Developing a monitoring program for bird populations in the Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona, using citizen observers: Initial stages

Abstract

The Madrean Sky Island region is an ecologically important area harboring exceptional biodiversity, including a unique avifauna that supports a thriving ecotourism industry in southeastern Arizona. This area has been impacted by several large wildfires in recent decades. These wildfires have altered vegetation composition and structure in forests and woodlands, and the effects of these changes on bird populations and distribution are not well understood. We studied occupancy and habitat associations of forest and woodland birds within five mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona from 1991 to 1995, before these fires occurred. The resulting data provide a unique opportunity to compare postfire bird populations with populations in these ranges during the 1990s, but funding to accomplish the necessary postfire bird sampling has been limited. Consequently, we are exploring the feasibility of using skilled citizen observers to monitor bird occupancy and distribution. This report documents the early stages of an effort to sample bird populations in the Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona using citizen observers. It describes field methods, presents preliminary results, summarizes early lessons learned, and outlines future steps necessary to design and implement a rigorous monitoring program using citizen observers to sample bird populations in the Madrean Sky Islands.

Citation

Ganey, Joseph L; Iniguez, Jose M.; Sanderlin, Jamie S.; Block, William M. 2017. Developing a monitoring program for bird populations in the Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona, using citizen observers: Initial stages. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-368. Fort Collins, CO: U.S, Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 30 p.