Comparing Sampling Methodologies to Estimate Forest Breeding Bird Community Integrity
Date
2024-05
Authors
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Point counts are the dominant bird survey method and are used by the North
American Breeding Bird Survey and various other entities to assess bird species
occupancy in different habitats. Audio recording is a relatively new bird survey
method that has presented opportunities to more conveniently and potentially,
thoroughly, survey species. Audio recording units offers the ability to remotely collect
audio data of a given location, and permanent ownership of the audio at a certain
space and time. However, there can be great variation in capabilities depending on
equipment, environment, and how species information is extracted from audio
recordings. Several existing studies have found significant degrees of variation
between species composition results of the two methods. My goal was to assess these
differences by comparing species composition results from automated recording units
and point counts, as well as Bird Community Index scores. By using the bird
inventory methods outlined by the National Park Service, we can extrapolate results
that are most useful to these entities and assess the data that is being used for
monitoring and inventory purposes. Because bird species are used by the National
Park Service for assessing habitat health through BCI scores, this study contributes a
more in depth understanding of the potential shortcomings and benefits of this new
technology. My research found that ARUs and point counts generated different
species richness results and BCI scores.