Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory Unknown database http://www.rmbo.org/ http://www.rmbo.org/conservation/sgbcr.html http://www.rmbo.org/pubs/default.html The objective of this program is to monitor population trends and distributions of grassland-breeding birds within the Shortgrass Prairie Bird Conservation Region (BCR18) using section-based surveys, a road-based point count technique. A one square mile “section” is the basic land management unit of the prairie. The section-based survey technique is the most efficient and effective method for surveying and monitoring grassland birds (Hanni 2002) in a landscape dominated by private ownership. Long-term monitoring of the Shortgrass Prairie Bird Conservation Region will provide information on trends and distribution within a framework that allows land managers to make cooperative management decisions on a biologically meaningful scale. The information gathered by this bird monitoring program should prove invaluable for supporting conservation decisions related to grassland birds and will further our understanding of the complex population dynamics of grassland birds. To obtain long-term population trend, distribution, and habitat association information for grassland-breeding birds. Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (RMBO) works to conserve Rocky Mountain and Great Plains birds and their habitats. Reports are available on the RMBO web site (http://www.rmbo.org/pubs/default.html) or by contacting David Hanni at RMBO (david.hanni@rmbo.org). 2001 2006 ground condition In work Annually Bird Conservation Region 18 portions of Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico and five National Grasslands (Cimarron, Comanche, Pawnee, Kiowa, and Rita Blanca). -105.50 -100.00 43.00 35.90 None monitor monitoring population trends grassland birds distribution habitat associations None United States USA US Colorado CO Nebraska NE Kansas KS Oklahoma OK New Mexico NM Texas TX Cimarron National Grassland Comanche National Grassland Pawnee National Grassland Kiowa National Grassland Rita Blanca National Grassland Bird Conservation Region 18 BCR 18 None breeding season spring summer May June July None multiple species birds American Ornithologists' Union 1998 Seventh book 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. All breeding bird species detected. Kingdom Animalia animals Phylum Chordata chordates Subphylum Vertebrata vertebrates Class Aves birds None At this point, the data can only be used for analyses through the Avian Knowledge Network (AKN). Users are unable to download the raw data at this time. David Hanni Rocky Mountian Bird Observatory Monitoring Division Director mailing

14500 Lark Bunting Lane

Brighton CO 80601 USA 970-482-1707 303-654-0791 david.hanni@rmbo.org Lead institution: Rocky Mountian Bird Observatory. Partner institutions: Colorado Division of Wildlife, Nebraska Game and Parks Commision, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Oklahoma City Zoo, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Colorado Natural Heratige Program, and United States Forest Service. Funding sources: Colorado Division of Wildlife, Nebraska Game and Parks Commision, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, and United States Forest Service. Access relational database maintained by Rocky Mountian Bird Observatory. Data are also available through the Avian Knowledge Network (AKN) <http://www.avianknowledge.net/> Hanni, D.J. 2002 document Brighton, CO. Colorado Bird Observatory. 47 pp. Sparks, R.A., and D.J. Hanni. 200602 document Brighton, CO. Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. Tech. Report # M-SS05-01, 160 pp. http://www.rmbo.org/pubs/default.html Observer training consisted of three consecutive days via lecture and field practice. By the end of training, we deemed all observers proficient in grassland bird identification (visual and aural), distance estimation with rangefinders, GPS use, mapping skills, methodologies, vegetation identification and classification, and shrub cover estimation. RMBO provided each of the technicians with recordings of the songs and calls of grassland birds to continue sharpening bird identification skills after the three-day training period. Each of the technicians also received a reference guide to percent shrub cover that illustrated examples of actual percent cover for each of the different shrub species encountered in the field. not applicable 2,992 sections (2,309 native, 614 dryland agriculture, 69 Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)). Field observers are provided with a map of locations where they conduct point counts. They use a road atlas and a GPS unit to find each point count location. Field None point counts Using the section (1 mi2) as the sampling unit, we conduct 3 random five minute 180° point counts, spaced at least 0.2 miles apart. These counts take place approximately the 15th of May through the 4th of July. Sample design: stratified random sampling by state and habitat type (native, dryland agriculture, and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)). Hanni, D., and R. Sparks. 2005 document Brighton, CO. Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. http://www.rmbo.org/pubs/default.html No process steps have been described for this data set Unknown Point Bird Data Point count data. none Species Bird species. America Onithologists' Union (AOU) four-letter AOU species codes American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) Sex Sex of bird (if possible). none M male none F female none Distance to point of first detection Distance between observer and first detection of each bird. none 0 unlimited meters Associated habitat The habitat immediately associated with each bird. none ground, yucca, cholla, tree, fence, fence post, utility wire, stock tank, playa, homestead, etc. Cluster ID Clusters indicate birds detected as a result of detecting another bird. none a letter (A-Z) none Cluster Size Size of cluster. none 1 unlimited Snap Shot All species observed during a two-second period, two minutes into the point count. none all species observed Vegetation Data Vegetation within a semi-circle with a 150-meter radius looking into the surveyed section. none Grass height Height of Grass. none <15 cm Grass is <15 cm (~ankle height). none >15 cm Grass is >15 cm (~ankle height). none Grass percent Proportion of each grass height category. none 0 100 Shrub type Type of shrub community. none sandsage sandsage none rabbit brush rabbit brush none four winged salt bush four winged salt bush none greasewood greasewood none cholla cholla none yucca yucca none Shrub percent Percent cover of shrubs. none <1% <1% shrub cover none >1%-3% >1%-3% shrub cover none >3%-10% >3%-10% shrub cover none >10% >10% shrub cover none Information collected before each point count: date; time; weather; vegetative characteristics (grass height and percent, shrub type and percent); UTM coordinates; and presence of prairie dog towns, playas, raptor nests, streams, bridges, homesteads, corrals, stock tanks, etc. Data collected during each point count: bird species; sex (if possible); distance to first detection; associated habitat; cluster ID (a letter); cluster size; snap shot (all species observed during a two-second period, two minutes into the point count). Detailed data descriptions are available from the distributor. David Hanni Rocky Mountian Bird Observatory Monitoring Division Director mailing

14500 Lark Bunting Lane

Brighton CO 80601 USA 970-482-1707 303-654-0791 david.hanni@rmbo.org Section-based Surveys No warranty, expressed or implied, is made regarding the accuracy or utility of these data. Please contact the distributor to order Section-based Surveys data. Avian Knowledge Network mailing

Cornell Lab of Ornithology,

159 Sapsucker Woods Rd.

Ithaca NY 14850 USA RMBO-SS These data are made available through the Avian Knowledge Network, a National Science Foundation funded project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Department of Computer Science at Cornell University. No warranty, expressed or implied, is made regarding the accuracy or utility of these data. website http://www.avianknowledge.net/ none At this point, the data can only be used for analyses through the Avian Knowledge Network (AKN). Users are unable to download the raw data at this time. 20061214 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