Global Patterns in Climate

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Monitoring Bird Populations
Some Questions
Why should we monitor bird populations? What
kind of information do we need? How can we
obtain this information? How can we
store/analyze/distribute this information?
Population status Numbers Location
Behavior/Life History Migration Phenology
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Monitoring Bird Populations
Recent Monitoring in Northwest PA ( Nationally)
1. Bird Banding
2. Erie National Wildlife Refuge (Erie NWR) A.
Grassland Breeding Bird Survey B. Landbird
Breeding Survey C. Marshbird Survey
3. Breeding Bird Survey (BBS)
4. Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas (BBA)
5. Christmas Bird Count (CBC)
6. Project Feeder Watch
7. Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)
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Monitoring Bird Populations
Bird Banding
North American Bird Banding Program Bird Banding
Laboratory at Patuxent Wildlife Center
http//www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/
Pennsylvania Powdermill Avian Research
Center (Field Biological Station of Carnegie
Museum of Natural History)
http//www.westol.com/banding/index.htm
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Monitoring Bird Populations
Bird Banding
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Monitoring Bird Populations
Recent Erie NWR surveys
Erie National Wildlife Refuge
http//www.fws.gov/northeast/erie/index.html
two units Seneca (east of Cambridge
Springs) Sugar Lake (Guys Mills)
A. Grassland Breeding Bird Survey 28 points 5
minutes, 100 meter 3 visits evening survey
B. Landbird Breeding Survey 71 points 0-3,3-5
minutes 50 meter 1 visit
C. Marshbird Survey 35 points 100 meter 3
visits 0-5 minute passive listening 5-13 tape
response periods more information protocols
http//ag.arizona.edu/srnr/research/coop/azfwru/Na
tionalMarshBird/index.htm
Point Count Surveys stationary
observer prescribed conditions prescribed
time at each point birds recorded as inside or
outside of count circle
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Monitoring Bird Populations
Breeding Bird Survey
North American Breeding Bird Survey
http//www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/
Since 1966 24.5 mile road routes points at 0.5
mile interval 3 minute point count 0.25 mile
radius
Play the Patuxent Bird Quiz! summer range maps
http//www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/trend/birdquiz3.h
tml
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Monitoring Bird Populations
Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas (BBA)
National programs e.g. Bird Atlas
(Britain/Ireland)
http//www.bto.org/birdatlas/
State wide breeding bird atlas programs
http//www.google.com/search?qbirdatlashlenst
art20saN
Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas
Home Page / General Information
http//www.carnegiemnh.org/atlas/home.htm
Data Portal
http//bird.atlasing.org/Atlas/PA/
1st Atlas 1983-1989 2nd Atlas 2004-2008
approximately 4000 blocks, roughly 4 x 6.5
km record evidence of breeding (hierachical
categories)
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Monitoring Bird Populations
Christmas Bird Count
Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count
http//www.audubon.org/bird/CBC/
Since 1900 initially as alternative to side
hunt slaughter 15 mile count circles abundance
counts single day effort sometime in period 14
Dec 05 Jan estimates of early winter
populations
Play the Patuxent Bird Quiz! winter range maps
http//www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/trend/birdquiz3.h
tml
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Monitoring Bird Populations
Project Feeder Watch
Project Feeder Watch Cornell lab
http//www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/index.html
Winter-long survey highest number occuring at
one time Educational
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Monitoring Bird Populations
Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)
Great Backyard Bird Count Cornell Audubon
http//www.birdsource.org/gbbc/
Four-day count mid-February mid-winter
abundance educational
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Monitoring Bird Populations
other resources
All About Birds - Cornell
http//www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Bird Pages
http//www.pwrc.usgs.gov/birds/
Bird Point Count Database (Patuxent)
http//www.pwrc.usgs.gov/point/index.cfm
Ebird Cornell Audubon
http//ebird.org/content/ebird/