California Gnatcatcher Studies

Every four years, starting in 2016, the US Geological Survey (USGS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) organized a range-wide survey for the California gnatcatcher using a combination of USGS personnel, volunteers, conservation land managers, and consultants. The study was the first-ever assessment of the California gnatcatcher population throughout its range (from the U.S. border to Ventura County).

Leatherman BioConsulting Inc. was awarded a contract to conduct the study throughout much of Orange County’s habitat, including approximately 50,000 acres of lands managed by the Natural Communities Coalition and The Nature Conservancy. Three rounds of focused surveys were conducted at 180 randomly selected plots, and quantitative and qualitative vegetation data at each plot were recorded to develop and evaluate habitat suitability models for the gnatcatcher.

We oversaw the entire project, including coordinating access among numerous landowners, managing seven permitted biologists conducting the surveys, reviewing and compiling data, and preparing reports. Our data were shared with study organizers at the USGS to estimate the current status of the California gnatcatcher throughout its range.