Bird surveys along the Salt River in and near the greater Phoenix metropolitan area: 2012-2013

Waterways are often the focus of restoration efforts in urban areas. In arid regions, passive discharge of urban water sources may stimulate the recovery or growth of wetland and riparian features in dewatered or ephemeral aquatic systems. In the greater Phoenix metropolitan area (GPMA), sections of the Salt and Gila Rivers have been the targets of active restoration through seeding, planting, and irrigation. At the same time, revegetation has occurred in some sections of the rivers in response to runoff from urban water sources (e.g., storm drains). This dataset catalogs the results of bird surveys conducted at several locations along the Salt River in and around the GPMA from March 2012 through October 2013. Survey locations include riparian areas in urban and non-urban locations that have been (actively) restored or have revegetated in response to urban runoff, and that feature ephemeral or perennial sources of water.