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WILDLIFE RESOURCES ASSESSMENT <br />DUCKWORTH PIT, WELD COUNTY, COLORADO <br />range, although mule deer would be expected to occasionally visit the site. The proposed <br />project will not substantially impact large mammal species. <br />Small Mammals <br />Smaller mammals such as desert cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus auduhonii), deer mice <br />(Peromyscus maniculatus) and pocket gophers (Geomys bursarius) also utilize the habitat <br />within the project site. Desert cottontails were observed using abandoned prairie dog <br />burrows. Signs of digging by pocket gophers were observed in a few locations in the <br />northern portion of the site. As described above, prairie dogs are locally common in the <br />project area. <br />Birds <br />Many species of birds occur in the grasslands and cultivated areas of the project area. <br />Western meadowlazks (Sturnella neglecta) and horned larks (Eremophila alpesn•is) are <br />especially common in the grasslands. Other bird species observed during fieldwork, <br />European starling (Sturnus vulgaris), rock dove (Columba Livia), redwing blackbird <br />(Agelaius phoeniceus), American robin (Turdus migratorius), black-billed magpie (Pica <br />pica), killdeer (Charadrius vociferous), brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus arer), and <br />common grackle (Quiscalus quircula). The western meadowlark, horned lark. American <br />robin, black-billed magpie, and killdeer probably nest at the site. The robin, starling. rock <br />dove, and house sparrow are species commonly associated with urban or suburban areas <br />and probably breed in the surrounding developed aeeas or farmsteads. <br />Bird Nests <br />A survey for active migratory bird nests, including raptor nests, was also included as <br />part of the site assessment. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects raptors and migraton <br />birds. If an active nest or a tree containing a nest of any migratory bird species needs to <br />be removed, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service should be contacted to obtain a nest <br />depredation permit. <br />A through search of the site found very little evidence of tree nesting bird species. A <br />cup nest, likely constructed by a robin, was found in a balsam/elm grove in the southwest <br />I 0 ERO <br />Resourzes <br />Eorporolion <br />