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3.34 Three critical habitat areas for peregrine falcons occur along or adjacent to the Colorado River between Cameo and Glenwood Springs (CDOW, 1978). Although there are no known active nest/roost sites on cliffs adjacent to the Colorado River, one nest/roost site, which was last active in 1977, is located in DeBeque Canyon near Cameo. Courtship display has been observed in Parachute Canyon just north of the town of Parachute. Essential hunting habitats occur along the Colorado River. Waterfowl are abundant on the river between Glenwood Springs and Cameo in the winter, providing an important food source for wintering eagles. Nongame birds are probably abundant in riparian areas and adjacent habitats, providing food for falcons. Muskrats, beaver and mink also occur throughout this section of the Colorado River. The great blue heron (Ardea herodias), a Colorado special concern species, is a common resident and migratory bird in Colorado (Kingery and Graul, 1978). In western Colorado, major breeding colonies (heronries) occur along the Colorado River (Vos, 1984). Heronries are known to occur in Grand County, 5 miles east of Kremmling; in Garfield County at Silt and Antlers, 1 mile south of Grand Valley, and 7 miles west of Rifle; and in Mesa County about 5 miles south of DeBeque (4 different heronries) (Vos, 1984). These 9 heronries range in size from 1 to 17 active nests. There are no known great blue heron breeding colonies along the Roaring Fork River, Fryingpan River, or Ruedi Reservoir. However, migrating and breeding great blue herons likely use these areas for resting or in search of food. The life history and ecology of the great blue heron are dependent upon aquatic environments. Heron nesting usually begins in April among cottonwood stands along the Colorado River (Bailey and Niedrach, 1965). The trees are usually mature and old-growth cottonwoods (Towry, 1984). Egg incubation usually takes about 28 days with nest abandonment after about 60 to 90 days (Terres, 1980). Birds usually feed on fish, amphibians, and other aquatic invertebrates (Bailey and Niedrach, 1965). 3.5 Socio-Economic Conditions Recreational activity associated with Ruedi Reservoir and the Fryingpan River is an important component of the recreational opportunities of the Roaring