Describing habitat

• Use one Field Form for each study site
• Give each survey point a unique name and
record it on the Field Form
• Determine and record size of the forest
patch (Appendix B)
• For each survey point, record these
variables on the back of the Field Form:
- latitude/longitude
- elevation
- distance to nearest road
- distance to nearest edge
- distance to nearest water
- distance to nearest occupied building
• For each study site, record these
habitat variables on the back of the Field Form:
- hydrology
- forest cover type
- slope
- land use
- land ownership
- canopy height
- canopy characteristics
- low vegetation characteristics
• For the 2,500-acre (1,000-hectare)
landscape surrounding each survey point,
calculate these variables using maps and
record on the back of the Field Form:
- patch edge
- forest patch size
- percentage of forest
- linear distance of edge
• If your patch is less than 1,000 acres
(400 hectares), calculate two measures of
isolation for each forest patch

To develop accurate conservation guidelines for forest birds, we need to know how birds interact with their habitat. We realize that collecting data on habitat characteristics may not be nearly as interesting as looking for your study birds; however, these data are vital to the success of BFL. Please do your best to collect all required habitat data thoroughly and accurately.

The following instructions refer to the sections on the backside of the Field Form (see Data Entry: Field Form). Please use one Field Form per study site, regardless of how many bird species you survey at that site or how many study sites are in the same forest patch.

Note the location of the study site on the top of your Field Form (“Location of site”). Be as specific as possible so that you or others can easily return to that site for future studies. Example: “4 miles east of Ithaca on Rte. 13; along north side of Fall Creek, behind old schoolhouse near large white oak.” Also, make copies of any aerial photos or maps you use, indicate on them the exact location of your forest patches and survey points, and send them with your Field Forms.

We ask you to describe the habitat at your study sites in three ways. First, describe your survey point characteristics (the place where you stand to conduct protocols). Second, describe the general study site characteristics within the the 500-foot (150-meter) radius circular plot around the survey point. Third, describe the landscape level characteristics of the 2,500-acre (1,000-hectare) block surrounding the study site. To determine landscape characteristics, you will need aerial photographs or accurate maps that show forested areas.