Monitoring at Constant-Effort Stations (CES)
Long-term mist netting efforts are designed to provide distribution, abundance, and demographic information. The methods are described in Ralph et al. (1993, 2004) and include mist net arrays, banding, area search and point count survey, vegetation survey, and soft tissue sampling (for DNA, stable isotope study, and avian influenza monitoring). These methods are consistent with recommendations of the PIF Inventory and Monitoring Working Group (Hussell and Ralph 1998). We conduct integrated bird monitoring accordant to constant-effort station (CES) methodology at many locations in the Klamath-Siskiyou Bioregion. The CES efforts generally begin during May, at the onset of the landbird breeding season in Oregon and California, and continue into October, inclusive of the fall migration. Some stations are operated throughout the year. Each CES effort is scheduled for the five to six hours following sunrise.
We have been involved with developing and testing a rapid ornithological inventory (ROI) protocol which is designed to quickly and effectively collect abundance and demographic data of birds in a limited area in a constrained amount of time (Ralph et al. 2004). The inventory involves two days of intensive mist netting and surveying at a site.
In concordance with the recommendations of the National PIF Inventory and Monitoring Working Group, we have established special species monitoring programs for birds that are inadequately monitored by other programs or methods (Altman and Bart 2001). Our special species monitoring efforts include small owl capture and survey throughout the Klamath-Siskiyou Bioregion.
Redwood Sciences Laboratory and Klamath Bird Observatory request that any use other than web-based visualizations posted by the AKN be first consulted with the contact persons listed above (C. John Ralph and John D. Alexander).