BFL: Survey Instructions: General Protocol Guidelines

Introduction

GENERAL PROTOCOL
	Survey Tips
	Forest Bird Recordings
	Cowbirds, Nest Predators, and Nests

Visit Protocol

Recording Breeding Status

Species Guidelines

Field Form

Field Checklist

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Definitions

General Protocol Guidelines

Timing Your Site Visits

Surveying for BFL involves visiting each point twice, and following a simple, standardized protocol. Each visit includes one 10-minute Observation Period, a 5-minute Playback Period for each species, and a 10-minute Behavior Watch Period. Important details of how to conduct these visits are explained in the Visit Protocols Section.

It is important to time these visits according to the unique breeding cycle of your study species, which varies not only between species but also within species depending on latitude and longitude. The Species Accounts section contains general information, but we suggest checking with local sources to determine the specific timing for your region.

Once you have determined the appropriate dates, stick to the following guidelines:

Visit 1 should take place on the earliest date that all of your study species are present and expected to be breeding. This is generally a few days after a bird arrives on territory. Courtship should be at its peak, but not so early that migrating birds may still be passing through.

Visit 2 should occur approximately two to four weeks after Visit 1, when you have the maximum chance of confirming breeding activity for all of your study species. If you would like to study species that start to breed at very different times during the season, for example the Cooper's Hawk (expected egg dates in early April) and the Blackburnian Warbler (expected egg dates in late May), then survey for different study species at different sites. Make sure you choose sites that are in suitable breeding habitat for the particular bird(s).

Choosing Study Species

In some regions, many of the BFL study species will be present within your immediate area. Determine which species you are likely to encounter by referring to Which Species Can I Study? in the Species Guidelines section and breeding habitat descriptions in the Species Accounts section.

It is very important to select your study species for each site before going into the field and then survey for all chosen species at each site. You do not have to survey for the same species at each site -- recording the observation of a species that you were not surveying for will bias BFL results. Also, you don't need to survey for every species that breeds in your region; choose only as many species as you feel comfortable studying. Even one species will help us answer the important questions discussed in the General Instructions. If you are still uncertain about which species to study after consulting the sections listed above, contact a site coordinator or the BFL staff.

Finally, remember that one objective of BFL is to confirm breeding for as many species as possible at randomly selected study sites. Negative data, or confirming the absence of your study species, is just as important as finding your target bird. We must know where these species are and are not breeding.

Preparedness

To be more efficient in gathering data, following this list of steps before doing field work:

Read through the entire manual so all instructions are clear.
Determine which species to survey at each study site before going into the field and stick to this decision.
Determine the best time to make Visits 1 and 2 in your region by referring to the manual and checking with local sources.
Familiarize yourself with the Field Form and the CD before going into the field.
Make as many photocopies of the Field Form as you will need.
Get topographic maps for your survey area (see Map Resources).
Go through the Field Checklist to make sure you have everything you need for field work.

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