Potential Danger to AZ's Least Grebes

Here's a disturbing email I received last night from fellow birder Alan Schmierer regarding the Least Grebe population of Peña Blanca Lake:

"Debbie Sebesta, District Biologist, Coronado National Forest, Nogales Ranger District, has 

informed me that the Az Game & Fish Department has plans for introducing largemouth bass 

into Peña Blanca Lake. This would likely eliminate the only LEAST GREBE breeding 

population in the Southwest! 

Debbie says that, "USFWS said there isn't much they can do about the bass stocking from a 

regulatory perspective.  Carol Beardmore from USFWS is going to talk to Tucson Audubon 

president Paul Green and ask him to talk to AZGFD.  They also suggested area birders could 

write letters to Larry Voyles,  AZGFD Director and Larry Riley, Wildlife Management 

Division Chief and their Commissioners.  The contact info for Larry Voyles and Larry Riley 

is below.  I couldn't find contact info the Commissioners other that this link on the AZGFD 

website: http://www.azgfd.gov/inside_azgfd/commission_members.shtml 

where you can send an email comment to them."   
 
I encourage people to write letters in defense of the grebes to the addressees below.  A 

shorter version of this sample letter with some of the following points might be appropriate: 
 
I am concerned that stocking Peña Blanca Lake with largemouth bass will eliminate the 

breeding population of Least Grebes there.  A pair first nested at the lake in the summer of 

2010, after the lake was renovated and the game fish were removed.  This summer there 

were multiple nests withmany young fledged.  According to the Arizona Field Ornithologists 

this is the first well-substantiated breeding of this species in the state, and it is currently the 

only active breeding area in the United States outside of far south Texas.  I believe that the 

grebes can co-exist with theother game fish species to be potentially stocked (redear and 

bluegill sunfish, black crappie and channel catfish) but not with largemouth bass, since this 

species will eat anything they can get in their mouths including baby ducks, mice, birds, 

chipmunks, snakes, and frogs.
 
Stocking the lake with largemouth bass will not only potentially eliminate an important new 

nesting location for these rare birds, but will have a potential economic impact on birding 

ecotourism in southeastern Arizona.  Birding brings in substantial revenue to this area of the 

state.  Thousands of individual birders and guided birding groups from around the world visit 

Southeast Arizona each year, and the Peña Blanca Least Grebes are on the itineraries of the 

many of them.  It is quite reasonable to expect that the gain in potential birding ecotourism 

dollars to the state by the presence of this grebe would far outweigh any potential revenue to 

the state by stocking the largemouth bass there."

I would like to add that this year during the first 2 months of fall, 18 rare birds were seen at

Peña Blanca Lake. These birds were reported on the internet and birders from all over came 

to see them, no doubt adding revenue to this area of the state.  Please add any personal 

experiences you can when contacting the following:
 

Please contact either or both of the AZGFD personnel below to express your concerns for the 

Least Grebes at Peña Blanca Lake.  Thank you for your help!

Larry Voyles
Arizona Game and Fish Department

5000 W. Carefree Highway
Phoenix, AZ 85086 
(623) 236-7278
LVoyles@azgfd.gov
 
Larry Riley
Arizona Game and Fish Department
5000 W. Carefree Highway
Phoenix, AZ 85086
(602) 789-3258
LRiley@azgfd.gov