PCCP Covered Species
Birds
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Burrowing Owl
Athene cunicularia FEDERAL STATUS Bird Species of Conservation Concern, Migratory Bird Treaty Act STATE STATUS Species of Special Concern HABITAT IN PLACER COUNTY Lives and breeds in grassland habitats. Also found in agricultural and range lands. Potentially nests and overwinters in agricultural fields, oak woodland and vernal pool complexes. |
Tricolored Blackbird
Agelaius tricolor FEDERAL STATUS Bird Species of Conservation Concern, Migratory Bird Treaty Act STATE STATUS Species of Special Concern HABITAT IN PLACER COUNTY Nests in marsh complexes in the valley and foothills where there is open accessible water; protected nesting, (such as flooded, thorny, or spiny vegetation); and suitable foraging habitat. Foraging habitats in all seasons include annual grasslands; wet and dry vernal pools and other seasonal wetlands; agricultural fields; cattle feedlots; dairies; and occasionally in riparian scrub and marsh borders. |
California Black Rail
Laterallus jamaicensis coturniculus FEDERAL STATUS Bird Species of Conservation Concern, Migratory Bird Treaty Act STATE STATUS Threatened, Fully Protected HABITAT IN PLACER COUNTY Nests and inhabits freshwater marshes found in perennial wetlands with standing or flowing water dominated by dense vegetation. |
Swainson’s Hawk
Buteo swansoni FEDERAL STATUS Bird Species of Conservation Concern, Migratory Bird Treaty Act STATE STATUS Threatened HABITAT IN PLACER COUNTY Nests in large trees such as valley oaks and cottonwoods and occasionally in eucalyptus. Nesting habitat is found in riverine/riparian and valley oak woodland communities associated with open grassland, including vernal pool complex grassland, and field agriculture cropland foraging habitat in the Valley. |
Photo Credits: Burrowing Owl - Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Tricolored Blackbird - Audubon; Back Rail - Phil Robertson; Swainson’s Hawk - Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Reptiles
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Giant Garter Snake
Thamnophis gigas FEDERAL STATUS Threatened STATE STATUS Threatened HABITAT IN PLACER COUNTY Inhabits grasslands near water sources, wetlands, and associated slow-moving waterways, including irrigation and drainage canals, rice fields, marshes, sloughs, ponds, small lakes, low-gradient streams, and adjacent uplands. Ideal habitat contains shallow and deep water and ditch banks. Can overwinter in small burrows made by other creatures and in soil crevices. |
Western Pond Turtle
Emys marmorata FEDERAL STATUS N/A STATE STATUS Species of Special Concern HABITAT IN PLACER COUNTY Lives in a variety of habitats in or near water sources, including marshes, ponds, riverine and riparian habitats, upland grasslands and oak woodland. Additionally found in urban riparian, wetland and woodland areas. Overwinters in both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. |
Photo Credits: Giant Gartersnake - Gary Nafis, CaliforniaHerps.com; Western Pond Turtle - Yathin S. Krishnappa.
Amphibians
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California Red-Legged Frog
Rana draytonii FEDERAL STATUS Threatened STATE STATUS Species of Special Concern HABITAT IN PLACER COUNTY Inhabits a variety of aquatic habitat types including ponds, wetlands, riverine, riparian and marsh habitats. Also inhabits upland grasslands, oak woodland and urban riparian, wetland and woodland areas. |
FishFoothill Yellow-Legged Frog
Rana boylii FEDERAL STATUS N/A STATE STATUS Species of Special Concern HABITAT IN PLACER COUNTY Occupies rocky streams year-round in foothills above 500’ elevations in riverine and riparian habitats. |
California Red-Legged Frog - Edgar Ortega, CaliforniaHerps.com; Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog - Gary Nafis, CaliforniaHerps.com.
Fish
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Central Valley Steelhead
Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus FEDERAL STATUS Threatened STATE STATUS N/A HABITAT IN PLACER COUNTY Habitats in freshwater streams need suitable water temperature (32–81ºF). Spawning and incubation require correct velocity, temperature (30–52ºF), and substrate to be successful. Instream and overhead cover (e.g., undercut banks, overhanging tree branches, etc.) are important for juveniles. |
Chinook Salmon
(Central Valley Fall/Late Fall-Run) Oncorhynchus tshawytscha FEDERAL STATUS Species of Concern, Magnunson- Stevens Act Managed Species STATE STATUS Species of Special Concern HABITAT IN PLACER COUNTY Habitats in freshwater streams need suitable water temperature (<46–75ºF). Spawning and incubation require correct water velocity, temperature (<53–60ºF), depth, and substrate to be successful. Instream and overhead cover (e.g., undercut banks, overhanging tree branches, etc.) are important for juveniles. |
Photo credits: Steelhead - Underwater-fish.blogspot.com; Chinook Salmon - Oregon State University.
Invertebrates
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Vernal Pool Tadpole
Shrimp Lepidurus packardii FEDERAL STATUS Endangered STATE STATUS N/A HABITAT IN PLACER COUNTY Inhabits rain-filled (vernal) pools and vernal pool complexes, generally situated in upland Valley habitats, that typically have turbid waters or aquatic vegetation that may provide shelter from predators. |
Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp
Branchinecta lynchi FEDERAL STATUS Threatened STATE STATUS N/A HABITAT IN PLACER COUNTY Inhabits rain-filled (vernal) pools and vernal pool complexes, generally situated in upland Valley grassland, that have grass or mud bottoms. |
Conservancy Fairy Shrimp
Branchinecta conservatio FEDERAL STATUS Endangered STATE STATUS N/A HABITAT IN PLACER COUNTY Lives in a single known vernal pool at the Mariner Conservation Bank within the Southeastern Sacramento Valley vernal pool region. |
Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle
Desmocerus californicus dimorphus FEDERAL STATUS Threathened STATE STATUS N/A HABITAT IN PLACER COUNTY Habitats consist of elderberry shrubs occurring in valley oak woodland or elderberry savannas adjacent to riparian vegetation. Primarily found in wet or riverine areas that support significant riparian zones. |
Photo credits: Vernal Pool Tadpole Shrimp - Doug Wirtz, Arkive.org; Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp - Earth.com; Conservancy Fairy Shrimp - USFWS; Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle - Brian Hansen, USFWS.
