This habitat type is found throughout much of New Mexico in small areas between other types of habitat. It extends from southern New Mexico in the Guadalupe Mountains and foothills west to the Arizona border and north to the Colorado border. Very little of this habitat exists in the Pecos and Staked Plains Physiographic Area.

This habitat type often constitutes a patch or a strip within other more extensive types of vegetation. These areas represent conditions where there is less available moisture than surrounding areas, such as a high, rocky, windswept knoll, southwestern facing slope, or an escarpment of exposed rock. The dominant plant of the montane shrub type is mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus montanus). It shares dominance with serviceberry (Amelanchier sp.) and cliffrose (Cowania stansburiana) in the northwestern part of the state; with skunkbush (Rhus trilobata) and/or shrub oak (Quercus sp.) in the north-central portions of the state; and with redberry juniper (Juniperus coahuilensis) and desert ceanothus (Ceanothus greggii) in the southeast; occasionally with Texas madrone (Arbutus xalapensis). In the San Andres Mountains of south-central New Mexico, it occurs with buckbrush (Ceanothus greggii), skunkbush, shrub live oak (Quercus turbinella), winterfat (Ceratoides lanata), feather indigobush (Psorothamnus schottii), algerita (Berberis haematocarpa), agave (Agave spp.), and buckbrush at upper elevations; and at lower elevations with resinbush (Viguiera stenoloba), algerita, shrub liveoak (Quercus turbinella), sacahuista (Nokina macrocarpa), sotol (Dasylirion wheeleri), ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens), and banana yucca (Yucca bacata). In southwestern New Mexico, other codominants include mock orange (Philadelphus microphyllus), and buckbrush. Other species found here are hoary yucca (Yucca schottii), century plant (Agave palmeri), shrubby senna (Cassia wislezeni), border pinyon (Pinus discolor), toumey oak (Quercus toumeyi), and Arizona madrone (Arbutus arizonica).

Many of the dominant shrubs of the higher montane shrub vegetation are also found as members of the shrub layer in montane coniferous forests and woodland vegetation. Some of these include bigtooth maple (Acer grandidentatum), silverleaf oak (Quercus hypoleucoides), manzanita (Arctostaphylos pungens), buckbrush, snowberry (Symphoricarpos sp.) and currants (Ribes spp.). Many dominant plants of lower montane shrub are also members of the desert grassland vegetation. Examples are sotol (Dasylirion wheeleri), century plant, banana yucca, and sacahuista. Some semi-riparian species are also important in this type. For instance, Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa), chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), and hoptree (Ptelea angustifolia).

Arroyos and dry washes are established in areas that receive periodic, concentrated pulses of water due to heavy rainfall events. Between rains these habitats are dry. Water is present intermittently, following rainfall events.

Arroyos in this habitat are generally small and graduate into other habitats. In mountainous areas, arroyos derive their vegetation from surrounding areas. However, due to larger amounts of water in the arroyos, shrubs may reach greater heights and be more dense. Another structural component of arroyos are walls comprising the edge. These walls can provide important nesting areas in the form of cavities, for such species as Rock Wren, and American Kestrel.

Much of this habitat is managed by the federal government: U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Other portions of this habitat are owned by various tribal governments, especially the Navajo Nation, and Jicarilla and Mescalero Apaches, and private land owners.

Physiographic Areas covered: Mexican Highlands, Chihuahuan Desert, Pecos and Staked Plains, Mogollon Rim, Colorado Plateau and Southern Rocky Mountains

Table 1. Montane Shrub Priority Species

Bird Habitat Requirements, Population and/or Habitat Objectives:
(in taxonomic order)

Associated Species: Black-chinned Sparrow, Canyon Towhee, Scott's Oriole, House Finch

• prefers mountains with an igneous base on hillsides, canyons, and talus slopes
• absent from arid limestone mountains
• century plant and large agave are important nectar sources; in the Chisos Mtns. of TX, the most important nectar sources are (Apr - May) Penstemon havardii, (May - June) Agave havardiana, and (July to Aug) Anisacanthus linearis, a shrub (Scott 1993)
• preferred slopes are steep and composed of slickrock, with no soil and widely spaced shrubs
• nest sites often adjacent to more riparian oak growth but never in these shrubs
• nests found in cholla, dead stalks of lechuguilla or ocotillo at 1.6-9.8ft (0.5-3.0m) above ground (ocotillo only used when leafy)
• tends to forage on drier slopes because Black-chinned Hummingbird is dominant in riparian areas

Distribution: Found currently only in the Peloncillo Mountains

• no BBS data available
• maintain known population in the Peloncillo mountains
• discover, restore or create habitat in igneous rock-based canyons outside of Post Office Canyon

Associated Species: Gray Flycatcher, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Scrub-Jay, Spotted Towhee, Chipping Sparrow

• oak woodland, shrubby areas and pinyon-juniper woodland, generally wetter areas than other species in this genus
• often selects live nest trees or shrubs with lower basal area and tree density
• nest sites often at least halfway from trunk to tip of branch, often in a fork with overhanging cover
• generally nests over from mid-level to top of nest tree; average nest height 27.9ft (8.5m) in eastern U.S. Thought to nest at lower heights in the southwest due to generally smaller stature of trees/shrubs
• Brown-headed Cowbird parasitism rates can be as high as 76% in areas within 4mi (7km) of cowbird foraging areas (Goguen and Mathews 1996)

Distribution: found throughout the state in appropriate habitat. Less common in the Pecos and Staked Plains.

• in Region 2, T = 0.1%, p = 0.90, N = 125, RA=1.52; in the Colorado Plateau, T = 14.2%, p = 0.22, N = 19, RA=0.56 (Sauer et al. 1997)
• maintain populations at current trend as measured by BBS routes

Associated Species: House Wren, Virginia's Warbler, Green-tailed Towhee,

• shrub component critical
• found in both montane riparian areas with low shrubs and in coniferous or deciduous forests with shrubby understory, often oaks
• grazing may affect nest height (NM PIF)

Distribution: Breeds in mountains from the Mogollon and Sacramento Mountains north to the Colorado border.

• in the Southern Rocky Mountains, T = -3.0%, p = 0.41, N = 27, RA=2.37; in the Mogollon Rim, T = -0.8%,
  p = 0.73, N = 4, RA=1.32 (Sauer et al. 1997)
• maintain populations in the Southern Rockies, Mogollon Rim and in the Sandia, Chuska, and Sacramento mountains
• stabilize BBS population trends in New Mexico
• maintain or enhance young oak stands, on forested slopes, especially near riparian areas
• encourage frequent fires to create successional stage shrub development

Associated Species: Common Poorwill, Western Scrub-Jay, Rock Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Canyon Towhee, Scott's Oriole

• uses dry, rocky slopes and canyon sides, often facing west or south, with a large shrub component
• areas are often dominated by smaller oaks and other larger shrubs or beargrass; always with a fairly open canopy. Will abandon areas with closed canopy
• often found in grasses intermixed with extensive rocky areas
• will often colonize burned areas
• occupies forest edge, does not integrate large areas of woodland, shrub- or rock-free grassland into territories
• nests often placed on ground, sometimes in shrubs; rarely more than 23in (60cm) above the ground; generally in areas that receive morning sun and afternoon shade
• generally uses appropriate areas over 2ac (0.8ha) in size
• there may be a semi-colonial component to breeding

Distribution: Found on hill slopes and canyons in the south north to Glenwood in the west, Pilar in central New Mexico and the Dry Cimarron valley in the east.

• in Region 2, T = 0.2%, p = 0.89, N = 70, RA=1.35 (Sauer et al. 1997)
• maintain or reintroduce fire regimes on hillsides

Associated Species: Mourning Dove, Common Poorwill, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Bewick's Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Canyon Towhee

• arid shrublands on rugged slopes, often south-facing, to almost 8000 ft with moderately dense shrubs from 3-7ft (1-2m) tall mixed with rocky outcroppings, a large grass component, and scattered large shrubs or trees
• prefers young stands with openings through brush; avoids overgrown areas
• nests in the center of shrubs concealed by dense foliage canopy, occasionally in forks of rarely-used dead shrubs

Distribution: Breeds in the southern half of the state, north to Glenwood in the west; the Magdalena mountains and Sandia mountains along the Rio Grande Valley and to the Capitan mountains in the east. Some are scattered along the Canadian escarpment in northeastern New Mexico north to Mills Canyon. Recently north of Pilar in the Rio Grande Gorge.

• In Region 2, T = -2.8%, p = 0.73, N = 14, RA=0.37 (Sauer et al. 1997)
• maintain presence within 39 square mi(100 square km) blocks in the Mexican Highlands; Chihuahuan Desert; Mogollon Rim, especially in the Black Range; and the southern third of the Colorado Plateau
• maintain known populations in the Sandias and along the Canadian Escarpment at Trujillo north to Mills Canyon
• maintain or enhance habitat in northerly areas such as White Rock Canyon, Santa Fe River Canyon and the Ortiz mountains so that small populations are maintained or can be established
• maintain a large grass component intermixed with early successional stage shrub development on grassy slopes (especially south-facing slopes)
• Assumption: relatively frequent fires on slopes in these areas may promote habitat

Associated Species: Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Scrub-Jay, Bushtit, Orange-crowned Warbler

• habitat varies with elevation: at high elevations, uses xeric, dense, shrub-dominated habitat in forest clearings or riparian areas; at low elevations, uses slightly more mesic areas with diverse shrub species, often including sagebrush, pinyon-juniper, or greasewood (NMPIF).
• nests in areas of high shrub density (along Mogollon Rim of Arizona: areas often dominated by New Mexico Locust). Average height of nest above ground is approximately 2ft (70cm)

Distribution: Breeds in mountains south to the Sacramento and Mogollon Mountains and in Great Basin Shrub habitat in the northwest quadrant of the state.

• In NM, T = 1.3%, p = 0.55, N = 15, RA=1.79 (Sauer et al. 1997)
• maintain population trends in New Mexico as determined by BBS routes
• maintain or enhance shrubby areas in mountainous regions, on slopes, and in riparian areas

Associated Species: Dusky Flycatcher, Western Scrub-Jay, House Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Black-headed Grosbeak

• dense, deciduous or coniferous growth, mainly shrubby (<12ft/4m tall) offering shade, humus and litter on ground and a adequate closed canopy
• nests near edges of shrubs (2-12ft/0.6-3.6m high) or on ground, usually somewhat exposed yet hidden by vegetation; ground nest predation may influence percentage of ground-nesters

Distribution: Breeds almost statewide

• in NM, T = 2.3%, p = 0.50, N = 31, RA=4.64 (Sauer et al. 1997)
• maintain shrubby habitat especially near the bases of slopes

Research and monitoring needs:

Additional species for which monitoring is recommended:

• Rock Wren

Table 2. Montane Shrub Priority Species Habitat Factors