| Santa Rosa | |
| Status: | Identified | Area: | unknown acres (unknown hectares) |
| County: | Guadalupe | Elevation: | 4599 feet (1980 meters) |
| Town: | Santa Rosa | Location: | 34°56’N, 104°41’W |
| Ownership | NM State Parks, P.O. Box 384 Santa Rosa NM 88433 (505) 472-3110, Private, City of Santa Rosa |
| Habitats | Grassland, Forest (piñon/juniper), Wetland (river, lakes) |
| Land-use | Recreation, Rangeland, Urban area |
| Threats | None noted |
| Site Criteria | State conservation species (D1) |
| Site Description | The IBA extends from the Santa Rosa Lake along the Pecos river to Puerto de Luna. It includes the tributaries of the Pecos, including El Rito Creek Santa Rosa Lake is one of a series of impoundments built by the Corp of Engineers to tame the Pecos River. At the southern end of the IBA is Puerto de Luna which sits along the Pecos at the mouth of a canyon. In between are numerous sink holes forming spring-fed lakes, including the Blue Hole, famous for scuba diving. The Rock Lake State Fish Hatchery is just southwest of the town. NM-91 follows the Pecos River on the south side of town for nine miles to Puerto de Luna. The area is typical high desert with grasses, piñon-juniper woodlands, and cottonwood bosque where there are watercourses. |
| Birds | The Pecos River is one of the areas where eastern species are found at their western limit. Unusual eastern species that have occurred during Christmas Bird Counts include Eastern Phoebe, Blue Jay, Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbird, Field Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and Red-bellied Woodpecker. Other unusual species include Bonaparte's and Mew Gulls, Northern Mockingbird, and Winter Wren. |
| Conservation Issues | Grazing in wet areas may present some problems if
not well managed. Dumping trash along the river is a problem. |
| Conservation Plan | |
| Monitor(s) | None assigned |
| Nominator | Bill West, 2599 Camino Chueco, Santa Fe, NM, 87505,
505-473-2780 Martin MacRoberts, 2982 Orange, Los Alamos, NM 87544, 505-662-2106 |
| Sources | Christmas Bird Counts [NMSR] (CBC) Personal observations (PO) |
| Links |
Santa
Rosa Lake State Park City of Santa Rosa Christmas Bird Count |
| Directions | Santa Rosa is at the junction of Interstate 40, US-84 and US-54. Santa Rosa State Park is north of town, the sink hole lakes are in and south of town, and Puerto de Luna is south of town on NM-91. |
| Species | Year | Status | Population | Criteria | Criteria |
| Bald Eagle | 99-04 | Winter | 6 individuals average | CBC | D1 |
| Canvasback | 99-04 | Winter | 4 individuals average | CBC | D1 |
| Eastern Bluebird | 99-04 | Winter | 31 individuals average | CBC | D1 |
| Lesser Scaup | 99-04 | Winter | 14 individuals average | CBC | D1 |
| Mountain Bluebird | 99-04 | Winter | 323 individuals average | CBC | D1 |
| Redhead | 99-04 | Winter | 14 individuals average | CBC | D1 |
| Townsend's Solitaire | 99-04 | Winter | 11 individuals average | CBC | D1 |
| Western Bluebird | 99-04 | Winter | 37 individuals average | CBC | D1 |
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