Pastizales de Janos y Ascensión

Pastizales de Janos y Ascensión, located in northern Mexico, was declared a Biosphere Reserve in December 2009, bringing more than 544,000 hectares (1,300,000 million acres) of critical grassland habitat under federal protection. The area is also recognized as an Important Bird Area (AICA Janos – Nuevo Casas Grandes) due to the significant number and diversity of migratory birds it supports. High-priority grassland-associated shorebirds within this WHSRN Site of Regional Importance include 300 Mountain Plovers (Charadrius montanus), which is 2.4% of the world population; and 3,000 Long-billed Curlews (Numenius americanus), or 2.4 – 5.5% of the estimated population. Both are considered “Species of High Concern” by the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan. Additional shorebird species of conservation concern that rely on these grasslands are Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus) and Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda).