Data Owner

PRBO Conservation Science

Data Access: Level 5

The data are freely available to all interested in accordance with PRBO's data-sharing policy.

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Abstract

In many countries, point counts are the main method in monitoring the population changes of breeding landbirds. With the point count method it is possible to study the yearly changes of bird populations at fixed points, differences in species composition between habitats, and abundance patterns of species. The point count method is probably the most efficient and data-rich method of counting birds. It is the preferred method in forested habitats or difficult terrain. Point counts involve an observer standing in one spot and recording all the birds seen or heard at either a fixed distance, or unlimited distance. This method can be conducted one or many times at a given point. The North American Breeding Bird Survey of the U.S.D.I. Fish and Wildlife Service is such a method.* These data come from PRBO point count locations throughout the western United States for surveys conducted by trained observers between 1991 and the present. As of 2005, there were over 10,000 point count locations (sites) in 43 projects in a variety of habitats. As new surveys are added on a yearly basis, this database is constantly being updated. All counts were 5 minutes duration and data were collected which denote, at least, whether individuals were within 50 m of the observer. All species were recorded. For more information on field protocols please see http://data.prbo.org/cadc2/index.php?page=songbird-point-counts.

*Excerpted from Ralph, C J; Geupel, G R; Pyle, P; Martin, T E; DeSante, D F. 1993. Handbook of field methods for monitoring landbirds. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-144. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 41 p. (http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/documents/gtr-144/06-censusing.html)

Purpose

Point count surveys measure bird abundance and diversity and can be used to measure habitat sustainability, population trends, and habitat associations in bird populations. Aside from providing the bird species and numbers detected at each point count location, this dataset is also a record of the location of point count locations so that surveys can be repeated in subsequent years.

Supplemental Information

The data are freely available to all interested in accordance with PRBO's data-sharing policy. For more information on point counts (e.g., background information, methodologies, data forms, and field protocols) see http://data.prbo.org/cadc2/index.php?page=songbird-point-counts.

Contact

• Dennis Jongsomjit - Phone 707-781-2555