Oregon Coordinated Aquatic Bird Monitoring Program

Project Description

The objective of the Oregon Coordinated Aquatic Bird Monitoring Program is to meet the information needs of regional land managers and conservation organizations regarding ecosystem conservation in Oregon. Specifically, with a focus on wetlands and associated aquatic birds, we identify and coordinate existing monitoring efforts, identify knowledge gaps limiting wetland bird conservation, and implement new efforts that inform and measure the effectiveness of wetlands management. By coordinating monitoring efforts across organizations and agencies, and identifying existing and potential partn...

Project Map

Publicly Accessible: Partially
County: Grant County, OR; Harney County, OR; Klamath County, OR; Lake County, OR; Malheur County, OR; Morrow County, OR; Umatilla County, OR; Union County, OR

Project Sites

  • Agency Lake
  • Alvord Lake
  • Aspen Lake
  • Batch Lake
  • Bear Valley National Wildlife Refuge
  • Big Marsh
  • Blue Mountains
  • Catlow Valley
  • Chewaucan Marsh
  • Cold Springs National Wildlife Refuge
  • Cow Lakes
  • Davis Lake
  • Gerber Reservoir
  • Goose Lake
  • Guano Basin/Shirk Lake
  • Hart Lake
  • Klamath Marsh Miller Island Unit
  • Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge
  • Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area
  • Lake Abert
  • Logan Valley
  • Malheur National Widllife Refuge
  • McKay Creek
  • Paulina Marsh
  • Rivers End Ranch (Not publicly accessible)
  • Silver Lake
  • Silvies River Floodplain
  • Silvies Valley
  • Summer Lake State Wildlife Area
  • Sycan Marsh Preserve (Not publicly accessible)
  • Umatilla National Wildlife Refuge
  • Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge
  • Wanaket Wildlife Area
  • Warner Wetlands
  • Wickiup Reservoir
  • Williamson River Delta
  • Wood River Wetlands

Goals and Targets

Primary Motivations:

  • Public Benefit
  • Conservation Mission

Primary Goals:

  • Integrate Oregon with Coordinated Bird Monitoring: Complete site descriptions for all Important Aquatic Bird Sites that have been identified by the Intermountain West Coordinated Bird Monitoring program (IWCBM) for eastern Oregon.
    Progress: The Intermountain West Coordinated Bird Monitoring Program identified 40 Important Aquatic Bird Sites in eastern Oregon. These 40 sites were identified by managers and birders knowledgeable about the State and include sites at which focal aquatic species occur in significant concentrations at any time of year. After thorough review and communication with local experts we identified 3 sites that needed to be dropped based on their broad scope and the inability to narrow the general areas to specific sites. Communication with all site contacts was completed by early August of 2008. We held two Site Description Workshops, one in Klamath Falls on Tuesday August 19, 2008 and another at Malheur Field Station on August 26, 2008. In total, we had 8 attendees at the workshops and they completed 8 site descriptions. In total, 37 site descriptions were completed for sites east of the Cascades.
  • Initiate comprehensive secretive marshbird surveys for Oregon, as a component of the Intermountain West Coordinated Bird Monitoring program: establish secretive marshbird survey routes.
    Progress: We developed a study design following the standard marshbird monitoring protocol (Conway 2005) for secretive marshbird surveys throughout eastern Oregon. We selected 15 sites from the list of 40 sites in Eastern Oregon that were identified as important aquatic bird areas and potential secretive marsh bird surveys locations. As we began the process of laying out survey routes, using the USFWS National Wetlands Inventory, talking to local experts, and visiting sites, we found that 4 of these sites were not suitable secretive marsh bird habitat. We went back to the list of 40 sites and identified all other potential sites, but through the process outlined above determined that no other accessible sites had suitable habitat. We collaborated with ODFW staff implementing marshbird surveys, as well as other District-level biologists. For the 11 sites determined to be suitable for surveys we identified all potential study areas and chose one randomly for the survey. We determined which potential survey interfaces were present (road/emergent vegetation, upland/emergent vegetation, dike/emergent vegetation, and open water/emergent vegetation) and selected approximately the same number of sites for each interface type, in order to create a balanced sample design throughout eastern Oregon. A transect was drawn on the selected interface using Google Earth (2002) and measured to ensure it was long enough for 10 survey points at least 400 meters apart and a start point was randomly selected on that transect using a random number generator. The direction of the survey route from the start location was then chosen by flipping a coin. Survey maps were created using Google Earth and written descriptions of the survey routes were recorded with UTM coordinates.
  • Initiate comprehensive secretive marshbird surveys for Oregon, as a component of the Intermountain West Coordinated Bird Monitoring program: Recruit agency personnel and volunteers to adopt survey routes.
    Progress: A total of 6 survey methodology training sessions for secretive marshbirds were conducted during the field season in May and June of 2008, with a total of 7 people attending. A total of 24 people were involved throughout the season through training workshops, field training and field help, and from those we were able to secure the commitment of partners to voluntarily complete 7 of the 11 secretive marshbird sites in future years.
  • Initiate comprehensive secretive marshbird surveys for Oregon, as a component of the Intermountain West Coordinated Bird Monitoring program: Complete secretive marshbird surveys.
    Progress: During May and June 2008, Klamath Bird Observatory facilitated secretive marsh bird surveys at 11 sites in eastern Oregon. Summer Lake Wildlife Area had two routes established to meet the local monitoring objectives and all other sites had one survey route established. Sites were surveyed 1 to 3 times, according to the Standardized North American Marsh Bird Monitoring Protocols (Conway 2004). We surveyed for six focal species: Virginia Rail, Yellow Rail, Sora, Least Bittern, American Bittern, and Pied-billed Grebe according to the Standardized North American Marsh Bird Monitoring Protocol. Data from the surveys will be contributed to the Marsh Birds Population Assessment and Monitoring Project through the National Marsh Bird Database, which combines data from all over North America. We worked with Mark Wimer, USGS, to gain access to this database and have completed entering the data.
  • Integrate Oregon with Coordinated Bird Monitoring: Complete Site Descriptions for 40 Important Aquatic Bird Sites in western Oregon and 5 or more sites in northwestern California. Site Descriptions will include boundaries, ownership, habitat mapping, historic and current surveys, potential survey methods, and suggested pilot studies. We will complete Site Descriptions with the help of local contacts at each site and host two or more Site Description Workshops. In preparation for a workshop we will target the appropriate contact persons for each site and assist them in preparation for the workshop. We will then provide instruction and technical assistance for completing Site Descriptions during one-day workshops. For sites where local contacts are unable to participate, we will then gather the necessary information and complete the remaining Site Descriptions.
    Progress: Currently seeking funding
  • Initiate colonial nesting bird inventory survey for Oregon, as a component of the Coordinated Colonial Waterbird Inventory and Monitoring in the Western United States (USFWS): establish colonial nesting bird survey routes.
    Progress: We are currently identifying sites that will be surveyed, and creating a study design for the spring of 2009.
  • Initiate migrating shorebird inventory survey for Oregon, as a component of the Oregon Coordinated Aquatic Bird Monitoring Program: establish migrating shorebird survey routes.
    Progress: This goal is planned for 2012, but we are currently establishing partners and setting up a framework for studying these aquatic bird species in the future.

Consistent With Plans:

  • Habitat Conservation Plan
  • Conservation Plan
  • State Wildlife Action Plan

Targeted Habitats:

  • Aquatic
    • Lakes and Ponds
    • Rivers and Streams
  • Wetlands and Riparian Habitats
    • Forested or Shrub Wetlands and Swamps
    • Marshes, Bogs and Emergent Wetlands

Targeted Species:

  • American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus
  • American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
  • Barrow's Goldeneye Bucephala islandica
  • Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
  • Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus
  • Black Tern Chlidonias niger
  • Bufflehead Bucephala albeola
  • California Gull Larus californicus
  • Clark's Grebe Aechmophorus clarkii
  • Common Loon Gavia immer
  • Dusky Canada Goose Branta canadensis occidentalis
  • Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis
  • Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri
  • Franklin's Gull Leucophaeus pipixcan
  • Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
  • Greater Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis tabida
  • Green Heron Butorides virescens
  • Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis
  • Lesser Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis canadensis
  • Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus
  • Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps
  • Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena
  • Snowy Egret Egretta thula
  • Snowy Egret Egretta thula
  • Sora Porzana carolina
  • Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda
  • Virginia Rail Rallus limicola
  • Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis
  • Western Snowy Plover Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus
  • White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi
  • Yellow Rail Coturnicops noveboracensis

Conservation Actions

Action Status Start Year End Year
Vertebrate monitoring In Progress 2008 2013

Outcomes

Is the success of this project's actions being monitored? No/Unknown

Quick Facts

Owning Organization

Unaffiliated

Managing Organization

Klamath Bird Observatory
(Non-Governmental Organization)

Contact Information

Jaime Stephens (Research and Monitoring Director)
Klamath Bird Observatory
Website

General Information

Project #: 1742
Last Updated: November 10, 2010

Project Relations

Partners

American Bird Conservancy
Bureau of Land Management
Charlotte Martin Foundation
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Oregon Habitat Joint Venture
Pacific Coast Joint Venture
The Audubon Society
The Nature Conservancy
United States Department of Fish and Wildlife
United States Forest Service

Links

http://www.klamathbird.org/science/aquaticbirds.html

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