eBirders mobilize! Help survey Gulf Coast birds!
Oiled Bird Form
How you can help
- Visit Gulf Coast beaches or marshes
- Record all the birds you see (count / estimate numbers of each
species)
- Submit your observations to eBird
Recording Your Field Observations
The goal is to complete as many eBird surveys along the Gulf Coast
as possible over the coming weeks and months, with a special focus on
immediate coverage. We’re not directing birders to survey specific
areas, rather we’re casting a broader net by simply asking birders to
survey their discrete stretches of coastal beaches and marshes from the
Texas through Florida. Consider surveying a more ‘off the beaten path’
area that may not be well represented.
How do you record your observations?
Keep a list of all the species that you observe, and make an estimate
of the numbers of each. It’s important to understand that surveying
smaller stretches of beach is better, because the increased resolution
will help scientists pinpoint the birds you find on a map. We ask that
birders keep their checklists limited to a 5-mile stretch of beach,
with the understanding that finer scale is always better. Birders are
asked to record their birding effort by using one of the following
choices during checklist submission: traveling count—a count of birds
made while moving over a given distance (great for a beach walk); or
stationary count—a count of birds made while standing in one place
(great for shorebird roosts). It is important to record your location
as accurately as possible, and to plot your point at the mid-point of
your traveling survey. So if you covered one mile on foot, plot
your location at the .5-mile mark of the map.
It’s important to record all the species
you observe, and answer ‘yes’ to the question “Are you submitting a
complete checklist of the birds you saw/heard to the best of your
ability?” By submitting complete checklists you’re providing a
snapshot of the overall avifauna of the area sampled, and helping
generate baseline data for all species in the region (don’t forget to
scan offshore for pelicans, gulls and terns!).
Record your observations in the field
and make sure to include date, location, species and numbers.
Also record the time you began each survey and how long you were
birding, as well as other variables like how far you traveled and how
many people were birding with you. Once you’ve collected your
data, visit eBird (www.ebird.org) to submit your observations.
Please keep in mind that some of these areas may be closed to protect wildlife. Please follow the guidelines and laws of all local, state and federal agencies.
To report oiled wildlife, call 1-866-557-1401 and leave a message. Messages will be checked hourly. If you’re interested in volunteering with Audubon, click here. The Deepwater Horizon response team is also looking for volunteers to help identify affected animals:1-866-448-5816.
Thanks for taking part in this effort!
Team eBird
