Salton Sea, Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge

View on Full Map View Surveys (3) View Sources (7)

Grebe Survey Summary

  • Max Adults: 212
  • Year: 2007
  • Most Recent Adults: 212
  • Year: 2007
  • Survey Type: Shore
  • Most Common Threats Reported: Lack of/poor quality nesting habitat; wind/wave inundation
Lake name:
Salton Sea, Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge
Location:
California
HydroLAKE ID:
829
Latitude:
33.335417
Longitude:
-115.835417
Surface area (km2):
956.9
Basin type:
non-reservoir
Management agency:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; California Department of Fish and Wildlife; Salton Sea Authority
Region associations:
Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR; Salton Sea State Recreation Area; Coachella Valley; Imperial Irrigation District; Historic Colorado River Delta
Designations:
National Wildlife Refuge; State Recreation Area
Comments:
The largest lake in California, the Salton Sea is a terminal lake that is 50% saltier than the sea. While functioning as a sump for agriculture runoff, it has one of the largest most biodiverses avian communities in the southwest. It is threatened by increasing salinity and water quality issues.

Surveys (3)

Survey Citation:
Ivey, G. L. 2004. Conservation assessment and management plan for breeding Western and Clark’s Grebes in California. Unpublished technical report. American Trader Trustee Council, California. . Accessed 15 January 2020.

  • Time period
    N/A
  • Source
    Conservation Assessment, Management Plan
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    Y
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 1 to 100 presence ?
Most Recent Adults 1 to 100 presence ?
Max Nests 1 to 100 presence ?
Most Recent Nests 1 to 100 presence ?
Max Chicks N/A N/A N/A
Most Recent Chicks N/A N/A N/A

Comments:

This entry to capture historical record of breeding grebes in CA prior to 2002. There were breeding grebes at the mouth of the Whitewater River and noted as colony site, no numbers, year, nor other details (Grinnell and Miller 1944, Garrett and Dunn 1981, Small 1994).

Survey Citation:
Lee, D. 1966. Winter breeding of the Western Grebe. Short communications. San Diego State College. San Diego, California.

  • Time period
    1944, 1956
  • Source
    Notes
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    N
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 1 to 100 presence 1944, 1956
Most Recent Adults 1 to 100 presence 1956
Max Nests 1 to 100 1 1944
Most Recent Nests 1 to 100 1 1944
Max Chicks 1 to 100 1 1956
Most Recent Chicks 1 to 100 1 1956

Comments:

Rare record of nesting in southern California by Grinnell and Miller from Pacific Coast Avifauna, no. 27:39, 1944. No other details. One dead chick found June 1956 by Crouch (Audubon Field Notes 10:409, 1956).

Survey Citation:
Robison, K., R. Weems, and D. Anderson. 2008. Western and Clark's Grebe conservation and management in California. Annual report for year three (2007). Report for American Trader and Kure/ Stuyvesant Trustee Councils and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, California.

  • Type
    shore
  • Time period
    11 September 2007
  • Source
    Report
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    Y
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 101 to 500 212 2007
Most Recent Adults 101 to 500 212 2007
Max Nests N/A N/A N/A
Most Recent Nests N/A N/A N/A
Max Chicks 0 0 2007
Most Recent Chicks 0 0 2007

Comments:

No nesting vegetation. Subsequent reports have their own entries.

Sources of Information