Bird conservation groups use data from birdwatchers to fill critical information gaps for declining species

PHYS.Org: “A study published in the journal Ornithological Applications shows how conservation organizations are using data from birdwatchers to pinpoint opportunities to reverse population declines. The study, led by researchers from nine different Migratory Bird Joint Ventures (cooperative, regional partnerships of federal and state agencies, Tribes, and nongovernmental organizations who work together to support avian conservation), presents case studies demonstrating how conservation organizations use data from birdwatchers to select priority species, manage habitat for waterfowl, identify important bird areas, and monitor populations at regional scales. The study used data from eBird, a participatory science project run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which collects billions of observations from birdwatchers around the world into a centralized database. The work is published in the journal Ornithological Applications. “eBird data products help fill important data gaps and have been instrumental in supporting conservation planning across many Joint Ventures,” said Laura Farwell, lead author of the study and conservation and science coordinator at Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture. “It’s been a game-changer for us and we hope that others find these examples useful for their own conservation planning.” For coastal bird conservation, Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture used eBird data to quantify regional stewardship responsibility, discovering that 99% of the Marbled Murrelet population occurs within their continental region (Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and northern California) year-round. This information helps reinforce the area’s importance as a federally listed species. eBird data also highlighted several species (like Long-billed Dowitcher and Short-billed Gull) that are found in high numbers within the region that were previously overlooked. “This work is a great example of how the information collected by community scientists can help conservation practitioners help declining bird populations. It’s a win-win,” said Monica Iglecia, director and U.S. coordinator for Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture and co-author of the study. The Gulf Coast Joint Venture used eBird data to translate a continent-wide waterfowl plan into a regional plan to support duck populations. To create regional plans, managers needed estimates of duck numbers and their distributions for the entire year—during the breeding season, migration, and the nonbreeding season. According to Joe Lancaster, biological team leader for the Gulf Coast Joint Venture and study co-author, that kind of year-round data is hard to find…”