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eBird Reference Dataset (2.0) released!
One year ago we released the initial version of the eBird Reference dataset. We are now excited to announce the release of the eBird Reference Dataset (Version 2.0), which adds observations from the year 2009. This resulted in a significant increase in the number of records: while The eBird Reference Dataset (ERD) v1.0 included about 1.35 million observations, the addition of 2009 data doubles this figure to more than 2.71 million records.
The eBird Reference Dataset
Here we introduce the "eBird Reference Dataset (Version 1.0)". The PDF below describes the eBird reference data set and the processing steps taken during creation. We hope this data will be a useful resource for studying avian dynamics and for developing new ecological modeling techniques. This dataset contains count data for bird species observed by novice and experienced bird observers (a.k.a. birders). The data were submitted by volunteers to eBird, a citizen-science project run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. Each record in this dataset is a part of a checklist that a birder uses to mark the number of birds of each species detected; one checklist is submitted per sampling event (i.e., birding session). Each checklist submitted from the 48 states in the contiguous United States is additionally annotated with hundreds of predictor variables (covariates) that are derived from the location of the sampling event.
AKN Featured Application: CADC's - Modeling Bird Distribution Responses to Climate Change
The California Avian Data Center has created a mapping tool to assist land managers and scientists in California. California's terrestrial ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to future changes in the global climate, including increased temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and changes in human infrastructure and development. Information on the potential effects of climate change on bird communities can help guide effective conservation and informed land management decisions. CADC and its partners are using climate models and multi-source bird data networked for the first time thanks to the Avian Knowledge Network to predict current and future species distributions for over 80 species. These California Partners in Flight (CalPIF) focal species represent the major habitat types found within California including riparian, oak woodland, scrub, conifer, and grassland. Currently, 60 species available for viewing, organized into 5 different habitat types.
AKN Histogram tool released!
We are pleased to announce an exciting new visualization: AKN histograms. These visualizations summarize the frequency of occurrence across the year and are customizable by state, Bird Conservation Region (BCR), or project(s). This is one of several AKN visualizations that allow researchers and naturalists to summarize bird occurrence across datasets. This is one of the fundamental goals of the AKN and so we are excited by this new development which gives new insight into temporal bird occurrence at a range of spatial scales.
Are You Using AKN Data? Tell Us How!
At the AKN we provide raw avian data resources for scientific research and analysis. In an effort to better understand our audience and our user-base, we'd like to compile an 'AKN Data Use' page that lists all the research projects, conservation efforts, and general data use currently underway at the AKN. Because some datasets are freely available to the public, we don't have a complete list of projects that are using those data. If you are using the AKN dataset for your research project, please tell us more about it!
The AKN now accepts bird banding data!
Up to this point, the Avian Knowledge Network (AKN) had accepted only field observations of birds, and did not provide a schema adequate to describe the additional complexity of bird banding datasets. With the release of a banding extension to the Bird Monitoring Data Exchange (BMDE-Banding version 1.38), we now accept bird banding data as well! The extension adds some 485 fields to the BMDE (for a total of 515 fields) and allow us to describe in detail almost every measurement contained in bird banding data sets.
AKN Session at the 4th International Partners in Flight Conference
An Avian Knowledge Network (AKN) session was held during the Fourth International Partners in Flight (PIF) Conference in McAllen, Texas 13-16 February 2008. Presenters came from diverse backgrounds that included academic institutions, non-government organizations, and governmental agencies, and presented a functioning data management strategy that supports bird conservation and research. Presentations encompassed data management, community participation, and examples of data visualization, exploration and analysis. The PIF AKN session did not describe a data management strategy that simply stores data in a central database repository with limited access. Instead a comprehensive and dynamic data resource has been developed, which has become the foundation for a variety of tools, features, and explorations that support the goals of PIF. Closing discussions emphasized ways that the AKN can further PIF high-priority needs in: Capacity Building; Education, Communication and Outreach; Public Policy; Research and Inventory and Monitoring.
BMDE Version 1.38 released
With the addition of the banding extension (BMDE-Banding version 1.38) to the Bird Monitoring Data Exchange (BMDE), we have also expanded the BMDE to include some additional fields that were necessary to fully describe avian datasets. This expansion takes the BMDE from 111 fields in version 1.35 to the current total of 130 fields in version 1.38.
California Avian Data Center: The first AKN node
PRBO Conservation Science (PRBO) is leading the establishment of the California Avian Data Center (CADC; www.prbo.org/cadc)--a collaborative, web-based integration of bird and ecosystem datasets to provide practical, broadly-accessible, web-based tools and applications for improved conservation outcomes. Its goal is to make timely and relevant scientific data and analyses readily accessible to habitat managers, policy makers, conservation practitioners, researchers, students, and the public.
Learn to Conduct Data-mining Analyses With AKN Data
The philosophy behind data-mining and the software used to conduct data-mining analyses are relatively unfamiliar to ecologists, compared to statistical analysis and software. As a result, we have written a paper describing the philosophy behind data-mining, and provided some basic examples of the types of insights that can be gained from data mining (Aug 2007 issue of the Journal of Wildlife Management). This paper, however, does not provide the “nuts and bolts” information needed for someone to learn to to actually conduct a data-mining analysis. Thus, we have produced an set of example computer code and a sample data set, which can be used by someone to learn how to conduct data-mining analyses.
Leon Levy Foundation Grant Supports AKN Grad Student Research
The Levy Foundation grant will fund the work of Cornell University graduate student Daria Sorokina. She has developed a new technique for creating more accurate computer models using AKN data. These models help scientists understand the complicated relationship between birds and thousands of features in the environment the affect them, such as trees, water, predators, and food. By combining these variables with massive numbers of bird observations, scientists see large scale patterns that could not be found otherwise. These patterns can then be visualized with maps.
Learn More About the AKN With a Powerpoint Presentation!
The AKN is part of a dynamic web environment driven by technology and discovery. At the AKN we are continually upgrading the site and the application. The basic concept of the AKN remains constant throughout--to explore the factors influencing bird populations on the global scale. With this powerpoint, you can learn more about the goals and functionality of the Avian Knowledge Network.
AKN Website Overhaul
The new AKN website is designed to provide improved intuitive access to AKN resources. New features include expanded data download functionality including prepackaged zip files, improved access to descriptive metadata, expanded information on partners, and more detailed information on how to contribute data to the AKN.
Watch Purple Martin Migration on the Continental Scale!
For the first time we are able to visualize the movements of an entire population of birds by using observational data collected through eBird and analyzed through the AKN. Purple Martins are a familiar species to many eastern birders as they breed in many locations across eastern North America. In winter, however, the Purple Martin vacates North America. Interestingly, the closely related Tree Swallow employs similar migration strategies but has much different timing. Compare the migrations of these amazing birds move south by viewing the animated maps band graphs below.
Data Visualization
A major contribution that the Avian Knowledge Network will make is the ability to provide data visualizations via maps, graphs, and tables. These visualizations provide a comprehensive exploration of the data resources of the AKN. Our goal is to allow users (from teachers to land managers, or researchers to politicians) to interactively access AKN data resources.
Exploratory Analysis for House Finch
We have performed preliminary analyses on data from Project Feeder Watch in order to determine the factors that affect the presence or absence of House Finches (Carpodacus mexicanus). The House Finch was selected because we know enough about this species to verify the results from these analyses.
Visualizing Predictor Effects With Partial Dependence Plots
Article describing the use of partial dependence to uncover predictor effects.
Visualizing Dynamics of Wild Birds
The Irruptive Winter Migration of American Goldfinch
Project Feeder Watch Exploratory Analysis
A detailed description of the methods used for our exploratory analysis.