MONITORING AVIAN PRODUCTIVITY AND SURVIVORSHIP (MAPS)
The long-term monitoring programs for breeding landbirds indicate declining population trends in migrant species in eastern North America. While many trends have been downward, the only long term program providing a measure of productivity and estimates of survival is the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) program. The Observatory initiated one of Ohio’s first MAPS sites in 1992 at the Navarre station. Other sites have been added in Sandusky County, Blue Heron Reserve in 1994, and Bowles Woods, Hamilton County in 1998. MAPS’ objective is to document continental tendencies in productivity and survivorship. The purpose of BSBO’s breeding bird surveys is to not only meet national objectives of MAPS but to address state and/or local questions.
An important part of understanding population trends is determining reproduction success for target species. Utilizing the methodology developed by the Institute of Bird Populations, constant effort mist netting allows for comparison from site to site and year to year. Standardization from year to year and continuation of the study for at least twenty consecutive years at each station are necessary in order to provide reliable estimates of annual variations in productivity and survivorship.
Banding operations are conducted once each ten day period during June through early August. This time frame reduces the confusion with major migration periods, reduces trap biases from net familiarity, and reduces capture interference on breeding success. These long-term projects allow BSBO to investigate habitat changes or succession and their effects on birds, avian community changes, abundance, diversity, and species richness over time in a variety of areas of Ohio.
For more information about Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) click HERE for a report in PDF format from the Institute for Bird Populations.
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April 18, 2007
Shieldcastle, M. C., and Kaufman, K. Monitoring Avian Productivity, Survivorship and Response to Habitat Change on Blue Heron Reserve - 1994-2006. Black Swamp Bird Observatory, Oak Harbor, OH.
An important part of understanding population trends is determining reproduction success for target species. Utilizing the methodology developed by the Institute of Bird Populations, constant effort mist netting allows for comparison from site to site and year to year. Standardization from year to year and continuation of the study for at least twenty consecutive years at each station are necessary in order to provide reliable estimates of annual variations in productivity and survivorship.
Banding operations are conducted once each ten day period during June through early August. This time frame reduces the confusion with major migration periods, reduces trap biases from net familiarity, and reduces capture interference on breeding success. These long-term projects allow BSBO to investigate habitat changes or succession and their effects on birds, avian community changes, abundance, diversity, and species richness over time in a variety of areas of Ohio.
For more information about Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) click HERE for a report in PDF format from the Institute for Bird Populations.
____________
April 18, 2007
Shieldcastle, M. C., and Kaufman, K. Monitoring Avian Productivity, Survivorship and Response to Habitat Change on Blue Heron Reserve - 1994-2006. Black Swamp Bird Observatory, Oak Harbor, OH.