THIRTY-SEVENTH BREEDING-BIRD CENSUS Editedby Willet T
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THIRTY-SEVENTH BREEDING-BIRD CENSUS Editedby Willet T. Van Velzen* The recent upswing in the number of cen- conjunction with a nuclear power site. With suses conducted, that peaked last year at 99, today's emphasis upon environmental impact th•s year soared over the hundred mark and studies, it is hoped that many more Audubon came to rest at 125. Reports were received Censuses will originate from or provide data to from 31 states or provinces, with top honors for such studies. the highest number of plots studied going to Many of the new plots, such as Censuses38, Cahfornia with 18, followed by North Dakota 39, and 40, have been carefully selected for un- w•th 13, and Connecticut, Ontario and West iformity by being set up within extensive tracts V•rg•nia with 9 each. This brings the all-time of similar habitat. These should stand as fine total number of individual plots studied to 812; examples for anyone preparing to set up a study over tOOnew plots since 1971! California, now plot. w•th 46 different plots studied, edged Maryland Any attempt to analyze the data represented out of fifth place, and is led by Ontario (49), in the many censuses submitted immediately North Dakota (50), Ohio (56) and, far in the brings to light one important point--seldom do lead, by West Virginia (96). It was a pleasureto any two censustakers follow the same proce- see Louisiana rise to the call and submit her dures in setting up their plots or conducting first 3 censuses, leaving Nevada as the only their counts. And even though the final data •s continental state never to have submitted a expressed in the same units of measurement in census. Surely, there is someone out there... the end, one cannot but wonder how compar- Several points about this year's reports were able the data really are. A careful review of the particularly gratifying. One being the high following censuses will show many that are number of new studies that provided a thorough hardly more than strip censuses;many are set habitat analysis, using a method such as that up on plots much smaller than the recom- presented by James and Shugart (AFN mended minimum size; some received far less 24 727-36, 1970). This alone demonstratesthe than the approved time coverage; and others wfihngness of our census takers to contribute included so much edge (in some cases deliber- deeply of their time and effort. Also, of the ately done so by the observer!) that real ter- total of 47 new plots studied this year, some ritories are hardly measureable; etc., etc., etc were in habitat types not previously reported Perhaps this hodge-podgeresults from our fail- upon, especially those in the western states. ure to carefully outline exactly what the re- Even though some of these studies appear to be quirements must be. More than likely, how- relatively unproductive in the number and vari- ever, it reflects the interpretation of the ety of birds, the habitat studied represents "word" by the many, no two of whom think types which cover wide expansesof many parts alike. It is apparent(or so it seems)that many of the continent and it is of high interest to have points in the instructions are simply ignored, such areas sampled. One cannot urge strongly perhaps because they do not suit the observer. enough that bird students select new plots in This situation brings us back to the questionsI the wide array of habitat types yet unsampled. raised last year concerning the value of these It •s really stimulating to see reports such as censuses.It is unlikely that the rapid growth of Census tot, conducted as part of a baseline a program, as occurred this year, would happen wlldhfe inventory prior to prototype develop- if a hard-nosed line of requirements were ment of oil shale processing and Census 103, adhered to. part of an environmental monitoring program in *Route 6, Box 493A, Eugene, Ore. 97402 Volume 27, Number 6 955 The problem, of course, is amplified when realized that this would present difficulties for one attempts to establish guidelines for such many observers since the habitat selected often censuses. This was readily shown this past year is present in blocks too small to allow for such when I wrote some of the more active census a margin. Yet observers certainly should strive takers regarding their opinions on various to set up their plots accordingly,and not attempt points. Little agreementcould even be met on to deliberately include edge, as some quite ap- such a major point as how big a plot should parentlyhave done, in orderto increasetheir list be---the difference was as much as 500% between of breeding species. competent observers! So, perhaps as with many Well, be it as it may, this year's Breeding-bird other endeavors, we better measure observers' Census represents the largest contribution yet ability, rather than the subjectsthey study. of time, effort and interest we have ever received Most observers, however, seemed to agree for this project. This we both appreciate and that care should be taken to remove as much applaud. We hope that the following data may edge effect bias as possible. Plots should thus be useful now, and in the future, and that those be set up so that they are surroundedby enough who have suggestionsand recommendationsto similar habitat to remove edge effect. It is improve the program will send them along for consideration. LIST OF CENSUSES Eastern -- Deciduous Forest 19. Woodland Swamp .. North Carolina 1. Second-growth Hard- 20. Mountain Ravine wood Forest Connecticut Mixed Forest ...... Georgia 2. Suburban Wildlife 21. Red Oak - Sugar Sanctuary - Mixed Maple Forest ...... Ontario Habitat Connecticut 22. Wooded City Ravine Ontario 3. Upland Beech- Maple 23. Wooded City Ravine Ontario Forest Connecticut 24. Mixed Hardwood 4. Mixed Hardwood Forest ............. Michigan Forest Pennsylvania 25. Oak - Maple Forest 5. Cut-over Mature and Edge .......... Illinois Hardwoods ........ West Virginia 26. Brush with Early 6. Oak - Beech - Deciduous Forest .. Indiana Hickory Forest ..... West Virg•ma 27. Mixed Deciduous 7. Oak - Beech - Forest ............. Indiana Magnolia Forest .... West Virg•ma 28. Old Growth 8. Oak - Hickory Beech - Tulip-tree Forest ............. West Virg•ma - Black Gum 9. Tulip-tree - Beech - Forest ............. Indiana Hickory Forest ..... West Virginia 29. Second-growth 10. Upland Black Hardwoods ........ Ohio Cherry Forest ...... West Virg•ma 30. Mixed Deciduous 11. Young Northern Forest - Strip Mine Tennessee Hardwood Forest .. West Virg•ma 31. Ridge and Valley 12. Hickory - Oak - Ash Hardwood Forest Tennessee Floodplain Forest .. Maryland 32. Upland Mixed De- 13. Mature Deciduous ciduous Forest with Floodplain Forest .. Maryland Strip Mines ........ Tennessee 14. Mixed Hardwood 33. Loess Bluff Forest Louisiana Forest ............. Maryland 34. Mature Bottomland 15. Upland Tulip-tree - Hardwood Forest Louisiana Maple - Oak Forest . Maryland 16. Mixed Upland Eastern - Coniferous - Deciduous (Mixed) Habitat ............ District of Columbia 35. Balsam Fir - Birch 17. Upland Oak- Hickory Forest ............. Minnesota Forest ............. Virginia 36. Deciduous-Coniferous 18. Upland Mixed Forest North Carolina Second Growth 956 American Birds, December 1973 Northwoods Vermont 61 Dry Juniper- Cotton- 37 Mixed Upland Forest wood Savannah Ontario and Edge .......... Vermont 62. BurnedJack Pine .... 38-40. Pitch Pine - Ridge ............. Minnesota Scrub Oak Forest 63. Disturbed Oak- (I, II, III) ......... Massachusetts Hickory Forest, etc. Ohio 41 Climax Hemlock- 64. Mixed Deciduous - White Pine Forest Pine and Pasture- with Transition land ............... Mississippi Hardwoods ......... Connecticut 42 Deciduous Forest Central -- Prairie with Pond and 65. Kentucky Blue Grass Brook ............. New Jersey Prairie ............. North Dakota 43 Upland Pine- 66-73. Mixed Prairie Oak Forest ........ New Jersey (I-VIII) ............ North Dakota 44 Central Hardwood 74. ShortgrassPrairie .. Colorado Forest with Scattered Central -- Mixed Habitats Pine ............... District of Columbia 75. Mixed Prairie Park Nebraska 45 Coastal Mixed 76. Mixed Habitat - Dis- Pine - Oak turbed Bottomland .. Oklahoma Forest ............. North Carolina 46 Southern Mixed Western -- Deciduous Hardwood Forest .. Georgia 77. Broad-leaf Evergreen Forest ............. California Eastern -- Coniferous 78. Deciduous Oak 47 Upland Scotch Pine Woodland ......... California Plantation ......... New York 79. Disturbed Floodplain 48 Tamarack- White Woodland ......... California Cedar Slough ...... Ontario 80. Floodplain Riparian 49 White Pine - White Forest ............. California Cedar Forest ....... Ontario 81. Oak - California-bay 50 Fir - Spruce Swamp West Virginia - Buckeye - 51 Young Spruce Mixed Forest ...... Californm Forest ............. West Virginia 82. Riparian Oak 52 Slash Pine Woodland ......... Califorma Plantation ......... Louisiana 83. Floodplain Cotton- wood Forest ....... Colorado Eastern -- Mixed Habitats 84. Floodplain Cotton- 53. Mixed Forest, Old wood Forest ....... Colorado Field and Home- Western -- Coniferous- Deciduous(Mixed) site ............... Vermont 54. Rural Stream 85. California-bay- Bishop Pine- Border ............ Vermont Mixed Forest ...... California 55 Arboretum: Conif- 86. Lodgepole Pine erous Parkland ..... Massachusetts Forest with Aspen .. Colorado 56 Arboretum: De- 87. Ponderosa Pine - ciduous Parkland ... Massachusetts Scrub Oak - Mountain 57 Mixed Upland Mahogany Woodland Colorado Habitat and Swamp Connecticut 58 Oak - Hemlock Forest and