Jason Sodergren (Database Specialist, Hawk Migration Association of North America, PO Box 1593, Homer, AK 99603, (907)226-2076, jason@taiga.com) Laurie J. Goodrich (Data Curator, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association, 410 Summer Valley Rd., Orwisburg, PA 17961, (570)943-3411 x106, goodrich@hawkmtn.org) Unknown database http://hawkcount.org/ HawkCount is a web-based information system that works as a central depository for raptor migration count data. Monitoring sites report their hourly or daily observations and data are archived in a format that may later be retrieved, reported, and analyzed. HawkCount.org is administered by the Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA). Raptor migration counts are collected to monitor populations. The longest data set in HawkCount.org spans over a period of 50 years. Most data sets currently in digital format are around 10 years-long. The database is constantly updated. The Raptor Population Index Project is working on the transfer of historical data from paper forms into electronic form. Data are updated on a daily basis during the seasons of active submissions (spring and fall migration) and backed up every 24 hours. Updating frequency exceeds daily at height of field seasons. 1957 2007 ground condition In work As needed North America (Canada, United States, and Mexico). -148 -68 62 18.5 None monitor monitoring population trends migration hawk migration None North America Canada United States USA U.S. Mexico British Columbia BC Manitoba MB Ontario ON Quebec QC PQ Veracruz Alaska AK Arizona AZ California CA Connecticut CT Delaware DE Florida FL Illinois IL Iowa IA Maine ME Maryland MD Massachusetts MA Michigan MI Minnesota MN Montana MT New Hampshire NH New Jersey NJ New Mexico NM New York NY North Carolina NC Oregon OR Pennsylvania PA South Carolina SC Tennessee TN Texas TX Utah UT Vermont VT Virginia VA Washington WA West Virginia WV Wisconsin WI None spring fall autumn None multiple species birds raptors hawks kites eagles falcons vultures American Ornithologists' Union 1998 Seventh book Washington, D.C. American Ornithologists' Union http://www.aou.org/checklist/index.php3 The check-list is revised and updated on an annual basis by the American Ornithologists' Union. Revisions are published in The Auk. Observers have pre-existing knowledge of bird identification or they use published field guides. Individual monitoring sites use an assortment of references to identify migrants during field work. Raptors (diurnal birds of prey). Kingdom Animalia animals Phylum Chordata chordates Subphylum Vertebrata vertebrates Class Aves birds Order Ciconiiformes Family Cathartidae new world vultures Order Falconiformes diurnal birds of prey Family Accipitridae hawks, kites, eagles, and allies Family Falconidae caracaras and falcons Data are not classified, but data users need to request permission to use data to HawkCount.org’s Data Curator (see above). Data are submitted in accordance to data use policies available at http://www.hmana.org/data_policies/policies.php and each data contributor sets the level of availability of its own data set. Plans are underway to incorporate the data into the Avian Knowledge Network. See http://www.avianknowledge.net/ None Ernesto Ruelas Inzunza Raptor Population Index Project, Cornell Lab of Ornithology RPI Project Manager mailing and physical

159 Sapsucker Woods Rd.

Ithaca NY 14850 USA (607)254-2464, Mobile: (607)342-4971 (607)254-2415 er99@cornell.edu The Raptor Population Index Project is a partnership between the Hawk Migration Association of North America, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, and HawkWatch International housed at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Funding comes from a matching grant of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation with counterpart funding from partner organizations. Data are collected and entered into HawkCount.org by independent sites – their submissions are labeled by contributor. HawkCount.org was developed using open-source software. The system is composed of 15 tables and 175 fields which include georeferenced site metadata. Version 1.5 of HawkCount (23 September 2003) uses PHP4, MySQL, and the Apache web server. Farmer, C.J. 20060912 document Raptor Population Index Project Technical Report Models for data analysis described in Farmer et al. (2007), referenced below. See Methodology section. Copies of the manuscript accepted are available from Christopher J. Farmer (farmer@hawkmtn.org). Farmer, C.J., D.J.T. Hussell, and D. Mizrahi. 2007 journal article The Auk 124(2) In press. Data collection protocol (seasonal site metadata form) documents the procedures used for data collection at each site. not applicable The longest data set in HawkCount.org spans over a period of 50 years. Most data sets currently in digital format are around 10 years-long. There are many sites for which the length of the data series available on-line is as long as the existence of HawkCount.org (4 years). The RPI Project is working on the transfer of historical data from paper forms into electronic form. Each georeferenced datum was submitted by a site contact. Site metadata documents if coordinates were obtained using a GPS unit, maps, or other means. Field None hawk watch hawkwatch Data are recorded using a standardized data collection protocol (Ruelas 2006). The protocol is divided into four sections: (1) An introductory section with information on the rationale and objectives of the revised protocol; (2) A Monitoring Site Specifics section, intended to document details of the locality(ies) in use (e.g. “fixed,” “mobile,” and/or part of a “survey line”) and the season of coverage; (3) The species coverage and criteria to discern migrants vs. non-migrants, and finally (4) A section on data recording and data storage. This protocol includes tables for (a) Weather and observation codes; (b) Species names, sex, and color morphs; (c) Tables for wind speed, precipitation, height of flight, etc., as well as a form for seasonal metadata. The metadata is generally overlooked and poorly documented and addresses questions such as: How many people participated during the season? What are their qualifications? Which species are monitored? Which units (e.g. Metric, English) are used in the weather data recordings? What optical equipment is used? Is there a training scheme in place before starting the field season? Is the site staffed by professional biologists or volunteer citizen scientists? These are all questions that can help to interpret the data at later stages. Ruelas I., E. 2006 document http://www.rpi-project.org/data_collection.php Lab Data Analysis: Current trend analysis methodology requires hourly records collected over periods of at least 10 years using a consistent protocol. These data are used to generate annual indices of abundance and to calculate long-term population trends. In summary, the procedure consists of standardizing the count day/season of each monitoring site. For each species, the model (1) Identifies the daily window during which 95% of the migrants are counted; (2) Selects the seasonal passage window when the middle 95% of the individuals were counted across all years; (3) Models curvilinear effects of wind speed and direction on number of hawks counted; (4) Calculates indices of passage rate [date-adjusted estimated geometric means]; (5) Obtains trends in annual passage rates by fitting a polynomial regression model to the time series of annual indices; and (6) Re-parameterizes the year terms to determine the significance of these trend estimates (Farmer et al. 2007 [in press]). Farmer, C.J., D.J.T. Hussell, and D. Mizrahi. 2007 journal article The Auk 124(2) In press. No process steps have been described for this data set Unknown Point 0.00001 0.00001 Decimal degrees Data collected include: bird species; number of birds; observation start time; observation end time; official counter; observers; weather (wind speed, wind direction, visibility, cloud cover, temperature, humidity, air pressure, precipitation); observation notes, non-raptor notes, visitors, forecast; flight direction; and flight height. Site profile data include: name of site; location; coordinates; link to website; general site information; site contacts; raptor species observed at site; count season; procedures/protocols; data inventory; site history; site topography; and directions to site. There is metadata needed to interpret some of the data stored, e.g. species codes and other. Available at HawkCount.org. Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA) http://www.hmana.org/index.php HawkCount.org No warranty, expressed or implied, is made regarding the accuracy or utility of these data. website http://hawkcount.org/ Generally, data archived by HMANA are freely accessible in electronic form. In the case of data archived in paper form, the cost of copying of data forms may be passed on to the researcher. Most data archived by HMANA are freely accessible via HawkCount and may used for personal consumption without the need for permissions or a data release request. However, some hawk watches restrict public viewing of their data, in which case permission to view data may be sought through submission of a HMANA data release request. Regardless of viewing status, all other users of hawk watch data, especially anyone having an interest in publication or reproduction of raptor migration data, or analysis derived from these data, must always seek and receive explicit written permission for use of these data. See http://hmana.org/data_policies/data_rel_req.php to complete a data release request. Plans are underway to incorporate the data into the Avian Knowledge Network. See http://www.avianknowledge.net/ 20070117 Jim Lowe Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology mailing and physical

159 Sapsucker Woods Road

Ithaca NY 14850 USA 607-254-2413 JDL6@cornell.edu E-Mail is preferred FGDC Biological Data Profile of the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata FGDC-STD-001.1-1999