Biodiversity

Biodiversity Components

In the analysis of Salt Lake County under the lens of biodiversity, the focus was placed on mammal and bird habitat along with the potential for increasing pollinator population. Maps were made to illustrate the current locations of mammal and bird habitat.

Mammals

Mammal Habitat

The mammal habitat areas, taken from the Division of Wildlife Resources, consist of the following species within the Salt Lake County Boundary. Bolded species are found on the west side of the county.

Black Bear
Elk
Moose
Mountain Goat
Mule Deer
Snowshoe Hare

DIET: During spring and summer Elk east grasses and forbs, then during Winter they add shrubs, tree bark, and twigs to their diet. They may supplement their diet at "licks", where they take in minerals that may help them grow healthy coats and produce nutritious milk. Mule Deer feed on trees and shrubs during the winter when grass is harder to find. During the summer, they favor flowering plants. Overall, these deer eat a wide variety of vegetation, from fruits and seeds to grasses and leaves.

HABITAT: Elk thrive in coniferous rain forests along the Pacific Ocean, prairies, aspen parklands, sagebrush flats, eastern deciduous forests, and the Rocky Mountains. They shun deserts, boreal forests, and tundra. Food, water, shelter, and space are essential to elk survival.

;Citations: Elk Facts, Elk

Birds

Bird Habitat

The bird habitat areas, taken from the Division of Wildlife Resources, consist of the following species within the Salt Lake County Boundary. Bolded species are found on the west side of the county.

Band-tailed Pigeon

California Quail
Chukar
Dusky Grouse
Hungarian Partridge
Ring-necked Pheasant

Ruffed Grouse
Wild Turkey

CALIFORNIA QUAIL

open areas with low shrubbery
foothills, valleys, open woodlands, coastal sagebrush, and chaparral
birdseed/birdfeeders
berries, fruits, acorns, leaves, flowers, grains, and other plant parts

https://animals.net/california-quail/

CHUKAR

rugged and hostile habitats; mountainous and rocky; desert edges
arid, little rainfall regions; open regions with grasses and small shrubs
insects, grasses, flowering plants, shrubs, seeds, berries, fruits
could eat grains from farmland

https://animals.net/chukar/

DUSKY GROUSE

grasslands, prairies
plants and plant matter for food; younglings eat insects

https://animals.net/grouse/

HUNGARIAN PARTRIDGE

grassland or meadow style habitats at the edge of woodlands
seeds, nuts, berries, insects, invertebrates
wheat, corn, ragweed, barley, thistle, foxtail

https://animals.net/partridge/

RING-NECKED PHEASANT

taller vegetation for cover, rural roadsides, overgrown or recently harvested fields, brushy areas and hedgerows
farmland, grasslands
fruit, seeds, grain, mast, berries, leaves, invertebrates

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_pheasant

RUFFED GROUSE

mixed woodland rich in aspen
foragers on the ground or in trees
buds, leaves, berries, seeds, and insects

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruffed_grouse#Ecology

WILD TURKEY

Trees, grasses, and moisture
Covering: Lateral (well-developed understory of vegetation) and overhead (canopy layer to protect from predators)
Insect rich environment where foraging can happen
Pine seed, acorns, and other fruits during fall and winter

https://www.nwtf.org/hunt/wild-turkey-basics/habitat

AMERICAN AVOCET

wades through shallow water less than 8 inches deep sweeping its bill from side to side for aquatic invertebrates
wetlands: fresh and saltwater, salt ponds, impoundments, and evaporation ponds

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Avocet/id

WILLET

forages by walking on shore, in marsh, or in shallow water, probing its bill in mud or water, or picking items from the surface
insects, crustaceans, marine worms, some plant material (grass, fresh shoots, and seeds)

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/willet

BLACK-NECKED STILT

grassy marshes, mudflats, pools, shallow lakes
nesting requires bare open ground near water with little vegetation
finds food visually by picking items from the water surface or catch insect

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/black-necked-stilt

BURROWING OWL

open grassland, prairies, farmland, airfields
favors flat open ground with very short grass or bare soil
insects, small mammals, amphibians

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/burrowing-owl

LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS

Mudflats, shallow pools, mostly freshwater
small aquatic invertebrates, insects, grasses, bulrushes, pondweeds and other plants

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/long-billed-dowitcher

DUCKS AND GEESE

aquatic plants, seeds, insects
crop fields with corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, barley
seeds such as pondweed, smartweed, sedges, bulrushes, and wild millet
wetlands, grasslands

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/16/stelprdb1045362.pdf

SNOWY PLOVER

sandy coasts and brackish inland lakes
invertebrates are main source of food

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowy_plover

LONG-BILLED CURLEW

high planes, rangeland, cultivated land, tide flats, salt marshes
breeding in grassland and sagebrush prairie
forages over grasslands and mudflats for insects
small crustaceans and invertebrate

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/long-billed-curlew

TUNDRA SWAN

Summer tundra, lakes, large rivers, bays, estuaries, and flooded fields
shallow lakes during migration with agricultural fields nearby
seeds and other plant material, aquatic plants, invertebrates, grain from fields

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/tundra-swan

Inland Sea Shorebird Reserve

According to Rio Tinto Kennecott, the company has transformed acreage once dominated by over-grazed lands, salt evaporation ponds and illegal dumps into a 3,670-acre shorebird and waterfowl reserve along the south shore of Great Salt Lake.

The reserve was designated as the Outstanding Environmental and Engineering Geologic Project as the number of bird species using the reserve area has increased from 50 in 1995 to 200 in recent years, with 120,000 birds using the reserve annually. This is an increase of over 1,000 percent. Due to this incredible success, the reserve has now expanded to over 3,600 acres.

In 2004, the area became an Important Bird Area (IBA) and is now part of BirdLife International’s IBA Program. The purpose of the program is to identify, monitor and protect a global network of IBAs to conserve birds and other biodiversity — birds being one of the most vital indicators of a healthy environment.

Habitat Focus Areas

Along the eastern bench of the Oquirrh Mountains, there are gaps in the animal habitats. These focus areas offer opportunities for expanding these habitats to fill in those gaps. Plant choices and placement of greenways in these areas can encourage an expansion of animal habitat in these areas.

With the Inland Sea Shorebird Reserve sitting on the northern end of the county, there is opportunity to connect the reserve to the eastern bench with greenway systems. Using the correct trees and capitalizing on wetland areas, bird habitat can be expanded.

On the southern end of the county, wildlife passes can be developed to encourage east to west (and vis versa) migration of mammals. Connecting these two sides with a wildlife pass that can contain a greenway system would encourage greater diversity on both sides of the valley as it relates to the mammal population.

Pollinator Needs

Within Salt Lake County, the bee population needs more habitat in order to support a healthy ecosystem. Native plantings in large patches of single plant types encourage bee survival. Scattered plants require more energy for pollinators to fly from plant to plant. The following plant species provide a strong habitat for bees. Good resources for knowing how to support the bee population can be found here: www.millcreekgardens.com/bee-friendly-gardening-utah/

BLUE MINT SPIREA

FERNBUSH

HYSSOP

RUSSIAN SAGE

SUNFLOWER

LAVENDER

PENSTEMON

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