STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE RULES IS ESSENTIAL FOR PROPER ANALYSIS OF RESULTS
It is very important that the observer should know the songs, calls, and visual identification of all species likely to be encountered. It is advisable, even for experienced observers, to learn the less common species on the available records and tapes. Since identification by songs and calls is required, acute hearing is extremely important. An observer with a hearing loss should not be running Breeding Bird Surveys.
Much time can be lost due to closed roads, washed out bridges, and wrong turns. The importance of familiarization with the 50 stops and the proper turns before the day of the run cannot be over-stressed. A scouting trip can save time and frustration, especially for first-time observers or on new routes. First-time observers should also conduct a test run to get familiar with the technique and the forms. If the route is far away, try 10 or 20 practice stops somewhere closer to home.
In most States, routes should be run in early or mid-June. In Canada and most bordering States, the very first few days of July can be acceptable. In the desert regions of California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and in south Florida, routes may be run as early as May, at the discretion of the State Coordinators. In general, a date as near as possible to last year's is most desirable.
Start at the marked starting point--do not reverse the route even if the end is closer to home. The starting point is stop number 1. At the proper starting time, which should be stamped on the map, begin counting birds at the marked starting point. The times shown are 1/2 hour before official sunrise. Beware, local papers and TV stations often give incorrect sunrise data. Be at the starting point early to record weather data and odometer readings.
Stops are supposedly located at 1/2 mile intervals; unfortunately, car odometers vary. The most important point concerning stops is that all 50 stops should be made in exactly the same location from year to year. If your route map has stops marked on it or a list of stop descriptions attached, use those stops regardless of what your odometer says unless the marked stops are entirely unreasonable--in which case contact this office on the matter. Please mark the stops or make a list if the map has neither -- this can be done while scouting. The problem of metric odometers makes this a very real necessity. For new routes or unmarked ones, the best approach with a metric odometer is to go 0.8 km for every stop. Two stops (perhaps #17 and #34) may be placed at 0.9 km intervals for more precision, but this can be confusing and odometers vary so much as to render it unnecessary. Most importantly - mark the stops and/or make a list, so those stops can be duplicated in the future. If a route problem arises, see the section on route problems.
One and only one observer should count. Counting should be done from outside the car but from a stationary point. Every bird seen within 1/4 mile and every bird heard by the one observer should be counted during the 3 minutes at each stop. Do not exceed 3 minutes because you are sure a certain "good bird" is there and not calling -- it will probably be recorded some other year, and valid negative data are as important as positive in this survey. Do not stay less or more than 3 minutes. ABSOLUTELY NO METHOD OF COAXING BIRDS SHOULD BE USED under any circumstances during the 3-minute counting periods. This means no "spishing" or tape playbacks or any other method. It is crucial that all surveys be done consistently, because the goal of the survey is to establish a comparison index not an actual count or census. Birds seen between stops or before and after the three minutes or on scouting runs should not be counted, but may be noted in the margin. Such birds are of some interest, but do not spend extra time pursuing them, as it is important to finish within the time limit, which should be 4 to 4.5 hours; bird activity changes drastically after this time.
Count individuals (except dependent young or downy chicks of water and shorebirds) of all species seen or heard during each 3- minute period. Only estimate flocks too large to count in the brief time they are seen. Do not use check marks even for abundant species. No one will detect all birds within hearing or seeing distance. Hundreds of birds present will not be active during each 3-minute count, and you must not try to guess how many you are missing. Report only those birds actually seen or heard during the prescribed 3-minute stops. Be careful not to count any individuals known or strongly suspected to have been counted at a previous stop. Any bird known to be a non-breeder (late migrant, injured bird, or summer vagrant) should be included but marked on the Summary Sheet as such. Easily identifiable subspecies of birds, such as Northern Flicker, Dark- Eyed Junco, and Northern Oriole should be identified. Species recorded that are not found on the form should be added at the bottom. Any species unusual in the area, whether it appears on the form or not, should be verified by including some details of the observation.
Use the field sheets provided; spend some time getting used to them. Please submit the original field sheets. A word of caution concerning dictating observations to a tape recorder: it is risky because the data can easily be lost by one manner of malfunction or another. Transferring the taped data is tedious and also subject to error. another problem is that the tape is technically the original field sheet and it would be unreasonable for people to send us tapes. If you must use a tape recorder, indicate so on the assistant line and please be careful. With practice, an observer can count and record birds alone. Do not wait to record birds after the 3 minutes have been completed. This leads to errors of omission and significantly delays the completion of the survey. Remember to record weather data at start and finish. Record the start and finish time for each page of the Field Sheets. The small blocks for odometer readings and individual stop times are there for your convenience. Use a dark pencil or pen on Field and summary Sheets. We must photocopy or microfilm these records, which is impossible with light images or blue ink. Do not use a felt-tip pen; the ink is not waterproof; hence, it smudges, washes out easily and makes corrections difficult.
To be comparable, routes must be run under satisfactory weather conditions: good visibility, little or no precipitation, light winds. Occasional light drizzle or a very brief shower may not affect bird activity but fog, steady drizzle, or prolonged rain should be avoided. Except in those prairie States and Provinces where winds normally exceed Beaufort 3, counts preferably should be made on mornings when the wind is less than 8 m.p.h. and not taken if the wind exceeds 12 m.p.h. If you can walk faster than the wind is blowing, wind conditions are very satisfactory. WIND SPEED CODES: (Enter Beaufort Numbers on Summary Sheet, not m.p.h.)
Beaufort Wind Speed in
Number miles per hr. Indicators of Wind Speed
0 Less than 1 Smoke rises vertically
1 1 to 3 Wind direction shown by smoke drift
2 4 to 7 Wind felt on face; leaves rustle
3 8 to 12 Leaves, small twigs in constant motion;
light flag extended
4 13 to 18 Raises dust and loose paper; small
branches are moved
5 9 to 24 Small trees in leaf sway; crested
wavelets on inland waters
SKY CONDITION CODES: (Enter these Weather Bureau code
numbers on Summary Sheet).
0 Clear or a few clouds 1 Partly cloudy (scattered) or variable sky 2 Cloudy (broken) or overcast 4 Fog or smoke 5 Drizzle 7 Snow 8 Showers
Scouting of routes should eliminate most last-minute adjustments. If any problems arise, notify this office as soon as possible. For maximum consistency, it is best that an alternative be worked out here that pleases both you and us. If it is not possible to scout a route and a problem arises while running it, remember that it is most important to use the same stops in the same order as in previous years. If a detour is necessary, go around and resume on the other side of the obstruction, attempting to preserve as many stops as possible. Do not make new stops along the detour unless necessitated by inaccessible sections of road or if detouring around will take in excess of an hour. There are numerous local traffic regulations dealing with the proper and safe parking of vehicles along roadsides. Please observe these regulations while conducting the Breeding Bird Survey ad remember to use caution in selecting an appropriate stopping place and when getting into and out of your vehicle. If a stop is in a dangerous location, it is acceptable to move it as much as 0.1 mile (forward or backward) or put it on a side road. Counting may be extended by 1 minute at stops with excessive traffic, notify this office. In some cases a replacement route will have to be developed.
Upon completion of the route, the data should be transferred from the Field Sheet to the summary Sheet; again, use a dark pencil or pen, but not a felt-tip marker. The species total for each of the 5 Field Sheets should be entered under the appropriate page total columns. The sum of these 5 columns should then be entered in the Total Individuals columns. The number of stops, out of the total of 50, at which each species was seen should be entered in the Stops per Species column (e.g., if Robins are recorded on 15 different stops out of the 50, enter the number 15 in the Stops per Species column). Try counting stops per species before totaling the Field sheets to avoid the mistake of counting the total column as a stop. Another way of avoiding this problem is to do the Field Sheet total column in a different color ink or pencil from the rest of the Field sheet. Be sure to count stops on all pages; page 5 often gets missed. Please double check the transfer of data to your Summary Sheet; we have found that many observers inadvertently omit species when transferring. For this and other reasons we need your original Field sheets (coffee stains and all). Copied Field sheets tend to be less accurate than originals.
Be sure to furnish all information requested at the top of the summary Sheet. Please enter only 1 number or letter per block (except the "First name" block and start the date and starting time entries with a "O." Please print plainly because all information must be keypunched. Only 12 spaces can be allotted for the observer's last name. Don't forget to include your middle initial. We need your initials and last name to keep our address and route assignment files accurate. The one person doing the observing should be the name entered here, not the driver or the recorder or the person filling out the summary Sheet. Married women should use their own initials, not those of their husband. Two people should not observe together and take turns putting each other's name in the observer block from year to year. The 5 original Field sheets (representing 50 stops), 1 Summary Sheet, the route map, and these instructions should be sent in the envelope provided to the Breeding Bird survey, National Biological Survey, Laurel, Maryland 20708, as soon as possible after completion of the count. An extra Summary Sheet is provided for your records. You will want to keep a copy of your data so that you can check the computer printout that will be sent at a later date.
If you cannot run your route, RETURN THE PACKET AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. If for any reason it should be impossible for you to cover your route during the prescribed period, inform the State or Provincial Coordinator or this office immediately--a replacement observer will be found.
Upon the receipt of the forms, the Summary Sheets are checked against the Field Sheets, addresses are checked, AOU numbers of write-ins are inserted, and type codes entered. Data from the Summary Sheet are then entered onto magnetic tape and run through a computer edit program. A machine listing will be mailed to each observer and a State tabulation will be mailed to each State or Provincial Coordinator. Data on distribution trends and comparative abundance of individual species are available upon request.
Citizens who itemize deductions on their Income Tax Returns may make a deduction for mileage necessary for the scouting and running of official Breeding Bird Survey routes. Costs of motels, campgrounds, etc. involved with the scouting and running of routes are also deductible. Please check your 1040 instructions each year; it could change.
Clipboard Pencils (dark lead) Forms (Field and Summary Sheets) Route map Binoculars Watch with second hand (or timer) Gasoline Thermometer