canadensis
|
G
|
|
Western harvest mouse
|
Reithrodontomys megalotis
|
|
|
Deer mouse
|
Peromyscus maniculatus
|
|
|
Canyon mouse
|
Peromyscus crinitus
|
|
|
Northern grasshopper mouse
|
Onychomys leucogaster
|
|
|
Desert woodrat
|
Neotoma lepida
|
|
|
Bushy-tailed woodrat
|
Neotoma cinerea
|
|
|
Southern red-backed vole
|
Clethrionomys gapperi
|
|
|
Heather vole
|
Phenacomys intermedius
|
|
|
Meadow vole
|
Microtus pennsylvanicus
|
|
|
Montane vole
|
Microtus montanus
|
|
|
Long-tailed vole
|
Microtus longicaudus
|
|
|
Water vole
|
Microtus richardsoni
|
|
|
Sagebrush vole
|
Lemmiscus curtatus
|
|
|
Muskrat
|
Ondatra zibethicus
|
G
|
|
Western jumping mouse
|
Zapus princeps
|
|
|
Porcupine
|
Erethizon dorsatum
|
|
|
Coyote
|
Canis latrans
|
|
|
Gray wolf
|
Canis lupis
|
E
|
LE/XN
|
Red fox
|
Vulpes vulpes
|
G
|
|
Black bear
|
Ursus americanus
|
G
|
|
Raccoon
|
Procyon lotor
|
G
|
|
Marten
|
Martes americana
|
G
|
|
Fisher
|
Martes pennanti
|
SC
|
W
|
Ermine
|
Mustela erminea
|
G
|
|
Long-tailed weasel
|
Mustela frenata
|
G
|
|
Mink
|
Mustela vison
|
G
|
|
North American wolverine
|
Gulo gulo luscus
|
P,SC
|
W
|
Badger
|
Taxidea taxus
|
G
|
|
Western spotted skunk
|
Spilogale gracilis
|
|
|
Striped skunk
|
Mephitis mephitis
|
|
|
River otter
|
Lutra canadensis
|
G
|
|
Mountain lion
|
Felis concolor
|
G
|
|
Lynx
|
Lynx canadensis
|
GSC
|
LT
|
Bobcat
|
Felis rufus
|
G
|
|
Elk
|
Cervus elaphus
|
G
|
|
Mule deer
|
Odocoileus hemionus
|
G
|
|
White-tailed deer
|
Odocoileus virginianus
|
G
|
|
Moose
|
Alces alces
|
G
|
|
Pronghorn
|
Antilocapra americana
|
G
|
|
Mountain goat
|
Oreamnos americana
|
G
|
|
Southern Idaho ground squirrel
|
Spermophilus brunneus endemicus
|
SC
|
SC
|
Northern Idaho ground squirrel
|
Spermophilus brunneus brunneus
|
SC
|
LT
|
California bighorn sheep
|
Ovis canadensis californiana
|
G
|
SC
|
Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep
|
Ovis canadensis canadensis
|
G
|
|
1 State Status: SC=Species of Special Concern; G=Game Species or furbearers; T=Threatened; E=Endangered; P=Protected Nongame Species.
2 Federal Status: LT=Listed Threatened; LE=Listed Endangered; PE=Proposed Endangered; PT=Proposed Threatened; C=Candidate Species; XN=Experimental, Nonessential Population; SC=Species of Concern; W=Watch Species
|
Data on the current status and distribution of many wildlife species in the subbasins is limited. Most information is related to big game management and includes winter-spring aerial surveys and harvest data for big game species elk, mule deer, pronghorn antelope, sheep, mountain goats, moose, black bears, cougars, and the furbearers such as bobcats. More limited and short-term information exists for such threatened and endangered species as the gray wolf, northern Idaho ground squirrel, bald eagle, and peregrine falcon. Data on other wildlife species are based on occasional presence/absence surveys, predictive habitat relationship models, and incidental observations. The major source for threatened, endangered, rare, and sensitive species information is the Idaho Conservation Data Center.
Share with your friends: |