Bird surveymethods

Base

line

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Bird survey methodsBaseline survey

Animal welfare

· Avoid close-range observation wherever possible duringbreeding and feeding.

· Avoid overuse of mimicry calls as they can distract birds.· Do not disturb nest sites as birds may abandon eggs or chicks.· Do not, under any circumstances, remove eggs from a nest.· It is illegal to trap birds in NSW without a scientific licence from

NPWS.· It is illegal to undertake a research study on birds in NSW without

animal ethics approval.

What collection methods?All of the data collection methods relating to baseline surveys listed below are explained indetail in the rest of this booklet.

Introduction

Methods Animalhandlinglicencerequired

Point count 6

Opportunistic 6

Claire Carlton, National Parks Association

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Setting up your transect§ A 500 metre transect has been chosen to use as an example. Use flagging tape tomark out the start and finish points and then five points, 100 metres apart are markedout along the transect. Point one is located 50 metres from the beginning of thetransect and all other points are 100 metres apart (see Figure 1 below).

§ Imagine a bullseye target at each pointalong the transect. When standing ateach transect sample point for a ten-minute period, birds seen or heardwithin the bullseye are recorded. heareas are divided up as 0 � 15 metres,then 15 � 30 metres and finally 30 � 50metres from the middle of the samplepoint. All birds entirely outside thebullseye area but within the samehabitat are recorded as opportunistic. T

§ Put flagging tape up at distances of 15,30 and 50 metres from each samplepoint along the transect to assist withrecording the distance birds have beenseen from the transect.

§ Each sample point along the transectshould be marked with flagging tape.

§ Each sample point should be assigneda unique identification number to beentered onto the birds field data sheet inthe first column in the observationstable.

§ The position of each sample point onthe transect (in metres) and its samplearea identification number should bewritten onto the flagging tape. This tapemust be removed when the survey isfinished as it may be confusing for futuresurveys. On a topographic map recordwhere the transects are located andkeep this as a permanent record.

Figure 2: Example of 500 metre transect

mid-point

Sample points Transect line

0 m 50 m 150 m 250 m 350 m 450 m 500 m

Figure 2: Laying out the bullseye targets on a 500 metre transect

0 m 50 m 150 m 350 m 450 m250 m

Transect lineSample points

15 m 30 m 50 m

25 m

25 m

3

Point count methodThe basic method that has been chosen is based on setting up a single line at eachsite called a transect. Birds can be identified either visually, or by their calls. Thismethod involves identifying all the birds you see or hear while standing at a series ofpoints along a transect (a straight line through the site).

A systematic search (over a fixed area and/or for a fixed time) such as the methodspecified here has the added advantage of providing an index of the abundance ofindividuals and species, which can be later compared with other sites where thesame systematic search method was used. The reliability of the abundance indexcan be reduced by either overestimates or underestimates of bird numbers. Toreduce overestimates, particularly when several team members are observing, try toensure that each individual bird is recorded only once. Inexperience bird watchersmay find they need to refer to books to aid identification, which will reduce the timespent watching and may result in underestimates of abundance. Hence, ensurethat a least one member of the team is watching at all times.

Equipment needed

· Compass· Topographic map of survey area· Clipboard, pencil and eraser· Small notebook for making your own notes of special events seen· Watch· Bird field data sheets (one set for each survey site)· Plastic sheets or large clear plastic bag to protect data sheets when

raining· Bird field guide· Binoculars: 8 � 10X magnification and 40 � 50 millimetres field of view,

that is, 8x40; 10x42; 10x50.· Lens tissue to clean the binocular lens and glass· Whistle for when separated from group· Flagging tape or strips of coloured material· Cassette recorder, cassette tape and spare batteries to record unknown

bird calls (optional)

Point countmethod

Bird survey teams should:§ Be small in size with two to four

members in each team;

§ Have one team member nominated as

the scribe and therefore be responsiblefor accurately and consistentlyrecording the bird observationsprovided by other team members; and

§ Speak and move quietly and avoid

sudden movements.

A count should be conducted on alltransects each day the survey is running,unless weather conditions are such that itwould be difficult to see or hear the birds.

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All transects should be surveyed in adifferent order each day because the birdsobserved will vary depending on the time ofday.

Bird counts are conducted at the start offirst light which is before sunrise. This is thetime when birds vocalise most, and isknown as the �dawn chorus�. It is also atime of maximum bird movement as birdsmove through the bush to begin feeding. Alltransects should be finished within 3 to 4hours after first light.

On cold mornings keep your binocularsinside clothing when not in use. This willreduce fogging when you are lookingthrough them.

Always check where you are standing whenyou stop to view a bird, as ants have littlerespect for busy bird watchers.

The steps you need to follow to use thismethod are:

1. Position the team at the first samplepoint on the transect;

2. For 10 minutes note on the appropriatediagram the identity and position ofeach bird species seen or heard. (Seethe notes on how to fill out the birdsurvey field data sheet in the followingsection.)

3. By the end of the recording period thebird names should be transcribed to theobservation table. Data entry should becompleted for all the observations forthe first recording period before movingon to the next sample point. Thisshould be done as quickly as possible,as the �dawn chorus� is short.

4. When data transcription is completed,the team moves quietly to the nextpoint on the transect. Note any birdsyou observe while walking on theopportunistic sightings field data sheet.

5. Repeat steps 2, 3 and 4 until all samplepoints on a transect have beencompleted.

Several observers may record the sameindividual bird, and effort should be made(by comparing the positions of the birds byeach observer) to note that individuals arerecorded only once on the data sheet.

Field data sheet

Physical environmentSee Recording site details booklet

MoonSeveral descriptions of moon phases areprovided, please tick one.

RainSeveral descriptions of rain conditions areprovided, please tick one.

Cloud coverVisually estimate the percentage of skyobscured by cloud.

Sample point identification numberEach sample point should be assigned aunique identification number to be enteredin the first column in the observations table.

Start timeFor this sample area. Use 24 hour clock,eastern standard time.

Finish timeFor this sample area. Use 24 hour clock,eastern standard time.

Bird species codeEnter the four digit species code from thelist of bird species provided in the FieldWorkbook. If you cannot find a species inthe list then leave this entry blank. A codewill be found later.

Bird species nameEnter the species name from the table ofbird species in the Field Workbook to the

5

manual. An abbreviated name isacceptable. Enter the common andscientific name.

Observation typeUse the single letter observation codesprovided in the Field Workbook to recordthe type of observation relating to eachspecies.

Number of individualsThe distance from the sample point to abird is estimated and the number ofindividuals at the distance is recorded in theappropriate columns which are 0 � 15metres, 15 � 30 metres, 30 � 50 metres.

The main value of noting whether birds areobserved within a 0-15m, a 15-30m or 30-50m radius of the sample point is that itenables you to compare your resultsbetween sites with varying densities ofvegetation (and hence varying visibility)after your survey is completed. Wherevegetation is dense and visibility isconsequenlty restricted to (for example)30m, there is a much smaller area in whichbirds cna be observed than at a site wherevisibility is 50m or more. The actualabudnance and species diversity of birdsmay be the same at both sites, but the sitewith denser vegetation will have a lowercount simply because a smaller area canbe observed from the sample point. Theresults can be adjusted for variable visibilityby excluding observations made at siteswith better visibility which are 30-50m fromthe sample point. All sites can then be

Point countmethod

compared using only birds seen within a 0-15m and 15-30m radius of the samplepoints.

Only record the number of individuals thathave definitely been seen or heard. Forexample when one or two thornbills areseen there are generally more around butassumptions cannot be made when fillingout the data sheets. Only actual birdsidentified and counted should be recorded.If unsure whether an individual has alreadybeen counted, it is best to assume that ithas not.

Remember that an individual bird is likely tomove around the site during yourobservation, and try to avoid counting thesame individual more than once.

All opportunistic bird sightings or hearingsshould be recorded on an opportunisticanimal sightings field data sheet.Opportunistic sightings or hearings includeall birds seen or heard outside therecording time period of ten minutes spentat each sample point. This situation mayoccur when team members are walkingbetween sample points or setting up thetransect. If a bird is flying over the transect,even during the recording time period,without stopping they are recorded as aopportunistic sighting.

Any bird seen or heard outside the samplearea boundary of 50 metres but during theten minute recording period should be listedon the opportunistic sightings field datasheet.

Yellow tufted honey eater

NPW

S

6

Special considerations and tips

· Weather such as wind, heavy rain, mist, fog, haze and electrical storms aregood reasons not to conduct a bird survey.

· When a bird survey transect is in dense habitats where it is difficult to seebirds it may be necessary to reduce the size of the circle at each samplepoint, for example, in dense forest or high dense shrub where visibility is notmore than 20 metres. In such cases you can survey within the 15 metres or30 metres radius sample area (see Figure 3 below).

· It may be difficult to identify some species in dull light. If a transect is in anarea that is still in darkness after sunrise, like a steep gully, then this transectshould be done later in the morning as the light in the sky increases.

· Teams that include members who have never identified birds before maybenefit from extra training handouts. For example, Figure 4 overleaf shouldbe included in handouts to assist the development of member�s observationskills, or, examples of common local birds could be exhibited during the teambriefing sessions.

· Another method for training team members that can be used in conjunctionwith observation is recording the calls at each point along the transect,making a note of the counter number on the tape recorder. These tapes canthen be taken back to camp when all transects are done so that all teammembers can become more familiar with the bird calls and assess anydiscrepancies. Recording will work better if you have a directionalmicrophone.

Figure 3: Example of a bird observation transect in conditions of low visability due to dense vegetation

0 m 50 m 150 m 350 m 450 m

15 m

15 m

250 m

Transect lineSample points

30 m15 m

7

tail

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shoulder

crownbrow

eye

bill

breast

cheek

belly

leg

wing

neck

ear-coverts/patch

Figure 4: Bird diagramillustration by M Robinson

Animal care issues

· Any birdwatcher should avoid close-range inspection duringbreeding and feeding as this may disturb the bird. In extremecases, a bird may permanently abandon a nest site if it feelsthreatened by humans observing too closely. Aggressive ordisturbed bird behaviour (loud repeated calls or frantic flight) mayindicate that you are too close to a bird�s nesting site. Consult thefield guides recommended at the end of this booklet for informationon when birds are likely to be breeding.

· Remember that some birds nest on the ground or in vegetation veryclose to the ground. Be careful where you walk when pushingthrough dense shrubs so that you don�t disturb nests.

Black Kite

GR

AHAM

RO

BER

TSO

N/N

PWS

Point countmethod

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Opportunistic bird sightingsMany species will be detected while travelling to and from survey sites, or outsidestandard survey times or survey sites. Birds may be identified opportunisticallyeither by their call or by their appearance. Record all of these sightings and theirlocations, dates and times for the whole survey on the opportunistic bird sightingsdata sheet provided.

This additional information is valuable as it helps to build the list of birds recordedfor each area.

Field data sheet

The opportunistic sightings field data sheetand code tables are provided at the end ofthis booklet as well as in the FieldWorkbook.

Date of first observationEnter the date of the first opportunisticobservation on the data sheet.

Date of last observationEnter the date of the last opportunisticobservation on the data sheet.

Species nameEnter the species name from the table ofspecies. Enter the common and scientificname.

Equipment needed

· Compass· Topographic map of survey area· Clipboard, pencil and eraser· Small notebook for making your own notes of special events seen· Opportunistic animal sightings field data sheets and code tables.· Code tables· Plastic sheets or large clear plastic bag to protect data sheets when

raining· Bird field guide· Binoculars: 8 � 10X magnification and 40 � 50 millimetres field of view,

that is, 8x40; 10x42; 10x50.· Lens tissue to clean the binocular lens and glass· Whistle for when separated from group looking for a bird

Species codeEnter the four digit species code from thelist of species provided in the FieldWorkbook. If the species is not listed, leavethis entry blank. A code will be found later.

Number observedEnter the number of individuals observed. Acode may be added after the number toindicate that the count is an estimate (seeField Workbook).

Observation typeEnter the single letter code from the list inthe Field Workbook corresponding to thetype of observation made of a species.

Habitat typeEnter the habitat code from the codetables.

Opportunistic

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BreedingEnter a code from the table in the FieldWorkbook corresponding to indications youhave of the breeding condition of theindividuals that you have observed. If youdo not know their breeding condition, thenleave this field blank.

Written localityGive a brief description of the observationlocality.

NotesSpace is provided at the bottom of the datasheet for you to enter any additional notesthat may help interpret any of theobservations.

Animal care issues

· Any birdwatcher should avoid close-range inspection during breedingand feeding as this may disturb the bird. In extreme cases, a bird maypermanently abandon a nest site if it feels threatened by humansobserving too closely. Aggressive or disturbed bird behaviour (loudrepeated calls or frantic flight) may indicate that you are too close to abird�s nesting site. Consult the field guides recommended at the end ofthis chapter for details on when birds are likely to be breeding.

· Remember that some birds nest on the ground or in vegetation veryclose to the ground. Be careful where you walk when pushing throughdense shrubs so that you don�t disturb nests.

Congratulations on completing a baseline survey for birds. The data thatyou have collected will provide you with some valuable information. You canbuild upon this by undertaking more surveys at different times of year,continuing these surveys on a yearly basis, or moving onto a comprehensivesurvey.

Special considerations & tips

· Take care to collect all field data sheets into a single bundle of sheets at the end ofthe survey. A survey that extends over several days can lead to an accumulation ofopportunistic sightings entered on many copies of the opportunistic animalsightings field data sheet.

· If there is more than one opportunistic animal sightings field data sheet at the endof a survey, you should given them a sequential number when they are bundled up.This will greatly assist those involved in entering records into databases.

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Further reading

Title: Australian Waterbirds: A Field GuideAuthor/date: R. Kingsford; 1991Publ.: Kangaroo Press Pty Ltd, PO Box 75, Kenthurst, NSW, 2156

Notes: Waterbirds: useful and light-weight guide for work in creeks and swamps, easy touse, with description, distribution, habitat, colour photographs.

Title: Readers Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 2nd EditionAuthor/date: R. Schodde and S.C. Tidemann (eds.); 1986Publ.: Readers Digest Services, Sydney

Title: Field Guide to the Birds of Australia, A book of IdentificationAuthor/date: K. Simpson and N. Day; 1993Publ.: Penguin Books, PO Box 257, Ringwood, 3134

Notes: Use for identification and the attached handbook is useful for beginners.

Title: The Graham Pizzey and Frank Knight Field Guide to the Birds ofAustralia

Author/date: G. Pizzey and F. Knight; 1997Publ.: Harper Collins, 25 Ryde Rd., Pymble, NSW, 2073

Notes: Use for identification. Descriptions are detailed and illustrations are aligned with thedescriptions.

Title: Handbook of Australian and New Zealand Birds, Vols 1-3Author/date: S. Marchant and P. Higgins (eds.); 1990-1996Publ: Oxford University Press, Melbourne

Title: Shorebirds in AustraliaAuthor/date: B.A. Lane and J.N. Davies: 1987Publ.: Nelson, Melbourne

Title: What Bird Call Is That?Author/date: T. R. Lindsey; 1987Publ.: Angus & Roberstons

Notes: 2 x 60 minute audio cassettes of identified bird calls and illustrated guidebook.

For more references visit the NSW Biodiversity Survey Program on the NSW NationalParks and Wildlife Service� World Wide Web Page. The address is:

http://www.npws.nsw.gov.au/

Furtherreading

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