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Title: 1979 breeding bird censuses and summary of 1977-1979 results

Abstract

As part of a program to characterize the plant and animal life of the Laboratory site and the surrounding region, the two breeding bird censuses originated in 1977 were continued in 1979. Twelve census trips were made to the BNL plot and 10 to the Westhampton plot by seven volunteer observers. Comparisons of data from the three years showed that the number of territorial males on the BNL plot did not change significantly, but the number of breeding species showed a continuous decline, from 18 to 10. Little change in the number of territorial males or in species composition occurred in the Westhampton plot.

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
OSTI Identifier:
5254420
Report Number(s):
BNL-51161
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-76CH00016
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; BIRDS; POPULATIONS; BNL; POPULATION DYNAMICS; SPECIES DIVERSITY; ANIMALS; NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS; US AEC; US DOE; US ERDA; US ORGANIZATIONS; VERTEBRATES; 510100* - Environment, Terrestrial- Basic Studies- (-1989)

Citation Formats

Raynor, G.S.. 1979 breeding bird censuses and summary of 1977-1979 results. United States: N. p., 1979. Web. doi:10.2172/5254420.
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Raynor, G.S.. 1979 breeding bird censuses and summary of 1977-1979 results. United States. doi:10.2172/5254420.
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Raynor, G.S.. Thu . "1979 breeding bird censuses and summary of 1977-1979 results". United States. doi:10.2172/5254420. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5254420.
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@article{osti_5254420,
title = {1979 breeding bird censuses and summary of 1977-1979 results},
author = {Raynor, G.S.},
abstractNote = {As part of a program to characterize the plant and animal life of the Laboratory site and the surrounding region, the two breeding bird censuses originated in 1977 were continued in 1979. Twelve census trips were made to the BNL plot and 10 to the Westhampton plot by seven volunteer observers. Comparisons of data from the three years showed that the number of territorial males on the BNL plot did not change significantly, but the number of breeding species showed a continuous decline, from 18 to 10. Little change in the number of territorial males or in species composition occurred in the Westhampton plot.},
doi = {10.2172/5254420},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1979},
month = {Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1979}
}
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Technical Report:
View Technical Report (2.25 MB)
DOI:  10.2172/5254420
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  • As part of a program to characterize the plant and animal life of the Laboratory site and the surrounding region, the two breeding bird censuses originated in 1977 were continued in 1983. Coverage was above average at BNL and below at Westhampton. Seventeen trips were made to the BNL plot and nine to the Westhampton plot. Five observers censused the BNL and two the Westhampton plot. The number of species on the BNL plot was near the seven-year average. The number of territorial males was the second highest. At Westhampton, the number of species was normal but the number ofmore » territorial males was the lowest ever due to a large decline in Prairie Warblers believed due to loss of scrub oak foliage caused by a late frost. A seven-year summary is included. 13 references, 7 tables.« less

  • As part of a program to characterize the plant and animal life of the Laboratory site and the surrounding region, the two breeding bird censuses originated in 1977 were continued in 1982. Coverage was slightly above average at BNL and somewhat below at Westhampton. Seventeen trips were made to the BNL plot and eleven to the Westhampton plot. Six observers censused the BNL and five the Westhampton plot. The number of species and of territorial males on the BNL plot declined only slightly from 1981 and was near the five-year 1977-1981 average. At Westhampton, the number of Rufous-sided Towhees declinedmore » somewhat from 1981, but the number of Prairie Warblers increased so that the total number of territorial males was nearly the same. A six-year summary is included.« less

  • ; ; ; ...
    As part of a program to characterize the plant and animal life of the Laboratory site and surrounding areas, two breeding bird census plots were established in 1977 to document the occurrence and abundance of breeding species in two extreme successional stages of Long Island oak-pine forest. A 9.3-hectare plot located near the northeastern corner of the Laboratory site is composed of second growth oak-pine forest in a late successional stage. The second plot measures 9.7 hectares and is located in the scrub oak-pitch pine barrens at Westhampton. Each plot was surveyed with a transit and steel tape and markedmore » with wooden stakes at 100-foot intervals. Quantitative vegetational surveys were made in each plot and all plant species identified. Tree composition was measured as a function of species and size. Shrub density, percent of ground cover and percent of canopy were also measured. The Laboratory plot contained 2100 trees of five species per hectare, 72% ground cover and 84% canopy coverage. The Westhampton plot contained only one tree species, Pitch Pine, at 366 trees per hectare, 92% ground cover and no canopy. Twelve census trips, mostly of two to three hour duration, were made in each plot. Each bird observed was located on a scale map of the plot. At the end of the season, the number of territories was determined from the distribution of sightings. Eighteen territorial bird species were found in the Laboratory plot with between 479 and 629 territorial males per km/sup 2/. In Westhampton, only five breeding species were present. Density was between 312 and 374 males per km/sup 2/. The Rufous-sided Towhee was the most common species in both plots. Future studies will document changes in both bird and plant species composition and abundance.« less

  • As part of a program to characterize the plant and animal life of the Laboratory site and the surrounding region, the two breeding bird censuses originated in 1977 were continued in 1980. Coverage was below that of previous years due to illness and travel of some participants, but 11 trips were made to the BNL plot and 8 to the Westhampton plot. Each was censused by separate teams of three volunteer observers. The number of breeding species and number of territorial males on the BNL plot have progressively declined since 1977 but little change has taken place in either numbermore » of territories or species composition on the Westhampton plot.« less

  • As part of a program to characterize the plant and animal life of the Laboratory site and the surrounding region, the two breeding bird censuses originated in 1977 were continued to 1981. Coverage was better than in 1980 and comparable to that of earlier years. Fifteen trips were made to the BNL plot and thirteen to the Westhampton plot. Four observers censused the BNL and five the Westhampton plot. The number of species and of territorial males on the BNL plot increased to about 1977 to 1978 levels, reversing a several-year decline. Little change was evident at Westhampton except formore » a large increase in the Rufous-sided Towhee population which doubled the previous year's count and brought territorial males to the highest number yet recorded.« less