Citizens Behind the Science:Citizens Behind the Science: The Use of Citizen Volunteers in Urban The Use of Citizen Volunteers in Urban

Bird ResearchBird Research

William P. Mueller WI Society for Ornithology

WI Bird Conservation Initiative

Timothy L. VargoUrban Ecology Center

Owen D. Boyle

WDNR

• Some of the most effective studies of bird species and changes, such as population declines, begin with a discussion of birds in the landscape…

An urban bird study - - -

Changes in the landscape: fragmentation

(Curtis 1956)

Patches of habitat in urban areas are surrounded by areas much

less suitable for bird use

Milwaukee County’s parks comprise a fragmented set of

habitats for migrating land

birds…

…BUT, these fragmented woodlands can be vital refuges

for migrants!

Milwaukee County Avian Migration Milwaukee County Avian Migration Monitoring Partnership (MCAMMP)Monitoring Partnership (MCAMMP)

Project Goals:1. Assess bird use of small habitat

patches in an urban matrix 2. Sampling & analysis of differences

in vegetation that help to explain #1 3. Determine refueling rate of migrants

in variable patch types, and thereby measure habitat quality

4. Train and utilize citizen scientists to accomplish these research goals and establish a long-term Citizen-based monitoring program

Importance of this researchImportance of this research• Migrants utilize a variety of stopover sites• One often-neglected set of sites are in

urban areas• Urban habitats include parks and natural

areas, often characterized by some degree of disturbance

• This is one of the first studies nationwide to focus on how refueling rate and body condition are affected by quality of urban stopover habitats

Components of the MCAMMP ProjectComponents of the MCAMMP Project

• GPS mapping of sites

• Transect counts of species on each site

• Study design/ site selection

• Vegetation sampling protocol

• Mistnetting and banding of migrants and blood sampling of target species

• Environmental education: students and citizen scientists

All study sites and transects were GPS’d, and mapped on aerial photos

MCAMMP TransectsMCAMMP Transects

• 250 m in length X 40 m in width

• Data on all species found, weather, time of day and duration of transect, degree of leaf development in canopy

• 8 study sites in 2006-2007;

4 additional sites in 2008

In the first 2 field seasons, ~90 species were found on transect counts, including:

2 forest raptor spp. 3 wrens

Black-b. Cuckoo 5 thrushes, B.-g. Gnatcatcher

Gr. Horned Owl C. Waxwing

4 woodpeckers Br. Creeper

7 flycatchers 4 vireos

5 swallows 23 warblers

Am. Crow & Blue Jay 2 grosbeaks, Sc. Tanager, Indigo Bunting

Black-c. Chickadee & White-br. Nuthatch

4 sparrows, 3 blackbirds & Baltimore Oriole

• The Plan: – Volunteers seek certification by the

Wisconsin Birder Certification Program (Bob Howe, UW-Green Bay)

Volunteers and the TransectsVolunteers and the Transects

• The Reality…

MCAMMP Vegetation SamplingMCAMMP Vegetation Sampling

Vegetation Sampling: QuestionsVegetation Sampling: Questions

• What are the differences in the vegetation between sites that could explain differential bird use?– Plant species composition– Vegetation structure

• How is habitat quality affected by the presence of invasive exotic plant species?

Vegetation Data CollectionVegetation Data Collection

• What are the differences in the vegetation of sites that could explain differential bird use/ refueling rates?– identify species– relative abundance/ % cover– canopy closure– bare ground/ leaf litter

Vegetation Data CollectionVegetation Data Collection• How is habitat quality affected

by the presence of invasive exotic plant species? – abundance of dominant exotics correlation with site use (transect/

banding data) or bird condition (blood analysis)?

Challenges of sampling vegetationChallenges of sampling vegetation

• No trails! (buckthorn/ honeysuckle thickets, steep-sided ravines)

• Longer hours/ field season

• Random sampling

with citizen scientistswith citizen scientists

• Data collection assistance– data recording– plant I.D.– estimating percent cover/

canopy closure– tree measurements

• Doubled the number of teams (data collected) per day

with citizen scientistswith citizen scientistsBenefits of sampling vegetationBenefits of sampling vegetation

MCAMMP Mistnetting and BandingMCAMMP Mistnetting and Banding

MCAMMP banding programMCAMMP banding program

• Pilot Year: Two Stations - Riverside & Kletzsch Parks

• Two teams banding on same day for comparison

• Blood sampling of 7 target species:– Seed-eaters: SCJU & WTSP– Frugivores: SWTH & HETH– Insectivores: AMRE, YRWA, MYWA

In the first two field seasons, 44 species were banded, with blood samples taken from all 8 target species.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2 kinglets

4 woodpeckers Brown Creeper

1 flycatcher 4 thrushes

1 swallow Gray Catbird

2 vireos  11 warblers

Blue Jay  5 sparrows

Black-capped Chickadee 2 grosbeaks & Indigo Bunting

White-breasted Nuthatch 3 blackbirds

House Wren Am. Goldfinch

ASSESSING RATES OF FUEL DEPOSITION AND STOPOVER HABITAT QUALITY FOR MIGRATORY BIRDS

Christopher G. GuglielmoUniversity of Western Ontario

Circulating lipid metabolites reflectthe metabolic state of migrants

TRIGLYCERIDE

B- OH- BUTYRATE

METABOLITE FEEDING FASTING

Metabolite profiles change rapidly after a change in feeding rate in Wilson’s Warblers (Wilsonia pusilla).

Zajac et al. 2006 JAB 37:405-408

***

MCAMMP: blood samplingMCAMMP: blood sampling

A very small blood sample, taken from the brachial vein (sample size

varies in relation to size of bird)

Blood Sampling: QuestionsBlood Sampling: Questions

• How do migrants fare on small habitat patches in an urban matrix?

• How effectively can they re-fuel?

The Volunteer Training Process: The Volunteer Training Process: Creating an MCAMMP Citizen ScientistCreating an MCAMMP Citizen Scientist

• Volunteer workshop– Recruiting: introduction to the project

partners, goals, and volunteer opportunities

• Detailed training in the field

• On-the-ground experience

• Opportunities for team building– picnics and parties!

MCAMMP Volunteer and Intern MCAMMP Volunteer and Intern Effort (2006-2007)Effort (2006-2007)

Project Component

Volunteers & Interns Hours

$$ saved ($15/hr. for field

assistants)

Transects 15 121 $1,815

Vegetation 16 134 $2,144

Banding 93 1,420 $21,300

TOTAL 124 1675 $25,259

Benefits Increases data-collection

power Cost-effective alternative or

addition to paid assistants Local support & “ownership” Data usually same quality as

paid technicians Citizen scientists gain an

education and learn skills to carry with them

Citizen scientists gain an appreciation of the natural world and conservation

Volunteers have unique talents that can help in unexpected ways

Challenges Limited volunteer availability

(jobs, family, etc.) Increased time and effort of

training and coordinating schedules

Often requires technical skills and knowledge of species identification which may seem daunting

Physically demanding conditions/ long hours

Vargo et al. (in press)

The most extraordinary thing about the MCAMMP project

is simply its people.

Volunteers and visitors are not always students…

…but many are: MCAMMP’s environmental education component

A bird in the hand is…priceless!