Details and Metadata

Printer-friendly version     View XML version    Download Ecological Metadata Language file


Methods

The methods followed in the creation of the dataset, including description of field, laboratory and processing steps, and quality control procedures

Current Methods

  • Bird counts
    Started: 1991-06-01

    Counts began shortly aftern dawn on days where weather conditions were unlikely to reduce count numbers (i.e., calm winds and very light or no rain).

  • Point count intervals
    Started: 1991-06-01

    Observers recorded all birds seen and heard during a 10-min sampling period, which was divided into 3 time intervals: 3, 2 and 5 minutes. Observers noted in which time interval each bird was first encountered, and placed birds into one of 2 distance categories (within or beyond 50 m).

  • Elevation-dependent sampling
    Started: 1999-05-01

    The number of surveys at each site was dependent on elevation; montane fir-spruce sites were sampled once, LBWA and Underhill were sampled twice during the breeding season.

Dataset Fields

Detailed documentation of the fields comprising the dataset, including the type of measurement, units where applicable, and any controlled vocabularies or code lists present in the data


Field Name Caption Description Additional Information
Total birdsTotal birds

Total number of birds counted in census

Measurement type: Interval
Units:
DateDate

Date of survey

Measurement type: DateTime
Date/Time Format: YYYY-MM-DD
SiteSite

study site within a spruce-fir forest; either at the Mount Mansfield summit or in Underhill State Pa

Measurement type: Nominal
StationStation

sampling point within a study site

Measurement type: Interval
Units:
Speciesspecies

Taxonomic category used with genus to form the scientific name of a particular species. A species na

Measurement type: Nominal
LESS50PAIRLess 50 pair

Number of pairs recorded within 50 meters

Measurement type: Interval
Units:
LESS50SINGLess 50 sing

Number of single birds recorded within 50 meters

Measurement type: Interval
Units:
TOTLESS50total less 50

Total number of birds recorded within 50 meters

Measurement type: Interval
Units:
MORE50PAIRMore 50 pair

Number of pairs of birds recorded beyond 50 meters

Measurement type: Interval
Units:
MORE50SINGMore 50 sing

Number of single birds recorded beyond 50 meters

Measurement type: Interval
Units:
TOTMORE50Total more 50

Total number of birds recorded beyond 50 meters

Measurement type: Interval
Units:
TOTBIRDSTotal birds

Total number of birds recorded in the first 10 minute count

Measurement type: Interval
Units:
OUTHABOuthab

Total number of birds recorded in the 10 minute count for species considered to be out of habitat

Measurement type: Interval
Units:
SITENUMBERSite number

number assigned to study sites; Mt. Mansfield summit = 15; Underhill State Park = 14.

Measurement type: Nominal

Sampling Equipment

Equipment and software used to collect data, including how that equipment was used.

No sampling equipment recorded for this dataset

Site Characteristics

The spatial extent of the dataset site coverage, and descriptions of the spatial extent and context for the data collection

  • Site Description

    An additional transect established in 1995 in Ranch Valley at 3300 ft.

  • Site Description

    Two transects established in 1991 on Mount Mansfield: One in Browns River Headwaters in mature northern hardwoods and one at summit in spruce-fir ridgeline forest.

  • Site Description

    Transects at Lye Brook established in 1999 in northeast area at 680 m elevation in northern hardwood forest.