Wild birds are counted for a wide variety of reasons and by a bewildering array of methods. However, detailed descriptions of the techniques used and the rationale adopted are scattered in the literature, and the newcomer to bird census work or the experienced bird counter in search of a wider view, may well have difficulty in coming to grips with the subject as a whole. While not an end in itself, numerical and distributional census work is a fundamental part of many scientific and conservation studies, and one in which the application of given standards is vital if results are not to be distorted or applied in a misleading way.This book provides a concise guide to the various census techniques and to the opportunities and pitfalls which each entails. The common methods are described in detail, and illustrated through an abundance of diagrams showing examples of actual and theoretical census studies. Anyone with a bird census job to plan should be able to select the method best suited to the study at hand, and to apply it to best effect within the limits inherent in it and the constraints of the particular study.The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the British Trust for Ornithology have for many years pioneered the collaboration of amateurs and professionals in various census studies. Three members of their staff, each with extensive field experience, now pool the knowledge of these investigations to lay the groundwork for sound census work in future years.

Examines over 270 species of birds known to breed in Arizona, complete with color photos and nesting and migratory data.

This is a comprehensive historical record of all free-ranging bird species known to be breeding in Georgia around the beginning of the new millennium. The atlas profiles 182 species, from the sociable House Wren to the secretive Black Rail; from the thriving Red-shouldered Hawk to the threatened Wilson's Plover. The atlas is the result of a systematic survey conducted from 1994 to 2001, the massive collaborative effort of several private organizations, public agencies, and many individuals. It offers a wealth of information critical to bird-conservation efforts and provides a baseline so that changes to species ranges, numbers, and other significant aspects of each species' status can be better understood. Each species account includes: Color photograph of the bird Information on the bird's habitat and life history, distribution, population trends, and conservation status. Details discussed include diet, nesting habits, life cycle of the young, predators, and interactions with humans. Color distribution map showing the state's six ecoregions and indicating possible, probable, and confirmed breeding Graphs showing population trends, when appropriate Also included are chapters on the survey methodology, results of the surveys, influence of the physical environments of the state on bird distribution, changes in the avifauna since European settlement, and bird conservation.

The long-awaited second atlas of breeding birds in Vermont

Recommended for viewing on a colour tablet. The Bird Atlas 2007–2011 is the definitive statement on breeding and winter bird distributions in Britain and Ireland.

J. Stokley Ligon's work in bird conservation, habitat protection, and wildlife legislation during the mid-twentieth century is well-documented in his own writing and the writing of others. But hovering in the background of Ligon's life story has always been the rumor of a trip he made alone as a young man in 1913 in which he covered much of New Mexico alone on horseback. Details of the trip had faded into history, and Ligon—a self-effacing man—had never published the story. As it turns out, the trek was Ligon's first job with the US Biological Survey, and it did not go entirely undocumented. The breeding bird population report that eventually resulted from the journey, photographs from glass plate negatives, and—perhaps most enticingly—Ligon's own personal diary from these travels are presented here. Not just a compelling account of the expedition itself, the materials and insights found in this volume also reveal aspects of Ligon's family history, his early interest in wildlife, and the development of the wilderness skills needed to undertake such a survey. Using his original itinerary and handwritten report, the authors of this book revisited many of the places that Ligon surveyed and in a few cases were even able to locate and repeat Ligon's early photographs. Combined with a discussion of the conditions of birds and other wildlife then and now, this volume serves as a useful tool for understanding how wildlife numbers, distribution, and habitats changed in New Mexico over the course of the twentieth century. Birding enthusiasts, historians, naturalists, and even armchair adventurers will all find something to love in this chronicle of a young man from a West Texas ranching family with a driving ambition to be a professional naturalist and writer.

The apparent decline in numbers among many species of migratory songbirds is a timely subject in conservation biology, particularly for ornithologists, ecologists, and wildlife managers. This book is an attempt to discuss the problem in full scope. It presents an ambitious, comprehensive assessment of the current status of neotropical migratory birds in the U.S., and the methods and strategies used to conserve migrant populations. Each chapter is an essay reviewing and assessing the trend from a different viewpoint, all written by leaders in the fields of ornithology, conservation, and population biology.

Birding is the fastest-growing outdoor pursuit in America. This landmark volume, Oklahoma’s first breeding bird atlas, offers both amateurs and ornithologists a wealth of information about Oklahoma bird species and their distributions. Lavishly illustrated with over 200 color photographs and 200 color maps, the Oklahoma Breeding Bird Atlas is as attractive as it is informative. During the years 1997-2001, more than 100 volunteer birders and professional researchers surveyed nearly 600 locations across all regions of Oklahoma. Their careful records form the basis of the maps in this volume, which show at a glance the breeding distribution of bird species both common and rare in Oklahoma. Detailed species accounts, illustrated with stunning photographs as well as maps, provide information on plumage, habitat, nesting habits, eggs, and the young. An invaluable reference for birders, ornithologists, and natural resource specialists, the atlas will be useful both today and in the future for understanding changes in bird populations over time. The Oklahoma Breeding Bird Atlas is the result of a cooperative effort between the Oklahoma Biological Survey and the Sutton Avian Research Center.

Provides 214 two-page species accounts providing information on the species' geographic range, habitat preference, breeding biology, history, conservation concerns, and population trends. Another 23 species less common species are covered in additional accounts. The book also contains color photographs and maps. Data were collected from 1995-2000.