Monitoring Puerto Rican avifauna using roadside surveys

Conference held March 20-24, 2002, Asilomar, California PDF on file: 6520_Pardieck.pdf
By:  and 
Edited by: C. John Ralph and Terrell D. Rich

Links

Abstract

In 1997 we began investigating the use of roadside point counts to monitor the long-term status and trends of Puerto Rican bird populations. If such a methodology proves feasible it may provide the empirical data needed for the development of sound conservation plans for the island's avifauna in much the same way that North American Breeding Bird Survey data are used by the avian conservation prioritization process of Partners in Flight, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Canadian Wildlife Service. By the end of the 2003 field season, we will have the data needed to quantitatively evaluate the utility of the program for tracking the population trends of Puerto Rican avifauna. Here we present data from the 2001 and 2002 field seasons to demonstrate the potential utility of these data for quantifying and portraying avian distributions, abundances, and population trend estimates. In 2001, 27 of the 44 available 5-mile roadside routes (11 stops/route) were sampled between 15 April and 15 May. At each stop a 5-minute point count was conducted. The surveys detected 5,471 individuals representing 70 species. Distribution and abundance maps are depicted for seven endemic species. In 2002, 29 routes were sampled. A total of 6,252 individuals was detected representing 79 species. Significantly fewer species and individuals were detected on wet zone routes as compared to moist and dry zone routes.
Publication type Book chapter
Publication Subtype Book Chapter
Title Monitoring Puerto Rican avifauna using roadside surveys
Year Published 2005
Language English
Publisher U. S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station
Publisher location Albany, California
Contributing office(s) Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Description 2 volumes: xiv, 1296
Larger Work Type Book
Larger Work Subtype Other Government Series
Larger Work Title Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference 2002
First page 937
Last page 943
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details