Marsh Bird Monitoring Technical Workshop March 6-8, 2006 Patuxent National Wildlife Research Center

1. Marsh Bird Monitoring Technical WorkshopMarch 6-8, 2006Patuxent National Wildlife Research Center

2. 1998 Marsh Bird Monitoring Workshop Need for a monitoring program: • Marsh birds are important components of wetland ecosystems • Consumptive and non-consumptive recreational uses • Some species are of conservation concern • Little is known of their status, population trends, or management needs • Poorly surveyed by BBS

3. BBS Trend Results for Marsh Birds: Small sample size + low relative abundance + Limpkin, Black Rail, Yellow Rail, Salt-marsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow with N<15

4. BBS Trend Results for Marsh Birds: Large sample size + low relative abundance

5. BBS Trend Results for Marsh Birds: Small sample size + low relative abundance

6. Potential additional survey data • Colonial nesting surveys: • Franklin’s Gull • Forster’s Tern • Black Tern • Tricolored Blackbird • Breeding/winter waterfowl surveys • American Coot

7. 1998 Marsh Bird Monitoring Workshop, cont. Tasks at the workshop: • Discussed strategies for monitoring populations of wetland-dependent birds • Reviewed current monitoring and research efforts related to marsh bird population assessment • Identified information needs necessary for developing survey protocols and sampling schemes at various geographic scales • Established a Steering Committee to continue development of a Marsh Bird Monitoring Program

8. 1998 Marsh Bird Monitoring Workshop, cont. Information needs: • Statistical assessment of call playback methods • Is detectability improved? • Is variance increased or decreased? • Implications for required sample sizes? • Evaluation of sampling frame/scheme • Local protected sites surveyed as one stratum would not impact validity of overall program. • Selection of samples from non-protected sites: habitat-based or area-based approach?

9. Information needs, cont. • Source of habitat information • Need status review of current databases (NWI, GAP) How current is this information? At what geographic scale are these data useful? Availability of habitat information for Canada? • Documentation of habitat change over time • Need to collect habitat data at survey points?

10. Information needs, cont. • Effects from timing of counts (morning vs. evening) • Phenological and geographical differences influencing timing of surveys • Relationship between index to population density/size • Data quality issues • Volunteer vs. paid surveyors • Training and testing of participants

11. Developments Post-1998 • Multi-year USGS Science Support Program (SSP) projects: • Project to address questions concerning use of call playbacks to survey marsh birds and develop standardized survey protocols (Conway) • Project to develop sampling frame/scheme for continental monitoring program (Bart)

12. Developments Post-1998, cont. • Waterbird Conservation for the Americas: North American Waterbird Conservation Plan • Articulated general strategies and desired results for monitoring • Subsequent regional and national waterbird conservation plans • Identify species of concern/focal species and specific strategies • Recent emphasis on marsh bird species assessment highlights need for better data on status and population trends

13. Developments Post-1998, cont. • New or continued regional marsh monitoring programs (e.g. MMP) • Evolution of conservation design and modeling approaches for management • Emphasis on integrated all-bird monitoring (e.g. NABCI, CBM) • USFWS Refuges funding development of data management system for marsh bird surveys conducted on refuges • New or continuing array of threats to wetlands

14. Marsh Birds of Concern • Status Assessments provided in plans • Continental (e.g., WCA), national (e.g., CWS WOW, USFWS BCC), regional lists • Administrative Status • Species at Risk, T&E • Harvested Species • KIRA, VIRA, CLRA, SORA, AMCO, COMO, PUGA

15. March 2006 Marsh Bird Workshop Goal: • Continue progress towards the development of an operational monitoring program for marsh birds that provides timely data for the purposes of determining distribution, abundance and population trends and informing population and habitat management strategies, at multiple geographic scales.

16. March 2006 Marsh Bird Workshop, cont. Premises: • Program involves survey protocols primarily focused on secretive marsh bird species that require call playback to be regularly detected (grebes, bitterns, rails, moorhen, gallinules, snipe, coot). • Survey data should be useful for not only determining when conservation action is appropriate, but informing population and habitat management practices and strategies. • This program acknowledges the need to assess and manage marsh birds at multiple geographic scales, from the continental-scale to the site-scale.

17. March 2006 Marsh Bird Workshop, cont. Desired Outcomes: • Define survey objectives • Recommend standardized survey protocols or identify/prioritize information gaps and research needs • Recommend a sampling frame/design or identify and prioritize information gaps and research needs • Is it time to seriously consider data management issues? If so, that develop recommendations for general data management system requirements

18. Implementation • Implementation has already occurred/will be occurring shortly at local and regional scales. • All workshop topics should be viewed with respect to their implications for implementation at various geographic scales. • If appropriate, discuss issues related to implementation of a continental marsh bird monitoring program

19. Why are you here? • To provide comments, criticisms, feedback, insights, expertise, guidance, and personal perspectives on issues related to marsh bird monitoring • As in 1998, we would like to develop a consensus among marsh bird experts concerning future directions for this program