| Ladd S. Gordon Waterbird Complex | |
| Status: | Identified | Area: | 52000 acres (21100 hectares) |
| County: | Valencia, Socorro | Elevation: | 4840 feet (1475 meters) |
| Town: | Belen | Location: | 34°34’N, 106°44’W |
| Ownership | New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, 1 Wildlife Way, Santa Fe, NM 87507, 505-476-8000 |
| Habitats | Agriculture (20%), Riparian woodland (20%), Wetlands (30%), Grassland/scrubland (30%) |
| Land-use | Conservation, Hunting |
| Threats | Hunting, Invasive/non-native plants |
| Site Criteria | State waterfowl (D4ii), State wading birds (D4iii) |
| Site Description | Ducks, geese and Sandhill cranes find
food and shelter at the Ladd S. Gordon Waterfowl Complex composed of the
Belen, Casa Colorada, Bernardo, and La Joya Waterfowl Areas. The Belen Waterfowl Area (>250 acres) is situated along the Rio Grande river bottom and farmed to provide feed for wintering waterfowl. Crops here include corn and grain sorghum, with winter wheat and alfalfa for green feed. There are no recreational facilities. The New Mexico Game Commission acquired Casa Colorada Wildlife Area’s 423 acres to help feed wintering waterfowl. Birds fly from Casa Colorada to private lands and nearby state and federal wildlife refuges to find additional feed and habitat. Generally, grain crops are left standing until needed for feed, when they are knocked down by farm machinery. Non-farmed areas are maintained to enhance habitat for pheasants, furbearers and raptors. To provide a secure habitat at Casa Colorada, public entry is generally closed except as may be allowed in the annual hunting regulations. Bernardo Waterfowl Area contains a wildlife trail complete with viewing and photographic towers and is open to the public. The Bernardo area first came under Department of Game and Fish control through a lease made in 1961 with the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District. Its 1573 acres include about 450 acres of crops cultivated to provide winter feed for migratory and upland birds that share corn, grain sorghum and green feed raised here. The area contains widely scattered cottonwoods, growths of tamarisk, a pond and a small marsh and lies in a river bottom with the Rio Grande nearby. For those who enjoy bird watching, this is a fine place to observe waterfowl, cranes and some upland birds during the fall and winter months. There are no recreational sites on the management area. La Joya Waterfowl Area contains ponds, canals and ditches for wintering waterfowl. Grass and brushy stands harbor quail, dove and songbirds. Purchases began in 1928 and continued through 1940, bringing the total to 3550 acres. Waterfowl hunting is permitted during open season, and fishing is open in the summer. Bird watching is yearlong entertainment. La Joya has no recreational facilities. |
| Birds | A resting and feeding area for ducks, geese, and cranes during migration and winter. |
| Conservation Issues | None noted |
| Conservation Plan | |
| Monitor(s) | None assigned |
| Nominator | Christopher Rustay, 1824 Stanford Drive NE,
Albuquerque, NM, 87106 Mimi Power, 1644 Highway 304, Belen NM 87002, 505-861-3440 |
| Sources | None listed |
| Links | New
Mexico Game and Fish eBird New Mexico Hot Spot (La Joya, Bernardo) |
| Directions | Belen Unit: four miles south of Belen on NM-109. Casa Colorada: eight miles south of Belen on NM-304. Bernardo Unit: exit 173 on I-25 and go north on NM116 to the entrance on the right. La Joya Unit: exit 169 south of Bernardo on I-25. |
| Species | Year | Status | Population | Sources | Criteria |
| Ducks | 84-00 | Winter | 2500-9999 | D4ii | |
| Sandhill Crane | 84-00 | Winter | 2500-9999 | D4iii | |
| Snow Goose | 84-00 | Winter | 2500-9999 | D4ii |
