Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS)

Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS)

The MAPS program is a cooperative effort, established to provide critical long-term data on population parameters for land bird species in North and Central America. The continuation at a study site for a minimum of five consecutive years is necessary to provide reliable estimates of annual variation in productivity and survivorship.

The MAPS protocol designates target species for each region of the country. Regional target species for Ohio include Downy Woodpecker, Gray Catbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Common Yellowthroat, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Song Sparrow, and American Goldfinch. At a local level, species habitat associations are clarified and habitat management can then be assessed by species responses. Partners in Flight identified grasslands and wetlands as habitats of highest concern.

Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO) initiated a project in 1993 in Oak Openings Preserve that would not only meet national concerns but would also be able to address state and local questions. The grassland/sand dune field, successional savanna, and burned and unburned oak woodland provides a suite of valuable sites to investigate grassland and edge species at these geographic levels. This project has been completed annually by BSBO since then. [link to BSBO’s MAPS page: https://www.bsbo.org/oak-openings.html]

Mist-netting and banding operations are conducted following established MAPS protocols. Point counts are also performed to complement mist-netting operations comparing the avian community to that of the primary grassland/dunes area of Girdham Rd.