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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 243 / Wednesday, December 22, 2021 / Proposed Rules
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petitioned to be listed under the Act.
Survey and monitoring work by a variety of entities continued through 2006, when the species was delisted.
Prior to delisting, survey and monitoring efforts were focused in Pima and Pinal Counties to document the occupancy pattern of cactus ferruginous pygmy-owls in areas of land use changes, primarily urban development.
After the pygmy-owl was delisted in 2006, a small number of monitoring surveys continued to be conducted by Service and AGFD biologists. In 2020, AGFD coordinated a comprehensive survey effort, with the help of numerous partners, to gather data on the current numbers and distribution of the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl in Arizona to inform this listing decision.
Specifically, this effort included surveys to document distribution, territory occupancy monitoring, and some nest searches to document reproduction.
This latest effort provided data on current distribution of the pygmy-owl in Arizona and the number of occupied territories, as well as some information on the number of active nesting territories AGFD 2020, pers. comm..
These data are incorporated into the SSA report. However, these efforts did not provide any information on productivity or survival at these sites.
Nest Box Trials Because cactus ferruginous pygmyowls are secondary cavity nesters, the number of available cavities may influence the viability of cactus ferruginous pygmy-owls on the landscape Proudfoot 1996, p. 68. Using nest boxes as a management tool may enhance the viability of cactus ferruginous pygmy-owls by increasing cavity availability and reducing predation. Nest boxes also enhance access to the owls during nesting and facilitate our ability to conduct research.
Research in Texas demonstrated successful use of artificial nest structures by cactus ferruginous pygmyowls Proudfoot et al. 1999, pp. 56. In response to concerns about cavity availability, two nest box trials were conducted in Arizona in 1998 and 2006.
No cactus ferruginous pygmy-owls used the nest boxes in these studies, but low cavity availability was confirmed based on high use of the nest boxes by other species, including screech owls. No additional nest box studies have been undertaken in Arizona, and the nest box study in Texas is no longer active.
Captive Breeding and Population Augmentation A pygmy-owl captive-breeding feasibility study was initiated by the
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AGFD in partnership with the Wild at Heart raptor care facility in Cave Creek, Arizona, in 2006. Since then, Wild at Heart has been researching and testing protocols for a managed breeding program for cactus ferruginous pygmyowls. In 2017, the Phoenix Zoo became the second captive breeding site for pygmy-owls in Arizona and part of the managed breeding program when it entered into partnership with the Service and the AGFD. Both the AGFD
and the Service oversee this program.
The goal of the managed breeding program for the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl is to develop appropriate protocols for the husbandry and breeding of captive pygmy-owls to provide individuals to augment existing population groups or establish new population groups in areas where suitable habitat exists in Arizona AGFD
2015, entire. To date, these efforts have demonstrated: a Successful capture and transport of wild cactus ferruginous pygmy-owls; b safe, healthy, and stress-free captive facilities; c the development of appropriate care, feeding, and maintenance protocols; d successful breeding; and e appropriate care and development of young-of-theyear birds. Three pilot releases of captive-bred pygmy-owls have been implemented since the inception of this program. This effort establishes the first formal captive-breeding for the subspecies and provides the groundwork for evaluation of this strategy in wild cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl population augmentation.
These pilot releases have not resulted in the establishment of new pygmy-owl territories or population groups, but have contributed valuable information to developing appropriate release strategies and protocols to improve the potential for conservation benefits to the pygmy-owl in the future.
Conservation Planning When the pygmy-owl was listed previously, several municipalities located within current or historical pygmy-owl activity areas explored or implemented habitat conservation plans HCPs under the Act to address potential conflicts between development projects and requirements of the Act. These HCP plans included the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan Multi-Species Conservation Plan developed by Pima County Pima County 2016, entire, the Town of Marana HCP Town of Marana 2009, entire, and the City of Tucsons Avra Valley City of Tucson 2019, entire and Southlands HCPs City of Tucson 2013, entire. Each of these four HCP efforts identified the cactus ferruginous pygmy-

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owl as one of the covered species within their plans. However, most of these plans have yet to be completed: To date, only the Pima County HCP has been completed and is being implemented.
Pima County is currently conducting ongoing surveys and monitoring of pygmy-owl territories on countymanaged lands and has set aside pygmyowl habitat as part of their conservation lands system in compliance with their HCP. The establishment of these conservation lands is an important contribution to pygmy-owl conservation in Pima County, but continuing efforts are needed to address other threats such as habitat impacts from climate change.
Pima Countys efforts are expected to continue for the 30-year life of their permit through 2046 and longer if the County renews the permit.
Another ongoing conservation planning effort that has the potential to support pygmy-owl conservation in the Altar Valley of southern Arizona is the Altar Valley Watershed Management Plan. This plan being developed by the Altar Valley Conservation Alliance with numerous partners and participants builds upon existing efforts within the Altar Valley to restore and enhance the watershed. The plan will describe stewardship practices and identify a series of high-priority projects that maximize positive impacts on the land.
While this planning effort has yet to be completed, projects related to watershed restoration have been implemented at three ranches in the Altar Valley. These projects have included one-rock dams and other structures to stabilize waterways, road grading to promote water harvesting, and enhancement of grasslands through invasive species control to promote infiltration and reduce runoff and sedimentation. These actions improve vegetation health through increased water infiltration and reduce loss of soil and vegetation due to erosion. Specific benefits occur to riparian vegetation along drainages enhancing pygmy-owl habitat conditions and connectivity.
In Mexico, there are Federal, State, or municipal protected areas which comprise approximately 11 percent of the historical pygmy-owl range in Mexico. These areas can work well as conservation strategies for the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl. There is now a new option for protected areas called reas Voluntary Conservation Areas A
Destinadas Voluntariamente a la Conservacion; ADVA, which are areas identified for conservation. These ADVA could be a potential conservation strategy for the pygmy-owl in the future Enrquez 2021, pers. comm..

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