Wild birds are counted for a wide variety of reasons and by a bewildering array of methods. However, detailed descriptions of the techniques used and the rationale adopted are scattered in the literature, and the newcomer to bird census work or the experienced bird counter in search of a wider view, may well have difficulty in coming to grips with the subject as a whole. While not an end in itself, numerical and distributional census work is a fundamental part of many scientific and conservation studies, and one in which the application of given standards is vital if results are not to be distorted or applied in a misleading way.This book provides a concise guide to the various census techniques and to the opportunities and pitfalls which each entails. The common methods are described in detail, and illustrated through an abundance of diagrams showing examples of actual and theoretical census studies. Anyone with a bird census job to plan should be able to select the method best suited to the study at hand, and to apply it to best effect within the limits inherent in it and the constraints of the particular study.The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the British Trust for Ornithology have for many years pioneered the collaboration of amateurs and professionals in various census studies. Three members of their staff, each with extensive field experience, now pool the knowledge of these investigations to lay the groundwork for sound census work in future years.

Maps show the breeding range and comparative abundance of selected species.

This is a comprehensive historical record of all free-ranging bird species known to be breeding in Georgia around the beginning of the new millennium. The atlas profiles 182 species, from the sociable House Wren to the secretive Black Rail; from the thriving Red-shouldered Hawk to the threatened Wilson's Plover. The atlas is the result of a systematic survey conducted from 1994 to 2001, the massive collaborative effort of several private organizations, public agencies, and many individuals. It offers a wealth of information critical to bird-conservation efforts and provides a baseline so that changes to species ranges, numbers, and other significant aspects of each species' status can be better understood. Each species account includes: Color photograph of the bird Information on the bird's habitat and life history, distribution, population trends, and conservation status. Details discussed include diet, nesting habits, life cycle of the young, predators, and interactions with humans. Color distribution map showing the state's six ecoregions and indicating possible, probable, and confirmed breeding Graphs showing population trends, when appropriate Also included are chapters on the survey methodology, results of the surveys, influence of the physical environments of the state on bird distribution, changes in the avifauna since European settlement, and bird conservation.

The apparent decline in numbers among many species of migratory songbirds is a timely subject in conservation biology, particularly for ornithologists, ecologists, and wildlife managers. This book is an attempt to discuss the problem in full scope. It presents an ambitious, comprehensive assessment of the current status of neotropical migratory birds in the U.S., and the methods and strategies used to conserve migrant populations. Each chapter is an essay reviewing and assessing the trend from a different viewpoint, all written by leaders in the fields of ornithology, conservation, and population biology.

The long-awaited second atlas of breeding birds in Vermont