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Field Protocol Menu Program Overview Where To Look Methods   Data Sheets   Establishing Study Plots   Finding New Nests   Monitoring Nests   Summarizing Nest Fate   Describing Nests' Locations   Measuring Vegetation   Point Counts   Measuring Weather References Appendix of BBIRD Variables General Protocol (PDF)  Grassland Protocol (PDF)

DESCRIBING THE NEST'S LOCATION

After a nest is no longer active, it is also time to gather the information needed to provide an idea of the types of habitat chosen by species, and the consequences of particular habitat choices to the likelihood that nests succeeded in producing offspring. This process can be divided into 2 components: 1) gathering information on the location of the nest itself, and 2) describing the vegetation in the immediate area around the nest. Both of these activities should be conducted at the same time. We have found it convenient to conduct the vegetation work at the end of the field season, after most nesting has stopped, because vegetation measurement is a very labor intensive activity. Marking of nests immediately after they have ended activity allows faster location of nests later in the field season, when crews are conducting vegetation measurement work. This section only describes the information that must be gathered in order to describe placement of nests. The measures used to describe the vegetation around nests are covered in the next section, which deals with all vegetation measurements.

The following variables are all measured in order to provide information on geographical location or nests, placement of nests, and their concealment:

STATE (STATE)

the 2 letter postal service codes for state.

SITE (SITE)

a unique name that will distinguish each individual study within a STATE.

TREATMENT (TRTMT)

a short verbal description of the treatment experienced by a nset in studies that are comparing nesting in different types of habitats (e.g., fragmented vs. unfragmented, old growth vs. second growth). Code as "NONE" if your study is not designed to contrast specific treatments/conditions.

LATITUDE (LAT_D, LAT_MIN, LAT_SEC)

optional GPS measurement of nest's latitude, derived from GPS measurements.

LONGITUDE (LONG_D, LONG_MIN, LONG_SEC)

optional GPS measurement of nest's longitude, derived from GPS measurements.

UTM COORDINATES (LAT_M)

optional nest coordinates on UTM grid system, as measured with a GPS unit. Provide only UTM or latitude/longitude, not both.

ELEVATION (ELEV_M)

optional, a measurement of elevation in meters from GPS measurements.

NEST TYPE (NSTTYPE)

a variable that describes whether the subsequent nest and vegetation record belongs to a nest (code NSTTYPE as 1 for all nests).

NEST HEIGHT (NSTHT_M)

Measured nest height in meters. Do not estimate this value. Use any reliable technique (clinometer, meter stick, etc..)

Note: write in 0 (zero) for ground nests.

Clinometer Use -- field assistants are easily confused by clinometers. When using Sunto Clinometers with both percent and degree scales, be sure to specify one method of getting heights or your data will be unreliable. We have assistants use the percent scale, and record the percent and baseline with labels for both the angle (%) and baseline distance (e.g. 134% x 15m). If assistants record heights in this format you have a better chance of catching mistakes while in the field (i.e. confusion between degrees and percents often can be caught because percentages are usually over 80% and degrees are usually less than 80°), or of subsequently correcting errors.

PLANT SPECIES (NSTSUBS1 and NSTSUBS2)

plant species the nest is in. Use alphanumeric codes from the PLANTS database. Other codes include ROCK, LOG, ROOT. For ground nests record the most important feature within 30 cm of the nest (usually a plant, but occasionally rocks, logs, etc..). Use GRASS if nest is under grass tussock of unidentified species. Contact BBIRD staff for coding problem substrates. If nothing clearly important to concealment of the nest is within 30 cm, record INOPEN. Leave NSTSUBS2 blank, unless there is more than one different substrate supporting of the nest.

OBJECTS CONCEALING NEST (NSTCNCL1 and NSTCNCL2)

the plant species or other substrates that are primarily responsible for concealing the nest. Use the same codes as for NSTSUBS1. Leave NSTCNCL2 blank if only one type of substrate conceals the nest.

PLANT HEIGHT (NSBSHT_M)

Measured height in meters of plant or other substrate recorded under PLANT SPECIES.

PLANT HEALTH/NEST LOCATION (HEALTH)

tree health and location of nest within dying trees (L=live; PD--NL=partly dead, nest in live portion; PD--ND=partly dead, nest in dead portion; D=dead).

DBH (DBH_CM)

Measured Diameter (cm) at Breast Height of PLANT SPECIES.

NEST ORIENTATION (ORIENT_D)

Orientation of the nest relative to the substrate (PLANT SPECIES) in degrees. For open nesters, stand at the central stem, face the nest and take a compass reading. For plants with no central stem, use the center point of the plant as a reference point. Orientation for ground nests is the direction the nest cup is tilted towards, or the direction that an adult would take to leave the nest fo nests that have thick overhead or side cover. If an open nest is in the exact center of the plant and has no orientation, then have field assistants write in "999" here to make it clear they didn't just forget to record the data (do not put 0 for no orientation). For cavity-nesters, take a compass reading in the direction that the bird would be looking if it were looking straight out the nest hole.

# SUPPORT BRANCHES (NSPBRNCH)

Number of branches supporting an above ground nest. This includes both twigs and larger branches. Only branches that are at least partially under the nest, or that the nest is woven into should be counted. Don't count vertical trunks that may provide lateral support. If a branch or stem is completely vertical it should probably not be counted. If a stem adjacent to the nest is not completely vertical then some portion is probably under the nest, and it should be counted (see examples in figure, below).

DIAMETER OF SUPPORT BRANCHES (DSPBR_CM)

Average diameter of supporting branches or twigs in cm. For high canopy nests, you can estimate DSPBR_CM by judging the sizes of branches relative to the widths of your own fingers.

DISTANCE FROM STEM (DSTEM_CM)

Distance from the central axis of the plant to the center of the nest in cm. If the plant has no single central stem then select a central axis that represents the center of the plant. If the nest is on the ground, then record a distance to the object listed under PLANT SPECIES if it is less than 30 cm from the nest. Leave blank if nest is more than 30 cm from a plant (e.g. NSTSUBS = INOPEN, LOG, etc..).

DISTANCE OF NEST FROM FOLIAGE EDGE (DCEDG_CM)

Record the horizontal distance from the nest to the nearest outer edge of the foliage (horizontal distance at the same height as the nest). Note that the outer edge of foliage can actually be in a different plant or species in areas of thick vegetation. Record zero (0) for cavity nests and nests attached to the trunks of trees at a level below the nest tree's canopy.

% OVERHEAD COVER (OVRCVR)

Overhead cover for low nests. Amount of the nest obscured by vegetation from 1m over the nest looking down. Imagine a 25 cm diameter circle (at the nest), 1 meter high vertical cone from your eye to the nest (see figure to right). Estimate % cover of the circle in this cone.

% SIDE COVER (SC1 -- SC4)

Side cover for low nests. Percent of nest obscured by vegetation from 1 meter N, S, E, W of nest at nest height. Record for nests above your head when a reasonable estimate is possible, otherwise ignore. No data is better than bad data. Imagine a 25 cm diameter circle (at the nest), 1 meter long cone extending back from the nest to your eye (see figure, right). Four values should be reported to the BBIRD data repository for each nest.

Field Protocol Menu Program Overview Where To Look Methods   Data Sheets   Establishing Study Plots   Finding New Nests   Monitoring Nests   Summarizing Nest Fate   Describing Nests' Locations   Measuring Vegetation   Point Counts   Measuring Weather References Appendix of BBIRD Variables General Protocol (PDF)  Grassland Protocol (PDF)

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