Volunteer's Handbook
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As Utah's population increases and development occurs, the need for an understanding
of breeding birds in each Utah habitat becomes more important. There is a pressing need
for an organized, complete atlas of breeding birds in Utah state. Since Utah is quite
large, the amount of work needed to accomplish an atlas is too large to be done without
the assistance of volunteer birders.
It is expected the effort will take 4 to 5 years and will require the assistance of 200
to 300 experienced birders.
Since it is not possible to survey the entire state, a statistical sampling of the
state will be done, taking 8% to 10% of the land area, divided into 3 mile by 3
mile squares. Volunteers select one or more squares annually and visit them 3 or 4 times
during the breeding season, searching for all breeding birds and recording their sightings.
The sightings recorded will be summarized and mapped to produce the Utah Breeding Bird
Atlas.
A Breeding Bird Atlas is a compendium of breeding information covering every species
known to breed within the state, containing a map of the distribution of breeding bird
sightings with a written description for each bird species within the state. The atlas,
when completed will be printed for distribution and use throughout the state, and the
base data will be available for computer analysis.
Approximately 240 species are thought to breed and rear young within Utah. The purpose
of the survey is to provide positive proof of breeding and give an indication of the bird's
density in the various Utah habitats.
An Atlas of Utah County will be started in 2003 as an experiment to determine the best
ways to survey the State. The Utah County Birders, along with other interested birders,
will coordinate the local effort. Robin Tuck will be the Atlas Chairman for Utah County,
although additional Coordinators may be selected to help manage the work. An Internet site
has been set up for this experiment, at www.utahnature.com/bbs/home.php.
Utah has been divided into squares based on the USGS 7.5 Minute Quadrangle Topographic
Maps, which are divided into 6 equal parts. The "squares" are 3 minutes and 45 seconds wide
and two minutes and thirty seconds high, which, at Utah's longitude turns out to be
approximately 3.25 miles wide and 2.87 miles high.
There are 1541 Quadrangle maps covering Utah, yielding over 9000 squares. Squares were chosen
using a 'stratified random' approach, yielding about 960 squares to survey. Quadrangle maps not
wholly within the state were not selected.
The quadrangle maps are numbered left to right, top to bottom across the state. Each square
within a quadrangle was also numbered left to right, top to bottom, from 1 to 6. All the squares
are in the square database whether selected or not to allow "casual" sightings to be reported.
Should a square be unsuitable for surveying for some good reason, a nearby square can be
substituted. Excessive squares in over-sampled habitats may be dropped from the list.
Additional square types may be defined in the future to gather data that might otherwise be
missed by depending on the selection procedure defined above.
Qualified volunteers will select a square from the list of approved squares and ‘reserve'
it for themselves. Alternate squares may be substituted if approved by the Atlas Chairman. A
volunteer should reserve no more than 3 squares in a single year, depending on how much time
they can devote to the survey.
The volunteer will download and print, or obtain from their local chair person, the square
information, survey forms and Volunteers Handbook.
If the square chosen contains private land, the volunteer must obtain permission before
entering the property. If permission cannot be obtained, surveying the square should be deferred
and the reason given to the local Atlas Coordinator.
Based upon the habitat types within the square, the volunteer should study beforehand what
birds might be expected to nest within it.
Next, the volunteer will plan to visit each reserved square 3 to 4 times during the breeding
season, visiting it early, mid-season and late, with an optional, but strongly encouraged
night-time visit searching for nocturnal birds.
The volunteer should visit their square(s) early in the morning when the birds are most
active. Since most of the squares are away from population centers, volunteers should not
visit their squares alone, but should have at least one other person accompany them. Be sure
to make proper preparations and inform a responsible person of the expected itinerary and
return time.
The geographic coordinates for each square will be provided to each volunteer, but in some
instances, it will be difficult to know for a certainty where the square boundaries are. In
these cases, the volunteer should become familiar with the operation of a GPS and use one
during the survey. The use of GPS devices for reporting sighting locations is strongly
encouraged.
A square can be thought of as a large tic-tac-toe board, with nine small squares, each
being almost a square mile, which are numbered from 1 to 9. If the square consists of a single
habitat type, survey points should be close to the center of small squares 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9.
If lines were to be drawn from survey point to survey point, it would resemble a large ‘Z'.
Of course, the survey points can be surveyed in any order convenient. For statistical
purposes, it is desirable that all squares be sampled in the same manner, however, minor
variations in the survey point placement is permitted. The desired survey points are
specified on in the Square Information packet that will be received when the square is
assigned to the volunteer. Additional survey points may bre added by the volunteer to
cover the different habitat types in the square.
The observer should visit each survey point each time the square is visited, if possible,
surveying the area around it. If the survey point is poorly situated, it can be adjusted by
up to 500 feet, with the exact location being recorded. A survey point can be thought of as
a large circle instead of an exact point in the ground, allowing the observer to move reasonable
distances.
Significant birds or birds demonstrating higher levels of breeding behavior that are
encountered while moving from survey point to survey point should be recorded. Each survey
point location and habitat type should be recorded.
The birds will be seen with various behaviors, some of which indicate "probable breeding"
while others behaviors indicate confirmed breeding. Record the behavior observed with the
highest level of breeding confirmation.
The surveys should be conducted in the early morning hours, when the birds are the most
visible. One of the trips to the square should be done at night, looking for nocturnal species.
Trips to the square should be separated by at least a week. Visits should start at the
beginning of the breeding season when the birds are establishing territories, then continue
regularly until the young have fledged and left the nest. The actual dates will depend on
the habitat and elevation of the square.
All birds seen are to be counted and recorded with their behavior on the official forms
for later computer entry. Unusual or out-of-place species should have the exact sighting
location recorded and have a picture taken if possible.
Following each survey, the volunteer will enter their sighting data into the survey
database using any computer connected to the Internet. This should be done soon after the
survey while the trip is fresh in mind.
The following guidelines will ensure finding the birds that are present:
- Pick a good location in a clearing or elevated overlook.
- Visit in the early morning when the birds are most active.
- Sit, look and listen, being attentive to every move.
- Take a chair for comfort.
- Be still for a time to allow the birds to get used to your presence.
- If you are with your vehicle, use it as a blind.
- Return to the same survey points each visit.
- Do not disrupt or interfere with the birds normal activities.
- Use of recordings may be used to assist in finding owls.
Qualified birders should be familiar with most birds believed to nest in the habitats they
have chosen to survey. Registrations may be made in person with an area coordinator or
on-line at the Breeding Bird Atlas web page (currently http://www.utahnature.com/bbs/home.php).
A birder must be registered before they can select a square to survey. (Question: should
birders pay for the privilege to participate?)
Squares can be selected on-line from the Breeding Bird Atlas web page, or in person from
an area coordinator. Square assignment is not finalized until approved by the Breeding Bird
Atlas Region chairman, at which time an email (or ground mail) will be sent to the birder
containing the square information.
Birders should select squares in the order of their preference. Squares will normally be
assigned on a ‘first come, first served' basis, but no guarantees can be made that a birder
will be assigned their first choice. Actual assignment will be made based on an assessment
of the birders physical capabilities, ie. A birder who cannot walk large distances will be
given squares not requiring walking.
Once a square is assigned to a birder, that square is ‘their's' for that year. If the
birder fails to adequately survey the square, they may be reassigned the same square the next
year to complete, or it may be assigned to another birder. Once a square is surveyed, it will
not (normally) be revisited.
When a square is assigned to a birder, they will be sent, either electronically or by mail,
detail information about the square, including GPS boundary coordinates and a printed
topographic map. The birder may purchase additional maps as desired.
The Square information will include:
- Square number
- USGS 7.5 Minute Quad map name
- Square bounding rectangle
- top latitude
- bottom latitude
- left longitude
- right longitude
- Survey points (5) with longitude and latitude.
Significant sightings of breeding behavior may be recorded in the breeding bird database
wherever they are found within the state, regardless of the location if they are observed
by competent birders. Such observations are called ‘casual observations' and require the
casual observation form to be submitted to the Atlas Chairman or a regional coordinator.
A copy of the casual observation form is attached.
Habitat Codes
| RIPARIAN WETLANDS |
| LR |
Lowland Riparian |
Lowland Riparian habitat occurs generally lower than 5,500 ft in
elevation and consists primarily of Fremont cottonwood dominant
landscapes with varying densities of shrubby understory vegetation. |
| MR
|
Mountain Riparian
|
Mountain riparian occurs generally above 5,500 ft in elevation and
consists primarily of narrowleaf cottonwood and thinleaf alder
dominant landscapes with varying densities of shrubby understory
vegetation.
|
| WL |
Wetlands |
Wetland habitat consists primarily of low elevation marsh and Wetland
areas (5,500 ft). |
| WM |
Wet Meadow |
Wet Meadow habitat consists of water saturated meadows containing
mostly grasses and sedges at elevations ranging from approximately
3,300 - 9,800 ft. |
| SHRUBLANDS |
| SS |
Shrubsteppe |
Shrubsteppe habitat consists primarily of sagebrush communities
with a variety of associated shrubs and grass species. |
| MS |
Mountain Shrub |
Mountain Shrub habitat in Utah consists primarily of mountain
mahogany and Gambel oak communities, or Rocky Mountain
maple dominant landscapes which are often associated with
various other higher elevation shrubs within conifer forests at
3,300 - 9,800 ft elevation. |
| HD |
High Desert Scrub |
High Desert Scrub consists primarily of greasewood, Atriplex,
and halogeton dominant landscapes associated with various
grasses, forbes, and other shrubs (primarily sagebrush) at 2,200 -
10,300 ft elevation. |
| LD |
Low Desert Scrub |
Low Desert Scrub habitat consists primarily of black brush and
creosote dominant landscapes associated with various other
warm desert shrubs at 2,200 - 6,000 ft elevation. |
| NO |
Northern Oak |
Northern Oak habitat in Utah consists of one oak type, Gambel
oak, with associated maples and sagebrush. |
| DO |
Desert Oak |
Deseret Oak habitat in Utah consists of Gambel oak, shrub live-oak, and shinnery oak, and related hybrid forms (wavyleaf oak and shrub live-oak) co-occurring with various shrubs. Desert
Oak communities are limited in distribution to Emery, Garfield,
Grand, Kane, San Juan, Washington, and Wayne counties at elevations ranging from
2,700 - 7,000 ft. |
| GRASSLAND |
| GL |
Grassland |
Grassland communities consist of perennial and annual
grasses/forbes. The predominant elevations at which Grassland
habitat occurs is approximately 2,200 - 9,000 ft. |
| AL |
Alpine |
Alpine (high elevation tundra) habitat consist of primarily sedges
and some grasses at elevations above 9000 ft. |
| FOREST |
| SA |
Sub-Alpine Conifer |
Sub-Alpine Conifer in Utah and consists primarily of Engelmann
spruce and/or subalpine fir dominant
communities occurring between 6,000 - 11,200 ft elevation.
Associated forested habitats occurring within Sub-Alpine Conifer
vary with that range of elevation. |
| MC |
Mixed Conifer |
Mixed Conifer habitat in Utah consisting primarily of Douglas
and white fir dominant communities occurring primarily between
5,000 - 10,000 ft elevation. |
| PP |
Ponderosa Pine |
Ponderosa Pine forests in Utah occur between 5,200 - 8,700 ft
elevation. Habitat diversity changes according to elevation within
Ponderosa Pine forests both in terms of shrub composition in the understory and association
with other tree species. |
| LP |
Lodgepole Pine |
Lodgepole Pine habitat occurs between 6,000 - 11,300 ft
elevation. Lodgepole Pine is the most common conifer in the
Uinta Mountains, and within (8,000 - 11,000 ft elevation,
lodgepole habitat becomes mixed with either blue spruce or
subalpine fir, depending upon location. |
| PJ |
Pinyon-Juniper |
Pinyon-Juniper represents the second-most common habitat
within Utah between approximately 2,700 - 11,000 ft elevation.
However, community composition varies considerably with
elevation within this broad statewide band. |
| AS |
Aspen |
Aspen occurs in all Utah counties within elevations between
5,600 - 10,500 ft. |
| ADDITIONAL HABITAT CATEGORIES |
| W |
Water |
Water habitat consists of natural lakes, streams and rivers, and
man-made reservoirs. |
| R |
Rock |
Rock habitats consist of rock outcrops and rock dominant
landscapes throughout all elevations. |
| P |
Playa |
The Playa habitat category consists of the Barrens and
Pickleweed Barrens habitat types at 4,200 ft elevation or below. |
| AG |
Agriculture |
The agricultural features include pastureland, hay fields, row
crops (mostly corn, wheat, barley, and other cereal grains) and
orchards with their adjacent margins and irrigation canals. |
| U |
Urban |
The urban habitat category refers to metropolitan areas, cities,
towns, and landscapes developed mainly for residential and industrial purposes. |
Behavior Codes
| Observed |
| O |
A non-breeder or migrant (male or female) observed or heard between June 1 and July
31 does not suggest breeding, regardless of habitat. Use this code for species observed
in unlikely breeding habitat, out of their normal breeding range, flying over, or with no
indication of breeding. This code applies to vultures or raptors flying over, to ducks
summering on an urban pond with no breeding habitat, or a heron foraging when no
heronry exists in the block. This code records the presence of the species but does not
suggest breeding. |
| Possible |
| X |
A male or female observed in possible suitable nesting habitat within safe dates
suggests possible breeding. Note that many species do not have safe dates. Thus, this
code can only be used for some species. |
| S |
Singing male detected once in possible suitable nesting habitat indicates possible
breeding. If you hear a male of the same species in the same location on another visit
determine if code T applies. |
| Probable |
| M |
Multiple singing or territorial birds of a species detected within a block on one day
indicates probable breeding. This code is the lowest level of evidence that a species is
probably breeding in the block. Observation of a minimum of seven singing individuals
is needed. Use this code only for remote blocks were only one visit can reasonably be
made during any given year. If more than one visit to the block can be made, code T
should be evaluated for use. |
| P |
Pair (male and female) observed in suitable nesting habitat when apparently holding a
territory suggests probable breeding. This code is used when it is fairly certain that a
mated pair of birds has been observed. Note that two birds of the same species
observed together are not always a pair, especially when males and females look alike.
In sexually monomorphic species, behavior may indicate a pair. |
| T |
Territory establishment can be based on a singing male observed on at least two
different days a week or more apart in the same location. Such repeated observations
are a good indication that a bird has taken up residence. Chasing of other birds of the
same species often marks a territory and should be recorded using code T. One male
American Robin chasing another falls under this code, as would two male owls hooting
at each other from opposite sides of a canyon. Caution should be used for some
species such as raptors and hummingbirds since they exhibit territorial behaviors in
defense of feeding areas and favorite perches while wintering and migrating. |
| C |
Courtship behavior or copulation indicates probable breeding. This code includes
courtship displays and food exchanges. Prairie-chickens seen dancing on a lek,
hummingbird courtship flights, and the bill tilt or topple-over display of cowbirds
would fit this code. Use this code cautiously for ducks and grebes since they often
court during migration. For bird banders, this code should be used for females with a
brood patch or males with a cloacal protuberance. |
| N |
Visiting a probable nest-site indicates probable breeding when no further breeding
evidence is obtained. This code is especially useful for cavity nesters and shrub-nesting
species that fly into the same locations and disappear repeatedly. Repeated use of the
same probable nest-site must be observed. |
| A |
Agitated behavior or anxiety calls heard from an adult suggests probable breeding.
This behavior suggests the probable presence of a nest or young nearby. Do not
include agitation that you induce by "pishing" or using taped calls. A goshawk that
calls in a distressed fashion falls into this category. If the goshawk swoops at you, you
upgrade to the confirmed breeding code DD. |
| B |
Nest building by wrens (Cactus, Bewick's, House, and Marsh), Verdins, or excavation
of holes by woodpeckers indicates probable breeding. In Verdins and some species of
wrens, unmated males will build nests to attract females. Thus, nests built by these
species do not confirm breeding. Also, woodpeckers usually excavate one nest hole
and other holes for roosting. Thus, excavation does not confirm breeding in
woodpeckers. |
| Confirmed |
| NM |
Birds observed carrying nesting material (e.g. sticks, hair, grass, mud, cobwebs)
confirms breeding. This applies for all species except for some species of wrens
(Cactus, Bewick's, House, March) and Verdins. |
| NB |
Nest building at the actual nest site by all except woodpeckers, Verdins, and wrens,
confirms breeding. |
| PE |
Physiological evidence of breeding (i.e., highly vascularized incubation (brood) patch
or egg in oviduct) based on a bird in hand confirms breeding for bird banders only. |
| DD |
Distraction display or injury feigning for defense of an unknown nest or young
confirms breeding. This code is used if an adult bird is seen trying to lead people away
from a nest or young. A Killdeer giving a "broken wing" act fits this code. The
difference between this code and agitated behavior is that the adult bird puts its own
life in danger with a distraction display. |
| UN |
A used nest confirms breeding. Caution: This must be carefully identified if it is to be
used, and requires a written verification form. Some nests such as those of orioles are
persistent and characteristic, but others are more difficult to identify. Be sure that the
nest was used during the atlas period. Do not use this code for species that build
multiple nests in a breeding season, such as Verdins and Cactus Wrens. Do not collect
nests because some species roost in them all year and it is also illegal to collect nests or
eggs without a permit. |
| FL |
Recently fledged young (of altricial species) or downy young (of precocial species
such as galliformes, shorebirds or waterfowl) confirm breeding. Fledged young should
be incapable of sustained flight. This code does not apply to mobile immatures. This
code should be used with caution for species such as starlings and swallows that may
move relatively great distances soon after fledging. Use of this code should be used
only for recently fledged passerines in the natal areas that are still dependent on
parents. A young cowbird begging for food confirms both the cowbird and the host
species. If feeding of young by adults is observed use code FY. |
| ON |
Adults entering or leaving a nest site in circumstances indicating an occupied nest
confirms breeding. This code is not generally used for open-cup nesting birds, unless
the nests are high above the ground and the contents cannot be seen. This code should
be used mainly for cavity nesting birds that enter a hole and remain inside, leave a hole
after having been inside for some time, or for adults that exchange occupancy of a
cavity. |
| FS |
An adult observed carrying a fecal sac confirms breeding. Many passerine adults keep
their nests clean by carrying away membranous, white fecal sacs. |
| FY |
Feeding young, carrying food for young, or feeding recently fledged young confirms
breeding. Be especially careful on the edge of a block. Some birds, such as birds of
prey, continue to feed their young long after they've fledged and may move
considerable distances. Some birds, such as Common Ravens, may carry food long
distances to young in a neighboring block. Also, care should be taken to avoid
confusion with courtship feeding, code C. |
| NE |
A nest with egg(s), undisturbed nest with a bird in incubation posture, or eggshells
found below the nest confirms breeding. Finding a cowbird egg in a nest is coded NE
for both the cowbird and the host. Be careful not to disturb the vicinity of any nests. |
| NY |
A nest with young seen or heard confirms breeding. The presence of a cowbird young
is coded NY for both cowbird and host species. Caution must be used in approaching
nest sites to minimize disturbance. Most confirmations can be accomplished without
locating actual nests (Robbins 1981). |
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