The first 50 years of the North American Breeding Bird Survey

Sauer, John R.; Pardieck, Keith L.; Ziolkowski, David J.; Smith, Adam C.; Hudson, Marie-Anne R.; Rodríguez, Vicente Rodríguez; Berlanga, Humberto; Niven, Daniel K.; Link, William A.

doi:10.1650/condor-17-83.1

Cited by 202 publications

(210 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Our model set was chosen to represent the current candidate models that a BBS analyst would be likely to employ, with the T, S, and V models sharing the same linearly trending random year effects trajectory but differing in the hierarchical nature of other model components. This comparison is timely; although model T is the one used in the analysis on the USGS Results and Analysis Website (Sauer et al 2014), Sauer et al (2017) recommend the use of model S because it facilitates expansion of the BBS analysis to additional regions where very limited data exist from the early years of the survey, and Smith et al (2014) recommend use of model V for the BBS in Canada. Link and Sauer (2016) note that the firstdifference model (model D) might provide more realistic results in cases where models using the slope-year effect parameterization might lead to overprediction of population change.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) provides 50 yr of data for bird populations in the United States and Canada, monitoring population change for .420 species at multiple geographic scales (Sauer et al , 2017. The data are counts of all birds seen within 400 m, or heard from any distance, by a skilled observer at each of 50 roadside stops along designated routes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Using the North American Breeding Bird Survey to assess broad-scale response of the continent's most imperiled avian community, grassland birds, to weather variability

et al. 2016

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using the North American Breeding Bird Survey to assess broad-scale response of the continent's most imperiled avian community, grassland birds, to weather variability

et al. 2016

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“…Observations of North American bird population declines, especially grassland birds from 1966 to 2003, have been noted in a number of studies (Pardieck and Sauer ; Mineau and Whiteside ; Sauer et al ; Hill et al ). Indeed, recent analyses of population trends of all common birds based on Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data from 1966 to 2015 suggest a slightly greater number of species declining than increasing in population size, including an overall decline in most grassland birds (Sauer et al ,b). In contrast, when considering only recent trends (1993–2015), bird populations generally demonstrate more positive trajectories, with 56% of species estimated to have growing populations and stabilized populations for most grassland bird species (Sauer et al ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indeed, recent analyses of population trends of all common birds based on Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data from 1966 to 2015 suggest a slightly greater number of species declining than increasing in population size, including an overall decline in most grassland birds (Sauer et al ,b). In contrast, when considering only recent trends (1993–2015), bird populations generally demonstrate more positive trajectories, with 56% of species estimated to have growing populations and stabilized populations for most grassland bird species (Sauer et al ). Notwithstanding, concern over the population stability of many bird species still remains.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relative Abundance Trends of Bird Populations in High Intensity Croplands in the Central United States

Belden

McMurry

Maul

et al. 2018

Integr Envir Assess & Manag

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Declining bird populations across the United States have been noted in a number of studies. Although multiple explanations have been proposed as causes of these declines, agricultural intensification has often been suggested as a significant driver of bird population dynamics. Using spatially explicit USDA-NASS Cropland Data Layer, we examined this relationship by comparing bird count data from the Breeding Bird Survey collected between 1995 and 2016 across 13 states in the central United States to corresponding categorical changes in land cover within a 2-km radius of each survey transect. This approach allowed us to compare the slopes of counts for 31 species of birds between grassland- and cropland-dominated landscapes and against increasing levels of cropland (all types combined) and pooled corn and soybean land cover types. Nearly all birds demonstrated significant responses to land cover changes. In all cases, the number of species exhibiting positive or negative responses was comparable, and median differences in percent change per year ranged from -0.5 to 0.7%. Species that responded either positively or negatively did not appear to fall into any particular foraging guild. If changes in agricultural practices are a major cause of declines, we would expect to see it across the spatial scale studied and across the majority of species. While these results do not rule out potential agricultural effects, such as toxicity resulting from pesticide exposure, which may have species-specific or localized effects, a variety of factors related to habitat are likely the most significant contributor overall. Given these results over a large spatial scale basis (multistate) and across numerous bird species, there is not a broad general trend of greater decline in crop-intensive areas. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018;14:692-702. © 2018 SETAC.

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“…Private rural land is often in a working landscape (e.g., agricultural); therefore, balancing the needs of agricultural landowners and bird conservation is important for simultaneously maintaining working landscapes and advancing conservation (Kremen and Merenlender 2018). Long‐term population declines of birds that breed in grasslands in North America (Sauer et al 2017, Rosenberg et al 2019) have led to concern for the persistence of some of these species. Most extant grasslands in North America are used for agriculture and occur in agricultural landscapes (Sampson and Knopf 1994, Brennan and Kuvlesky 2005, Hoekstra et al 2005).…”

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Determining When Bobolink Finish Breeding to Time Agricultural Activity in Nesting Refuges

2020

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Conservation actions are ongoing for the federally and provincially threatened bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) in Ontario, Canada because of population declines. One conservation action being implemented in agricultural grasslands is the delay of hay harvesting and livestock grazing until 15 July, a general guideline for when bobolink finish breeding. Efficient methods to assess when breeding ceases could benefit bobolink and farmers engaged in conservation by ensuring nesting is finished before agricultural activity occurs and enabling agricultural activity earlier when breeding is finished before 15 July. We conducted field surveys to assess if low‐intensity surveys (i.e., transect surveys, point counts, roadside counts) could accurately detect when bobolink finish breeding compared to intensive monitoring (i.e., spot mapping and nest monitoring). We monitored 29 pastures in 2017 in eastern Ontario and 9 hay fields, 10 restored grasslands, and 6 fallow fields in 2018 in southern Ontario. The date breeding finished varied across fields in 2017 from 13 June to 29 July and in 2018 from 24 June to 30 July, based on spot mapping and nest monitoring. Transect surveys and point counts were good predictors of breeding in a field, as confirmed through spot mapping and nest monitoring, based on generalized linear mixed models. We recommend using transect surveys or point counts as an efficient field method to assess when bobolink finish breeding in a field targeted for bobolink conservation. Our results suggest that 2 consecutive visits that fail to detect evidence of breeding in early July are needed to reasonably infer that breeding has likely finished, leaving a small probability (i.e., <0.01) that breeding may still be occurring. Determining when bobolink finish breeding in fields intended to provide nesting refuges can help maximize conservation benefits and minimize negative effects on agricultural production. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.

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The first 50 years of the North American Breeding Bird Survey

Cited by 202 publications

References 28 publications

Using the North American Breeding Bird Survey to assess broad-scale response of the continent's most imperiled avian community, grassland birds, to weather variability

Using the North American Breeding Bird Survey to assess broad-scale response of the continent's most imperiled avian community, grassland birds, to weather variability

Relative Abundance Trends of Bird Populations in High Intensity Croplands in the Central United States

Determining When Bobolink Finish Breeding to Time Agricultural Activity in Nesting Refuges

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