[texbirds] Breeding Bird Survey Volunteers Needed
- From: Brent Ortego <brentortego@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: texbirds <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 06:30:55 -0600
Many of us are still working on Christmas Bird Count Data, but it is time to
start thinking about plans for conducting U.S. Geological Survey roadside
Breeding Bird Surveys. The survey season starts in May and we need to line up
volunteers to fill vacancies now to avoid the rush when spring birding starts.
My annual request is pasted below.
Thanks for your consideration and assistance.
Brent Ortego
Victoria, TX
BREEDING BIRD SURVEY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
This is my annual request for volunteer sign-up to conduct roadside breeding
bird surveys (BBS) in Texas during 2014. There are 9 vacancies in the
Panhandle, 3 in the Trans Pecos, 1 in North Central Texas, 2 in Central Texas,
3 in Southeast Texas associated with the Big Thicket, and 5 in South Texas.
Read below for more details.
For those not familiar with the survey methodology, the BBS is the national
survey which is the primary source for breeding bird population trends in the
nation. This survey has about 3000 randomly located routes across the United
States. Each route is 24.5 miles long with 50 stops spaced 0.5 miles apart.
At each stop during a 3 minute period, the observer tallies all birds seen
within ¼ mile and all birds heard. The route lasts from 30 minutes before
sunrise until you finish which is normally about 11 a.m. The route needs to be
run ONCE each year during the months of May or June; exact dates vary with each
route. It might require a pre-survey scouting trip just to familiarize
yourself with the route, and a little paper/computer work after the route is
done. The observer needs to be able to identify most of the birds along the
route by call and all by sight. Along routes in agricultural areas, this might
only mean about 20 species by call, but in more complex forested areas it might
mean 70 species.
National and local conservation organizations very regularly use BBS data (see
www.stateofthebirds.org) in their analysis. They focus very strongly on
breeding bird population trends generated by YOUR DATA, and also used bird
density data extensively. Partners In Flight has developed models to estimate
breeding density and distribution for all species they are tracking with BBS
data. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has used the data when they
developed a statewide conservation plan for birds (see
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/pwd_pl_w7000_1187a/) .
Conservation Joint Ventures across the nation regularly use BBS data as they
implement their new All Birds management goals. It has been very satisfying
seeing the product of our works being used to influence national and local
decisions on avian conservation.
Texas has 196 BBS routes and 23 vacancies. The National Office has started
listing routes as vacant when they have not received data from a volunteer for
two years. If you see your route listed as vacant, check your files and
resubmit your data because the national office has not received it.
This seems like a lot of routes, but it is not for a state our size. Due to
the variability of the data, we are trying to run at least 14 routes per
ecological area and there are 10 ecological areas in Texas. This should
provide us a statistically valid sample of population trends of birds breeding
near highways. We are getting close to obtaining this sample size in every
bird region except for the Panhnadle and West Texas. We have problems getting
qualified birders to do routes in the more rural parts of the State. While
there are plenty of good birders in Texas, the birders are concentrated in
urban areas and the birds are spread throughout the State causing logistics
problems of running routes in remote parts of the Texas. A classic example is
West Texas and the Panhandle, lots of country and few birders.
When you volunteer, I will need your name, mailing address, e-mail, telephone
number and route of interest.
I am listing below vacant routes by geographic areas. Species data for each
route can be obtained a the link =
https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/RouteMap/Map.cfm. Those areas with the largest
numbers of vacancies are the areas needing the most help. If you are
interesting in helping, or would like more information, reply to this e-mail.
PANHANDLE
Route 101 Pantex Carson County
Route 102 Texline Dallam County
Route 103 Waka Ochiltree County
Route 104 Booker Lipscomb County
Route 179 Haskell Haskell County
Route 370 Friona Parmer County
Route 371 Panhandle Gray County
Route 373 Dalhart Dallam County
Route 374 Twichell Ochiltree County
WEST TEXAS
Route 090 Delaware Creek Culberson County
Route 343 Mentone Loving County
Route 344 Salt Flat Hudspeth County
NORTHCENTRAL TEXAS
Route 109 Rotan Fisher County
CENTRAL TEXAS
Route 043 San Saba McCulloch County
Route 249 Thornton 3 Limestone County
NORTHEAST TEXAS
No vacancies. Congratulations!
SOUTHEAST TEXAS
Route 904 Big Sandy Bith Polk County
Route 905 Lance Rosier Hardin County
Route 906 Neches Bith Jefferson County
COASTAL PRAIRIE
No vacancies. Congratulations!
SOUTH TEXAS
Route 005 Kingsville Kleberg County
Route 308 Three Rivers Live Oak County
Route 314 Yoakum DeWitt County
Route 379 Heidelberg Hidalgo County
Route 907 Padre Island Kleberg County
https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBS/results/routemaps/routeMapStatic.html location of
route maps
https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBS/index.cfm?CFID250972&CFTOKEN 845651 raw data
online retrieval system link provides location of species totals by route by
year
https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBS/learning/ BBS procedures and quiz
Brent Ortego
2805 N. Navarro, Suite 600B
Victoria, TX 77901
361/576-0022
Brent.ortego@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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