Protocol Title: Landbird Monitoring Protocol for National Parks in the North Coast and Cascades Network
Protocol Development Summary
NCCN Landbird Monitoring Protocol
NCCN Landbird Monitoring Annual Reports
Parks where protocol will be implemented
- Lewis and Clark National Historical Park
- Mount Rainier National Park
- North Cascades National Park Service Complex
- Olympic National Park
- San Juan Island National Historical Park
Importance / Issues
Landbirds are an important ecosystem component (e g. seed dispersal, insect control) and are good indicators of the effects of local and regional changes in ecosystems. Approximately 30 species, representing both resident and migrant landbirds in the Pacific Northwest, have significant recent (1980-1996) and/or long-term (1966-1996) declining trends. NCCN parks represent some of the last remaining pristine habitat in the Pacific Northwest and represent excellent reference sites for more heavily managed lands.
Monitoring Objectives
Determine trends in density and frequency of occurrence of landbird species in accessible areas of NCCN parks during the breeding season.
Potential Measures
Species frequency of occurrence (percent of VCP points where a species was detected) and density (individuals per hectare, by species) during the breeding season.
Management Applications
Not available at this time.
Protocol Development and Status
April 2005 - Draft field SOPs completed.
March 2006 - Draft data and reporting SOPs completed.
April 2006 - Submit to peer review.
September 2006 - Final peer-reviewed monitoring protocols completed.
May 2007 - Implementation of NCCN landbird monitoring program began.
Status and Trends
A summary report will be produced annually, with a more in-depth analysis and report produced every five years, as the full set of five panels is completed.
Rodney Siegel, Institute for Bird Populations PO Box 1346 Pt Reyes Station, CA 94956 415-663-2051 |
Bob Kuntz,
North Cascades NP 810 State Route 20 Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284 360-856-5700 x368 |