Breeding landbird monitoring data package for MIDN, NCBN, NETN

This data package contains a single, cumulative dataset of the birds detected during 10-minute unlimited radius point count surveys conducted using the Mid-Atlantic Network (MIDN), Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network (NCBN), and the Northeast Temperate Network (NETN) Breeding Landbird Monitoring Protocols. These protocols are administered by staff of the Inventory and Monitoring Division (IMD) of the National Park Service (NPS) in cooperation with the Natural Resource Management (NRM) staff of each participating park and utilizes citizen scientists to aid in data collection. Monitoring began in most parks in 2006 and the protocol is implemented annually.

The purpose of the MIDN, NCBN, NETN Breeding Landbird Monitoring programs are to collect and analyze data and report information that will help national park managers assess the condition of the breeding bird community and habitats they use. Specific objectives include:

1. Estimate status and long-term trends in species composition, occupancy, and indices of abundance for breeding bird populations within participating parks.
2. Estimate status and trends in measures of biotic integrity (Bird Community Indices) of breeding bird communities within participating parks.
3. Evaluate changes in bird populations in forest and grassland habitats relative to park management regimes.

The MIDN, NCBN, NETN Breeding Landbird Monitoring Protocols are comprised of a group of documents: a Narrative to provide justification and define monitoring objectives, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that provide detailed descriptions of methods used, and a Quality Assurance Plan that establishes standards for data quality. Data collected as part of this protocol are published annually as a cumulative data package. Reporting on these data occurs at regular intervals to enable park staff to incorporate results into park management. The latest versions of all available protocol documentation, data packages, and summary reports can be accessed online via the NPS’s DataStore application (https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/Reference/Profile/2190227).