Analysis of U. S. Forest Service bird point-count monitoring database - implications for designing and implementing avian monitoring

Abstract

In 1996, Region 8 of the U. S. Forest Service implemented a program to monitor landbirds on southeastern U.S. national forests. The goal was to develop a monitoring system that could document population trends and bird-habitat relationships. Using power analysis, we examined the ability of the monitoring program to detect population trends (3 percent annual change) at three spatial scales: ranger district, national forest, and physiographic province. The monitoring program did not detect trends adequately at the district scale and success at the forest level varied on the intensity of sampling, but was generally low (6 – 50 years). At the physiographic province the monitoring program was relatively powerful in detecting population trends. It appears the population trend information derived from this monitoring program is distinct from other monitoring programs. The merits and shortcomings of this monitoring program are also addressed.

Parent Publication

• Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, California, Volume 1 and 2

Citation

Linder, Eric T.; Buehler, David A. 2005. Analysis of U. S. Forest Service bird point-count monitoring database - implications for designing and implementing avian monitoring. In: Ralph, C. John; Rich, Terrell D., editors 2005. Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, California, Volume 2 Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191. Albany, CA: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station: p. 950-955