Bird surveys on shingle

Surveying birds can be undertaken using less specialist recorders. However, it is important that pitfalls in methods and study design are avoided. A detailed description of bird census techniques with good examples of census forms for 'seabird colony registers' and transect techniques for 'apparently occupied nest sites' is available (Bibby et al. 1992). Special methodologies for gulls and terns are described. For most colonial species that nest on shingle, a single count of the site in June provides a good estimation of numbers. However, repeat counts of dense colonies on different days are a valuable way of checking results. For resident or passage migrant species, monthly or annual bird counts should be carried out using standard methodologies. The important questions to ask in bird survey are:

• what is the purpose of the study;
• what field methods are affordable;
• what are the likely sources of bias;
• will the information give enough detail for analysis to work?
  

Answers to these questions are available and and should be consulted before survey is undertaken in order to avoid the collection of unusable data (Gibbons et al. 1996). What is important about all species monitoring is that it will enable management to be carried out in relation to groups/species that are rare or seen to be suffering change rather than those that are merely spectacular!

References

Bibby, C.J., Burgess, N.D. & Hill, D.A. 1992. Bird Census Techniques. Academic Press, London.

Gibbons, D.W., Hill, D.A. & Sutherland, W.J. 1996. Birds. In: Ecological Census Techniques: a Handbook, ed.Sutherland, W.J.University Press, Cambridge