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cinnamon teal, shovelers, pintails, gadwalls, and wigeons may nest. In a <br />regional sense, waterfowl nesting within the proposed affected area is of <br />limited significance. <br />4.4 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES <br />The Danforth Hills study area lies within the historic range of 15 <br />federally and state-listed threatened or endangered species. In addition <br />to those species listed in Table 4-5, the gray wolf (Canis lupus), grizzly <br />bear (Ursus actos), and river otter (Lutra canadensis) once occurred <br />throughout northwest Colorado. Recent sightings of these species have not <br />been recorded in or near the Danforth Hills and, therefore, the potential <br />for their occurrence is very low. Three federally-listed endangered <br />species (the bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and whooping crane) and one <br />state-listed threatened species (the greater sandhill crane) are known from <br />or likely to occur within the region surrounding the study area. The <br />distribution of recent sightings of these species (and essential peregrine <br />• falcon habitat designated by CDOW) in the vicinity of the Danforth Hills is <br />shown in Figure 4-5. <br />The bald eagle is a rare nester for Colorado, but a locally common winter <br />resident along major rivers. Approximately 200 bald eagles are known to <br />winter annually along major rivers in northwestern Colorado, primarily the <br />Colorado, White, Yampa, and Little Snake rivers (CDOW 1978, BLM 1980, <br />Woodward-Clyde 1983). Eagles tend to concentrate where water remains <br />ice-free and where suitable perches and fishes are available (Fisher et al. <br />1981, Lytle et al. 1982). The 1984 mid-winter census of bald eagles along <br />the White River yielded a count of 52 birds, down from 1982 and 1983 <br />censuses of 77 and 53 birds, respectively (Goodman 1984). Two pairs <br />initiated nesting west of Meeker in spring 1984; however, only in one nest <br />was there fledgling success (Lockhart 1984). Although bald eagles are <br />commonly observed in and near riparian habitats along the White River, <br />their occurrence in the Danforth Hi11s study area is relatively infrequent <br />and limited to hunting activities. Bald eagles could be expected to occur <br />. within the study area anytime during winter in search of carrion (primarily <br />road-killed deer), or during annual migrations. <br />4-21 <br />