citizens behind the science: the use of citizen volunteers in urban bird research william p. mueller...
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Citizens Behind the Science:Citizens Behind the Science: The Use of Citizen Volunteers in Urban The Use of Citizen Volunteers in Urban
Bird ResearchBird Research
William P. Mueller WI Society for Ornithology
WI Bird Conservation Initiative
Timothy L. VargoUrban Ecology Center
Owen D. Boyle
WDNR
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• Some of the most effective studies of bird species and changes, such as population declines, begin with a discussion of birds in the landscape…
An urban bird study - - -
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Changes in the landscape: fragmentation
(Curtis 1956)
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Patches of habitat in urban areas are surrounded by areas much
less suitable for bird use
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Milwaukee County’s parks comprise a fragmented set of
habitats for migrating land
birds…
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…BUT, these fragmented woodlands can be vital refuges
for migrants!
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Milwaukee County Avian Migration Milwaukee County Avian Migration Monitoring Partnership (MCAMMP)Monitoring Partnership (MCAMMP)
Project Goals:1. Assess bird use of small habitat
patches in an urban matrix 2. Sampling & analysis of differences
in vegetation that help to explain #1 3. Determine refueling rate of migrants
in variable patch types, and thereby measure habitat quality
4. Train and utilize citizen scientists to accomplish these research goals and establish a long-term Citizen-based monitoring program
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Importance of this researchImportance of this research• Migrants utilize a variety of stopover sites• One often-neglected set of sites are in
urban areas• Urban habitats include parks and natural
areas, often characterized by some degree of disturbance
• This is one of the first studies nationwide to focus on how refueling rate and body condition are affected by quality of urban stopover habitats
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Components of the MCAMMP ProjectComponents of the MCAMMP Project
• GPS mapping of sites
• Transect counts of species on each site
• Study design/ site selection
• Vegetation sampling protocol
• Mistnetting and banding of migrants and blood sampling of target species
• Environmental education: students and citizen scientists
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All study sites and transects were GPS’d, and mapped on aerial photos
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MCAMMP TransectsMCAMMP Transects
• 250 m in length X 40 m in width
• Data on all species found, weather, time of day and duration of transect, degree of leaf development in canopy
• 8 study sites in 2006-2007;
4 additional sites in 2008
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In the first 2 field seasons, ~90 species were found on transect counts, including:
2 forest raptor spp. 3 wrens
Black-b. Cuckoo 5 thrushes, B.-g. Gnatcatcher
Gr. Horned Owl C. Waxwing
4 woodpeckers Br. Creeper
7 flycatchers 4 vireos
5 swallows 23 warblers
Am. Crow & Blue Jay 2 grosbeaks, Sc. Tanager, Indigo Bunting
Black-c. Chickadee & White-br. Nuthatch
4 sparrows, 3 blackbirds & Baltimore Oriole
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• The Plan: – Volunteers seek certification by the
Wisconsin Birder Certification Program (Bob Howe, UW-Green Bay)
Volunteers and the TransectsVolunteers and the Transects
• The Reality…
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MCAMMP Vegetation SamplingMCAMMP Vegetation Sampling
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Vegetation Sampling: QuestionsVegetation Sampling: Questions
• What are the differences in the vegetation between sites that could explain differential bird use?– Plant species composition– Vegetation structure
• How is habitat quality affected by the presence of invasive exotic plant species?
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Vegetation Data CollectionVegetation Data Collection
• What are the differences in the vegetation of sites that could explain differential bird use/ refueling rates?– identify species– relative abundance/ % cover– canopy closure– bare ground/ leaf litter
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Vegetation Data CollectionVegetation Data Collection• How is habitat quality affected
by the presence of invasive exotic plant species? – abundance of dominant exotics correlation with site use (transect/
banding data) or bird condition (blood analysis)?
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Challenges of sampling vegetationChallenges of sampling vegetation
• No trails! (buckthorn/ honeysuckle thickets, steep-sided ravines)
• Longer hours/ field season
• Random sampling
with citizen scientistswith citizen scientists
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• Data collection assistance– data recording– plant I.D.– estimating percent cover/
canopy closure– tree measurements
• Doubled the number of teams (data collected) per day
with citizen scientistswith citizen scientistsBenefits of sampling vegetationBenefits of sampling vegetation
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MCAMMP Mistnetting and BandingMCAMMP Mistnetting and Banding
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MCAMMP banding programMCAMMP banding program
• Pilot Year: Two Stations - Riverside & Kletzsch Parks
• Two teams banding on same day for comparison
• Blood sampling of 7 target species:– Seed-eaters: SCJU & WTSP– Frugivores: SWTH & HETH– Insectivores: AMRE, YRWA, MYWA
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In the first two field seasons, 44 species were banded, with blood samples taken from all 8 target species.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2 kinglets
4 woodpeckers Brown Creeper
1 flycatcher 4 thrushes
1 swallow Gray Catbird
2 vireos 11 warblers
Blue Jay 5 sparrows
Black-capped Chickadee 2 grosbeaks & Indigo Bunting
White-breasted Nuthatch 3 blackbirds
House Wren Am. Goldfinch
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ASSESSING RATES OF FUEL DEPOSITION AND STOPOVER HABITAT QUALITY FOR MIGRATORY BIRDS
Christopher G. GuglielmoUniversity of Western Ontario
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Circulating lipid metabolites reflectthe metabolic state of migrants
TRIGLYCERIDE
B- OH- BUTYRATE
METABOLITE FEEDING FASTING
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Metabolite profiles change rapidly after a change in feeding rate in Wilson’s Warblers (Wilsonia pusilla).
Zajac et al. 2006 JAB 37:405-408
***
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MCAMMP: blood samplingMCAMMP: blood sampling
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A very small blood sample, taken from the brachial vein (sample size
varies in relation to size of bird)
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Blood Sampling: QuestionsBlood Sampling: Questions
• How do migrants fare on small habitat patches in an urban matrix?
• How effectively can they re-fuel?
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The Volunteer Training Process: The Volunteer Training Process: Creating an MCAMMP Citizen ScientistCreating an MCAMMP Citizen Scientist
• Volunteer workshop– Recruiting: introduction to the project
partners, goals, and volunteer opportunities
• Detailed training in the field
• On-the-ground experience
• Opportunities for team building– picnics and parties!
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MCAMMP Volunteer and Intern MCAMMP Volunteer and Intern Effort (2006-2007)Effort (2006-2007)
Project Component
Volunteers & Interns Hours
$$ saved ($15/hr. for field
assistants)
Transects 15 121 $1,815
Vegetation 16 134 $2,144
Banding 93 1,420 $21,300
TOTAL 124 1675 $25,259
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Benefits Increases data-collection
power Cost-effective alternative or
addition to paid assistants Local support & “ownership” Data usually same quality as
paid technicians Citizen scientists gain an
education and learn skills to carry with them
Citizen scientists gain an appreciation of the natural world and conservation
Volunteers have unique talents that can help in unexpected ways
Challenges Limited volunteer availability
(jobs, family, etc.) Increased time and effort of
training and coordinating schedules
Often requires technical skills and knowledge of species identification which may seem daunting
Physically demanding conditions/ long hours
Vargo et al. (in press)
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The most extraordinary thing about the MCAMMP project
is simply its people.
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Volunteers and visitors are not always students…
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…but many are: MCAMMP’s environmental education component
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A bird in the hand is…priceless!
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