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Threatened, Endangered, Proposed, and Candidate Species Habitat within the Oxbow project area is comprised entirely of pinon-juniper woodland. Dominant shrub species supported in the understory of this habitat include big sagebrush (Artemisia iridentata), skunkbush sumac (Rhus trilobata), squaw-apple (Peraphyllum ramosissimum), Gambel's oak (Quercus gambelli~), and snowberry (Symphoricarpos rotundifolius). Weedy annuals including cheatgrass (Anisthantha tectorum), flixweed (Descurainia sophia), western stickseed (Lappula redowskiQ, and yellow alyssum (Alyssum parviflorum) are the dominant herbaceous understory species in this habitat. Based on a review of current listings of threatened and endangered species for Gunnison County and the Gunnison National Forest as well as a Colorado Natural Heritage Program data search, a list of potential threatened, endangered, and candidate wildlife species was generated. for the Oxbow project area (see Table _). No federal listed threatened or endangered plant species are known for Gunnison County or habitats present in or near the Oxbow project area. • No identified critical habitat for any state or federally listed threatened or endangered wildlife species has been identified within or near the project area, and no threatened, endangered, proposed, or candidate species are likely to occur in the project area. Table ,summarizes the initial process used to evaluate potential presence within the project area. All species with @ low probability of occurrence within the project area are discussed in this section. Species with an occurrence probability of "none" were eliminated from detailed discussion. t3ald Ea41e Bald eagles reside primarily as wintering birds in Colorado, and wintering populations are known to inhabit the major river systems in the state. A few nesting records also exist for the state. Near the Oxbow project area, the bald eagle is only present as a winter resident along the North Fork Gunnison River drainage. As many as four to five bald eagles may be found along the North Fork of the Gunnison River near the project area during the winter months (Madariaga 1999). This drainage and adjacent habitats are designated as a winter concentration area and winter range, respectively, by the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW). Suitable winter habitat for bald eagles consists of secure diurnal perches, winter nighttime roosts protected from severe • weather conditions, and foraging areas usually associated with large lakes or rivers (USFWS June. 2003