The North American Breeding Bird Survey, Results and Analysis 1966 - 2015. Version 1-30-2015.

Metadata:

• Identification_Information
• Data_Quality_Information
• Entity_and_Attribute_Information
• Distribution_Information
• Metadata_Reference_Information

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

Publication_Date: 2015

Title:

The North American Breeding Bird Survey, Results and Analysis 1966 - 2015. Version 1.30.2015.

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Graphic Images of Maps

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Laurel, MD, USA

Publisher: USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

Online_Linkage: <http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/bbs.html>

Description:

Abstract:

This website consists of a series of interactive programs and maps that describe population change for North American Birds summarized from North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data. Metadata for the BBS exists (http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/RawData/), and these metadata provide specific information on the analysis programs and summary information. Metadata on route-level geographic information is available (http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/geographic_information/BBS_Route_Analysis_metadata_2010.html).

Purpose:

These interactive programs and maps are designed to provide public access to analysis results from BBS data. A statement regarding the elements of the website, and a general discussion of the methods, is available at (<http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/intro14.html>). Analysis of survey data can be controversial, and any user of the information should recognize that alternative approaches exist. These programs provide results based on methods that have been accepted in the published literature, but also provide alternative approaches to analysis. Users also have access to actual data from the survey, at (<http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/>). Standard disclaimers for use of information are also provided (<http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/disclaim.html>).

Supplemental_Information:

Information regarding the function of individual elements of the website are available throughout the site, and include help files at (<http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/helpind15.html>).

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 1966

Ending_Date: 2015

Currentness_Reference:

Provided on initial website (<http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/bbs.html>).

Status:

Progress: Complete

Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: As needed

Spatial_Domain:

Description_of_Geographic_Extent: The United States and Southern Canada

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: -135.41

East_Bounding_Coordinate: -59.8

North_Bounding_Coordinate: 57.71

South_Bounding_Coordinate: 24.35

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Theme_Keyword: Breeding Bird Survey

Theme_Keyword: Breeding Bird Survey Analysis

Theme_Keyword: Bird Counts

Theme_Keyword: Bird Occurrences

Theme_Keyword: Bird Lists

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Place_Keyword: USA

Place_Keyword: United States

Place_Keyword: Canada

Taxonomy:

Keywords/Taxon:

Taxonomic_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Taxonomic_Keywords: birds

Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Kingdom

Taxon_Rank_Name: Animalia

Applicable_Common_Name: animals

Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Phylum

Taxon_Rank_Name: Chordata

Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Class

Taxon_Rank_Name: Aves

Applicable_Common_Name: birds

Access_Constraints: None

Use_Constraints:

None. Acknowledgment of the U.S. Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center would be appreciated in products derived from these data.

Point_of_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: John R. Sauer

Contact_Organization: USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing address

Address: 12100 Beech Forest Road

City: Laurel

State_or_Province: MD

Postal_Code: 20708-4036

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 301-497-5662

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address:

Native_Data_Set_Environment: UNIX

Data_Quality_Information:

Attribute_Accuracy:

Attribute_Accuracy_Report: For metadata regarding location accuarcy, see http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/geographic_information/BBS_Route_Analysis_metadata_2010.html.

Logical_Consistency_Report:

For mapping applications, Arc/INFO software was used to create and maintain topological relationships between features. The Arc/INFO command BUILD was run to ensure the topological consistency of the data set.

Completeness_Report:

Maps contain grid polygons which cover the land mass for North America except Mexico and the Northern part of Canada. It is possible small islands are not covered by this grid.

Lineage:

Methodology:

Methodology_Type: Trend analysis using hierarchical models, w ith supplemental analyses conducted using LOESS smoothing and Poisson regression procedures.  Geographic smoothing for maps is conducted using inverse distancing of route data.

 

Methodology_Description: Method has been documented in numerous publications.  These publications describe the methods:

Sauer, J. R., and S. Droege, editors.  1990.  Survey designs and statistical methods for the estimation of

                avian population trends. U. S. Fish. Wildl. Serv., Biol. Rept. 90(1).

Geissler, P. H., and J. R. Sauer.  1990.  Topics in route regression analysis. Pgs 54‑57 in J. R. Sauer and

                S. Droege, eds. Survey designs and statistical methods  for the estimation of avian population

                trends. U. S. Fish. Wildl. Serv., Biol. Rept. 90(1).

Sauer, J. R., and P. H. Geissler.  1990.  Annual indices from route regression analyses. Pgs 58‑62 in

                J. R. Sauer and S. Droege, eds. Survey designs and statistical methods for the estimation of

                avian population trends. U. S. Fish. Wildl. Serv., Biol. Rept. 90(1).

Sauer, J. R., R. J. Barker, and P.H. Geissler.  1994.  Statistical aspects of modeling population change

                from population size data. Pages 451‑466 in R. J. Kendall and T. E. Lacher, Jr., eds.,

                Wildlife toxicology and population modeling: integrated studies of agroecosystems,

                CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl.

Sauer, J. R., Peterjohn, B. G., and Link, W. A.  1994.  Observer differences in the North American

                Breeding Bird Survey. Auk 111:50‑62.

Link, W. A., and J. R. Sauer.  1994. Estimating equations estimates of trends. Bird Populations 2:23‑32.

Link, W. A., and J. R. Sauer.  1995.  Estimation of empirical mixing distributions in summary

                analyses.  Biometrics 51:810‑821.

Sauer, J. R., G. W. Pendleton, and S. Orsillo.  1995. Mapping of bird  distributions from point count

                 surveys. Pages 151‑160 in C. J. Ralph, J. R. Sauer, and S. Droege, eds. Monitoring Bird

                Populations by Point Counts, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station,

                General Technical Report PSW‑GTR‑149.

Link, W. A., and J. R. Sauer.  1996.  Extremes in ecology: avoiding the misleading effects of sampling

                 variation in summary analyses.  Ecology 77:1633-1640.

Kendall, W. L., B. G. Peterjohn, and J. R. Sauer.  1996.  First-time observer effects in the North

                American Breeding Bird Survey. Auk 113:823-829.

Link, W. A., and J. R. Sauer.  1997.  New Approaches to the  Analysis of Population Trends in

                Land Birds" A Comment on Statistical Methods. Ecology 78:2632-2634..

Link, W. A., and J. R. Sauer.  1997.  Estimation of population trajectories from count data. 

                Biometrics 53:63-72.

Link, W. A., and J. R. Sauer  1998.  Estimating population change from count data: application to the

                North American Breeding Bird Survey.  Ecological Applications 8:258‑268.

Link, W. A., and J. R. Sauer  2002.  A hierarchical model of population change with application to Cerulean Warblers.

  Ecology 83:2832.

Sauer, J. R., J. E. Fallon, and R. Johnson  2003.  Use of North American Breeding Bird Survey data to estimate population change for bird conservation regions.

  J. Wildlife Management 67:372&.

Sauer, J. R., and W. A. Link.   2011.  Analysis Of The North American Breeding Bird Survey Using Hierarchical Models.

  The Auk 128:87-98.

  

Process_Step:

Process_Description: Analyses were conducted on a workstation using FORTRAN programs and publically available program for Bayesian analysis of hierarchical models.  Interactive programs allow users to define regions and conduct analyses.  Analyses based on limited samples (e.g., fewer than 4 survey routes) in a region were deemed insufficient for estimation of trends, and were not included in the analysis.   Regions with no data from the first 15 years of the survey period were also excluded from this analysis due to the limited time series relative to other regions. The data from these regions are available from the BBS website (http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs) for analysis.   Please note that abundance estimates from the trend portion of the program are estimated from the hierarchical model, and have variance components added to accommodate asymmetries in the lognormal distribution.   Regions with limited and variable data may have large and imprecise estimates. Note that this analysis is fit using MCMC methods; convergence may sometimes be an issue in regions with small sample sizes or poorly conditioned data. In summaries, data deemed suspect are flagged using credibility measures.

 

Process_Date: Various, 2016.

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Detailed_Description:

Entity_Type:

Entity_Type_Label: BBS Routes.

Entity_Type_Definition: Routes used for conducting the Breeding Bird Survey.

Entity_Type_Definition_Source: USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: rteno

Attribute_Definition:

The route number consists of the 1- or 2-digit State ID code followed by the 3 digit route ID.

ID Number for States and Provinces:  2 Alabama 3 Alaska 4 Alberta 6 Arizona 7 Arkansas 11 British Columbia 14 California 17 Colorado 18 Connecticut 21 Delaware 22 District of Columbia 25 Florida 27 Georgia 33 Idaho 34 Illinois 35 Indiana 36 Iowa 38 Kansas 39 Kentucky 42 Louisiana 43 Northwest Territories 44 Maine 45 Manitoba 46 Maryland 47 Massachusetts 49 Michigan 50 Minnesota 51 Mississippi 52 Missouri 53 Montana 54 Nebraska 55 Nevada 56 New Brunswick 57 Newfoundland 58 New Hampshire 59 New Jersey 60 New Mexico 61 New York 63 North Carolina 64 North Dakota 65 Nova Scotia 66 Ohio 67 Oklahoma 68 Ontario 69 Oregon 72 Pennsylvania 75 Prince Edward Island 76 Quebec 77 Rhode Island 79 Saskatchewan 80 South Carolina 81 South Dakota 82 Tennessee 83 Texas 85 Utah 87 Vermont 88 Virginia 89 Washington 90 West Virginia 91 Wisconsin 92 Wyoming 93 Yukon Territories

Attribute_Definition_Source: USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 2001

Range_Domain_Maximum: 93314

Distribution_Information:

Distributor:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: John Sauer

Contact_Organization: USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing address

Address: 12100 Beech Forest Road

City: Laurel

State_or_Province: MD

Postal_Code: 20708-4039

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 301-497-5662

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address:

Distribution_Liability:

Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the accuracy or utility of the data on any other system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. This disclaimer applies both to individual use of the data and aggregate use with other data. It is strongly recommended that these data be directly acquired from a U.S. Geological Survey server, and not indirectly through other sources which may have changed the data in some way. It is also strongly recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of the metadata file associated with these data. The U.S. Geological Survey and USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and (or) contained herein.

Standard_Order_Process:

Digital_Form:

Digital_Transfer_Information:

Format_Name: Unknown

Digital_Transfer_Option:

Online_Option:

Computer_Contact_Information:

Network_Address:

Network_Resource_Name: <http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/bbs.html>

Fees: There is no charge for the online option.

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20160516

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: John Sauer

Contact_Organization: USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing address

Address: 12100 Beech Forest Road

City: Laurel

State_or_Province: MD

Postal_Code: 20708-4039

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 301-497-5662

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address:

Metadata_Standard_Name:

FGDC Biological Data Profile of the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998