| Estancia Valley | |
| Status: | Identified | Area: | 256000 acres (103600 hectares) |
| County: | Santa Fe/Torrance | Elevation: | 6400-6800 feet (1950-2075 meters) |
| Town: | Moriarty | Location: | 34°45’N, 106°3’W |
| Ownership | Private land |
| Habitats | Grassland |
| Land-use | Agriculture, Rangeland |
| Threats | Urbanization |
| Site Criteria | State conservation species (D1) |
| Site Description | Large valley immediately east of the Manzano and Sandia Mountains. Eastern boundary is Highway 41 while the western boundary is Edgewood south to eastern Bernalillo County and Highway 55. Many ranches occupy this area and no attempt has been made to obtain landowner permission. Habitat is plains-mesa grassland dotted with junipers. |
| Birds |
This valley has the highest concentration of
breeding Ferruginous Hawks in New Mexico. It is also important for wintering
raptors. Eastern Meadowlark breed in the area, the northern breeding
extreme for this species. Raptors in winter 1995-1996: average=58, maximum=103 1996-1997: average=70, maximum=110 1997-1998: average=65, maximum=71 1998-1999: average=61, maximum=80 1999-2000: average=48, maximum=55 |
| Conservation Issues | Much of the northern area of the valley is starting to be broken up into "ranchettes". This process will eventually wipe out Ferruginous Hawk nesting in the area. Since 1998 the pairs north of McIntosh have disappeared. |
| Conservation Plan | |
| Monitor(s) | None assigned |
| Nominator | Hawks Aloft, Inc., P.O. Box 10028, Albuquerque, NM, 87184, 505-343-0111 |
| Sources | Hawks Aloft unpublished data (HA) |
| Links | Hawks Aloft |
| Directions | The Estancia Valley runs from Stanley (north of the junction of I-25 and NM-41 at Moriarty) to Willard (the junction of US-60 and NM-41). This is private land. Bird only from highway. |
| Species | Year | Status | Population | Sources | Criteria |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 90-00 | Breeding | HA | D1 | |
| Ferruginous Hawk | 95-00 | Winter | 15 individual average, 30 individuals maximum | HA | D1 |
