Landbird Monitoring Protocol and Standard Operating
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National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Landbird Monitoring Protocol and Standard Operating Procedures for the Chihuahuan Desert, Northern Great Plains, Sonoran Desert, and Southern Plains Networks Version 1.00 Natural Resource Report NPS/SOPN/NRR—2013/729 ON THE COVER Upper left: Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)1, one of the most common species for SOPN. Upper right: Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata)2, one of the most common species for CHDN. Lower left: Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum)3, one of the most common species for NGPN. Lower right: Gila Woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis)2, one of the most common species for SODN. 1Photo © John and Karen Hollingsworth 2Photo © Robert Shantz 3Photographer Dan Licht - NPS. Landbird Monitoring Protocol and Standard Operating Procedures for the Chihuahuan Desert, Northern Great Plains, Sonoran Desert, and Southern Plains Networks Version 1.00 Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/SOPN/NRTR—2013/729 Authors (listed alphabetically) 4National Park Service Kristen Beaupré1 Chihuahuan Desert Network Robert E. Bennetts2 New Mexico State University Jennifer A. Blakesley3 3655 Research Dr., Genesis Building D Kirsten Gallo4 Las Cruces, NM 88003 David Hanni3 Andy Hubbard1 5USGS Southwest Biological Science Center Ross Lock3 Sonoran Desert Research Station Brian F. Powell5 School of Natural Resources Heidi Sosinski2 University of Arizona Patricia Valentine-Darby6 Tucson, Arizona 85721 Chris White3 Marcia Wilson7 6University of West Florida Department of Biology 11000 University Parkway 1National Park Service Pensacola, Florida 32514 Sonoran Desert Network 7660 E. Broadway Blvd., Suite #303 7National Park Service Tucson, Arizona 85710 Northern Great Plains Network 231 East St. Joseph Street 2National Park Service Rapid City, South Dakota 57701-2916 Southern Plains Network Capulin Volcano National Monument Contact (CHDN/SODN/SOPN) PO Box 40 Des Moines, New Mexico 88418 Robert Bennetts2 http://www.nature.nps.gov/im/units/sopn 3Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory 230 Cherry Street, Suite 150 Contact (NGPN) Fort Collins, CO 80521 Marcia Wilson7 November 2013 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Fort Collins, Colorado The National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science office in Fort Collins, Colorado, publishes a range of reports that address natural resource topics. These reports are of interest and applicability to a broad audience in the National Park Service and others in natural resource management, including scientists, conservation and environmental constituencies, and the public. The Natural Resource Report Series is used to disseminate high-priority, current natural resource management information with managerial application. The series targets a general, diverse audience, and may contain NPS policy considerations or address sensitive issues of management applicability. This report received formal peer review by subject-matter experts who were not directly involved in the collection, analysis, or reporting of the data, and whose background and expertise put them on par technically and scientifically with the authors of the information. Views, statements, findings, conclusions, recommendations, and data in this report do not necessarily reflect views and policies of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the U.S. Government. To receive this report in a format optimized for screen readers, please email [email protected]. This report is available from the Integrated Resource Management Applications website, (https://irma.nps.gov/), and the Natural Resource Publications Management Web site (http:// www.nature.nps.gov/publications/nrpm/) on the Internet. Please cite this publication as: Beaupré, K., R. E. Bennetts, J. A. Blakesley, K Gallo, D. Hanni, A. Hubbard, R. Lock, B. F. Powell, H. Sosinski, P. Valentine-Darby, C. White and M. Wilson. 2013. Landbird monitoring protocol and standard operating procedures for the Chihuahuan Desert, Northern Great Plains, Sonoran Desert, and Southern Plains Networks: Version 1.00. Natural Resource Report NPS/SOPN/NRR—2013/729. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. NPS 960/122806, November 2013 ii Landbird Monitoring Protocol and Standard Operating Procedures for CHDN, NGPN, SODN, and SOPN Contents Page Executive Summary ............................................................................................................... xiii Acknowledgments .................................................................................................................. xv Acronyms ............................................................................................................................... xvii Revision History Log .............................................................................................................. xix 1. Background ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Chihuahuan Desert Network .......................................................................................... 1 1.2. Northern Great Plains Network ...................................................................................... 1 1.3. Sonoran Desert Network ................................................................................................ 2 1.4. Southern Plains Network ................................................................................................ 3 1.5. Landbirds as a focus for monitoring efforts .................................................................... 4 1.6. Key ecological communities and stressors in participating parks ..................................... 5 1.6.1. Chihuahuan Desert Network ................................................................................... 5 1.6.2. Northern Great Plains Network ............................................................................... 6 1.6.3. Sonoran Desert Network ......................................................................................... 7 1.6.4. Southern Plains Network ......................................................................................... 8 1.7. Review of existing landbird monitoring programs in the region ...................................... 9 1.7.1. Chihuahuan Desert Network ................................................................................... 9 1.7.2. Northern Great Plains Network ............................................................................... 9 1.7.3. Sonoran Desert Network ....................................................................................... 10 1.7.4. Southern Plains Network ....................................................................................... 11 1.7.5. Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 11 2. Program Goals and Measurable Objectives ................................................................... 13 2.1. Objective 1: Estimate occupancy .................................................................................. 14 2.2. Objective 2: Estimate bird species richness and composition ......................................... 15 2.3. Objective 3: Estimate density when feasible ................................................................. 15 iii Contents (continued) Page 2.4. Incorporation of vegetation monitoring to augment bird sampling ............................... 16 3. Sampling .......................................................................................................................... 17 3.1. Overview ...................................................................................................................... 17 3.1.1. Spatial sampling designs ....................................................................................... 17 3.2. Chihuahuan Desert Network ........................................................................................ 18 3.2.1. Grassland sampling sites ....................................................................................... 18 3.2.2. Riparian sampling sites .......................................................................................... 19 3.3. Northern Great Plains Network .................................................................................... 19 3.3.1. Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions Sampling Design ................... 19 3.3.2. Systematic Grid Design ......................................................................................... 20 3.4. Sonoran Desert Network ............................................................................................. 20 3.4.1. Riparian sampling sites .......................................................................................... 20 3.4.2. Upland sampling sites ........................................................................................... 21 3.5. Southern Plains Network .............................................................................................. 21 3.5.1. Grassland sampling sites ....................................................................................... 22 3.5.2. Riparian sampling sites .........................................................................................