Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory - Scientists from across West gather to advance bird monitoring

IMBCR partners meeting Forty people from as far away as Montana and Texas were in our Fort Collins office for three days last week to strategize on how to best accomplish seamless bird monitoring across the western landscape.

These representatives of 15 federal, state and private partners and RMBO’s science staff have conducted the Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions program for the past three years. Collectively, we identify trends and population patterns more quickly by all working under the same monitoring framework. The results must be scalable so field biologists with the BLM or the Forest Service get data that help guide management of their forest or grassland units while also contributing to the bigger picture across the West’s grasslands, arid lands, forests and streams at state and regional levels.

Among the topics participants discussed were:
• best practices for engaging and working with private landowners to gain access for monitoring surveys;
• survey protocols;
• applying our existing data to guide management of private and public lands;
• applying new statistical theory and techniques for improved monitoring.

Results from the meeting will guide the 2012 field season, with RMBO coordinating the effort – from fieldwork to data analysis. In 2011, when an area the size of Egypt— more than 1,000,000 square kilometers of habitat – was surveyed, RMBO conducted 70 percent of the surveys and 100 percent of the data analysis.

Home Databases RMBO Gear Contact Us Blog Facebook Twitter	You are here » Home
		Scientists from across West gather to advance bird monitoring Nov 23 Written by: admin 11/23/2011 12:56 PM Forty people from as far away as Montana and Texas were in our Fort Collins office for three days last week to strategize on how to best accomplish seamless bird monitoring across the western landscape. These representatives of 15 federal, state and private partners and RMBO’s science staff have conducted the Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions program for the past three years. Collectively, we identify trends and population patterns more quickly by all working under the same monitoring framework. The results must be scalable so field biologists with the BLM or the Forest Service get data that help guide management of their forest or grassland units while also contributing to the bigger picture across the West’s grasslands, arid lands, forests and streams at state and regional levels. Among the topics participants discussed were: • best practices for engaging and working with private landowners to gain access for monitoring surveys; • survey protocols; • applying our existing data to guide management of private and public lands; • applying new statistical theory and techniques for improved monitoring. Results from the meeting will guide the 2012 field season, with RMBO coordinating the effort – from fieldwork to data analysis. In 2011, when an area the size of Egypt— more than 1,000,000 square kilometers of habitat – was surveyed, RMBO conducted 70 percent of the surveys and 100 percent of the data analysis. Trackback Print Tags: Categories: Location: Blogs RMBO blog	Events_container Events Overnight Trip to North Park 6/15/2012 3:00 PM Poudre Canyon in the Morn Bird Hike 6/2/2012 7:00 AM Chatfield State Park Birding Excursion 5/31/2012 7:00 AM Songbirds Up Close & Personal, part 2 5/26/2012 7:30 AM Songbirds Up Close & Personal, part 1 5/24/2012 6:30 PM News_container News Check out our latest newsletter. Summer Bird Camps! Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory offers multiple summer camps for kids ages 4 to 12. The camps promote interest -- and fun -- in the outdoors and inspire an appreciation for Colorado's unique natural resources. Get information or register here. Get a taste of summer and kids having fun at RMBO camps in this video:http://youtu.be/Cgsb9hsO0aM RMBO is hiring. Get info. Spring Bird Banding -- Spend a morning with RMBO scientists as they capture and band birds. ~ Chatfield State Park, Littleton, Colo. Open April 28 - June 3, weather permitting. Closed May 18 & 19. Near the Audubon Center, southwest side of park. Registration not required for individuals. Schedule school visits and field trips at education[at]denveraudubon.org or 303-973-9530. www.denveraudubon.org ~ Chico Basin Ranch, 35 miles southeast of Colorado Springs. Open Mon. - Sat., April 23 - May 19, weather permitting. Reservations required. Contact Katie Miller at 970-310-0852, katie[at]chicobasinranch.com or Lee Derr at 719-634-2305. www.chicobasinranch.com Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory 2011 Annual Report Featured_container Featured Bird Townsend's Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) A thrush species that breeds in the mountains of the American West. Townsend's Solitaires are mostly gray, have a white ring around their eye, a buffy-colored stripe on their wing, and white edges to their tails. During the winter, this bird migrates down in elevation to feed almost exclusively on juniper berries. During the summer, they eat primarily insects and spiders. Townsend's Solitaires nest mostly on the ground and are particularly fond of cut banks along roads and rivers. This is one of the few species that can be found singing any month of the year. They sing throughout the winter to establish and defend juniper-laden territories from other birds. Townsend's Solitaire populations appear to be stable, but more information is needed. (Photo by Dmitry Mozzherin)
		WhereWeWork_container Where We Work Birds don’t give a hoot about state or international borders. Like the birds, RMBO’s biologists, educators and natural resource managers cross boundaries to work on bird and habitat conservation through Science, Education and Stewardship in the Intermountain West, the Great Plains, Mexico and beyond.