United States Office of Research Office of Environmental EPA-625-R-01-007
Environmental Protection and Development Information September 2001
Agency Washington, DC 20460 Washington, DC 20460 www.birdcast.com
Developing and Implementing a
Bird Migration Monitoring,
Assessment, and Public
Outreach Program for
Your Community
The BirdCast Project
E M P A C T
Environmental Monitoring for Public Access
& Community Tracking
I US EPA Office of Research and Development I
-------
DISCLAIMER
This document has been reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and approved
or publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or
recommendation of their use.
-------
EPA/625/R-01/007
September 2001
Developing and Implementing a Bird
Migration Monitoring,
Assessment, and Public
Outreach Program for
Your Community
The BirdCast Project
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Cincinnati, Ohio 45268
-------
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The development of this handbook was managed by Scott Hedges (U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National
Risk Management Research Laboratory) with the support of Eastern Research
Group, Inc., an EPA contractor. Technical guidance was provided by the BirdCast project
staff and its partners. EPA and BirdCast would like to thank the following people and
organizations for their substantial contributions to the contents of this handbook:
Sally Conyne, National Audubon Society
Sidney Gauthreaux, Clemson University Radar Ornithology Laboratory
Duane Heaton, EPA Region 5
Steve Kelling, Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology
Ronald Landy, EPA Region 3
Ron Larkin, Illinois Natural History Survey
Ralph Wright, EPA Office of Pesticide Programs
-------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 About the EMPACT Program 2
1.2 About the EMPACT BirdCast Project 3
1.3 About This Handbook 5
1.4 For More Information 5
2. HOW TO USE THIS HANDBOOK 7
3. BEGINNING A NEW BIRD MIGRATION MONITORING PROGRAM 9
3.1 Program Structure: Overview of a Bird Migration Monitoring Program 9
3.2 Selecting Program Partners 10
3-3 Figuring Costs 11
4. INSTRUMENT-BASED OBSERVATION OF BIRD MIGRATION 13
4.1 What is NEXRAD and What Can It Do? 13
4.2 What is Bioacoustic Monitoring and What Can It Do? 14
4.3 How Do NEXRAD, Bioacoustic Monitoring, and Volunteer
Groundtruthing Fit Together? 15
4.4 How Can A Bird Monitoring Organization Begin Using NEXRAD
to Observe and Predict Bird Migrations? 15
4.5 How Did BirdCast Implement the NEXRAD Component of
Its Bird Monitoring Program? 16
5. GROUNDTRUTHING OBSERVATIONS 19
5.1 How Does Groundtruthing Complement Radar Analysis? 19
5.2 How Does BirdCast Conduct Its Groundtruthing Program 20
5.3 BirdCast's Administrative Procedures 20
6. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH 27
6.1 Developing an Outreach Plan 27
6.2 Education and Outreach Tools 31
6.3 Evaluating the Effectiveness of Outreach Efforts 37
6.4 For More Information 37
APPENDIX A BIRDCAST EDUCATION AND OUTREACH MATERIALS . .39
in
-------
1
INTRODUCTION
Every year, several billion birds undertake seasonal
migrations in pursuit of food, shelter, and nesting
grounds. North America is the site of some of the
world's most spectacular bird migration, and millions of
American "birders" enjoy spending time in the field iden-
tifying the birds passing through their area. Migratory
birds are delightful not only for birders, but also for
countless other Americans who casually observe their
comings and goings, particularly in the spring and fall.
These birds also have a distinct economic value (nearly $3
billion in the mid-Atlantic states alone) to the tourist and
outfitting industries of the regions located along their
flight path.
Aside from any immediate benefits they provide, migratory birds are valuable for the role
they play in our ecosystems—in particular, for eating insects and thereby keeping pest pop-
ulations under control. We also have reason to be concerned about the well-being of
migratory birds that extends beyond any inherent value these birds may possess. As natu-
ralist Roger Tory Peterson noted, birds are an "ecological litmus paper"—because of their
rapid metabolism and wide geographic range, they often
provide an early warning of environmental deterioration.
Migratory birds depend on many different kinds of open
space, such as swamps, marshes, meadows, and suburban
parkland. Therefore, research and conservation aimed at
keeping a particular bird population healthy may lead to
the broader goal of restoring these threatened habitats.
When migrating, a bird may travel hundreds or even
thousands of miles without stopping. The exertion of fly-
ing such long distances leaves birds exhausted and
vulnerable. Many birds, particularly those that encounter
adverse weather conditions, do not survive their journeys.
Unfortunately, human activities can further increase the
levels of stress and danger that a migratory bird faces. For
example:
* Inopportune application of pesticides to lawns, gardens, and parks may poison a
bird's food supply at just the moment when it is weakest and most in need of nour-
ishment. In the United States, migratory birds are particularly vulnerable to pesticide
application as they migrate northward in the spring.
* Lights on tall structures (such as skyscrapers and communication towers) may con-
fuse and disorient birds, causing them to become exhausted and crash into objects.
Similarly, birds injure or kill themselves by flying into panes of glass. These problems
appear to be particularly severe on overcast nights when birds may circle a light
source.
af North America, the sight of migrating
migration routes in North America
INTRODUCTION
-------
* The development of land for human purposes such as agriculture, housing, and
commerce often renders it unsuitable for use by birds. Birds may be challenged not
only by the loss of habitat in their breeding and wintering ranges, but also by loss of
habitat at key stop-over points where they need to rest and regain strength over the
course of migration.
* Humans have imported animals to North America that prey upon migratory birds
(e.g., cats) or compete with them (e.g., starlings). These new biological threats, com-
bined with decreasing quantities of suitable habitat, may reduce the population and
range of a particular migratory bird species.
There is much that property managers and the general public can do to mitigate these
problems if they are aware of them, interested in solving them, and educated about bird
conservation. During a period of peak bird migration, pesticide applications can be
delayed, bright building lights can be turned off, and cats can be kept indoors. Therefore,
outreach programs designed to inform these audiences about the status of seasonal bird
migration are a promising route to improving the conservation of migratory birds.
EPA has developed this technology transfer handbook primarily for community organiz-
ers, non-profit groups, local government officials, and other decision-makers who will
implement, or are considering implementing, bird migration monitoring and public out-
reach programs. The handbook is designed with two main goals in mind. The first goal is
to present a case study showing how one regional outreach program—EMPACT's BirdCast
project for the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States—provides information that allows
property managers and the general public to assist migratory birds. The second—and per-
haps more important—goal is to provide you with guidance for developing a similar
program in your own region. The guidance in the handbook is based on the experience of
the EMPACT BirdCast project, as well as that of other experts in the fields of ornithology
and public outreach.
1.1 ABOUT THE EMPACT PROGRAM
This handbook was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's)
EMPACT Program (http://www.epa.gov/empacf). EPA created EMPACT (Environmental
Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking) in 1997. It is now one of the pro-
grams within EPA's Office of Environmental Information. EMPACT is a new approach to
providing timely environmental information to communities across the nation, helping
people to make informed, day-to-day decisions. Residents in 156 of the largest metropoli-
tan areas in the United States have or will soon have an easy way to answer questions such
* What is the ozone level in my city this morning?
* What is the water quality at my beach today?
* How high is the ultraviolet radiation in my city today?
* What is the level of contamination at the hazardous waste site in my community?
* What are the levels of lead in the soil in yards in my neighborhood?
To help make EMPACT more effective, EPA is partnering with the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Geological Survey. EPA is working closely with
these federal entities to help achieve nationwide consistency in measuring environmental
data, managing information, and delivering that information to the public.
CHAPTER 1
-------
EMPACT projects cover a wide range of environmental issues, such as groundwater con-
tamination, ocean pollution, smog, drinking water quality, ultraviolet radiation, and
ecosystem quality. Some of these projects have been initiated directly by EPA. Others have
been launched by the EMPACT communities themselves.
1.2 ABOUT THE EMPACT BIRDCAST PROJECT
EPA's EMPACT program started funding the BirdCast project (http://www.birdcast.org) in
1999, and the project started public operation on April 1, 2000. The project began as a col-
laboration among EMPACT, EPA Region 3, EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs, the
National Audubon Society, Cornell University's Laboratory of Ornithology, Clemson
University's Radar Ornithology Laboratory, the Academy of Natural Sciences in
Philadelphia, and GeoMarine, Inc. The four primary objectives of the project are:
1) To maintain an Internet Web site that posts educational information about bird migra-
tion and the steps that property managers can take to mitigate the danger and stress that
migrating birds face when passing through an area.
2) To predict and monitor bird migrations on a daily basis using weather radar. The data
gathered by radar are continually interpreted by trained scientists and presented using
text summaries, charts, and radar maps. During its first year, BirdCast also experimented
with using microphones to perform bioacoustic monitoring of bird migrations.
3) To collect and disseminate volunteers' reports of bird sightings. This information col-
lection, known as "groundtruthing," is coordinated through the BirdCast Web site.
Groundtruthing information is stored on an Web-accessible database called
"BirdSource" that Cornell maintains. Visitors to the BirdCast Web site can query this
database and display reports in chart or graph form.
4) To raise public awareness about the sensitivity of migratory bird populations. This pub-
lic relations campaign, coordinated by National Audubon, involves generating press
releases, working with local land managers, distributing promotional materials, and
making presentations at conferences and conventions.
1.2.1 BIRDCABT'B REGIONAL. Focus
To date, the BirdCast program has primarily covered bird migration along a portion of the
"mid-Atlantic flyway," a coastal area between North Carolina and New England that expe-
riences significant migratory bird activity each spring and fall. The initial focus of
BirdCast's attention has been the city of Philadelphia. BirdCast established a local partner-
ship with Philadelphia's local PBS station (WHYY) and the Academy of Natural Sciences
to develop a public relations focus on the region surrounding this city. The BirdCast pro-
ject's efforts to collaborate with land managers so far have consisted primarily of work with
Philadelphia's Fairmont Park Commission. It is hoped that eventually BirdCast can be
expanded to cover the entire Atlantic flyway. Birds could be tracked coming across the Gulf
of Mexico and at their first landfall. Birdwatchers up the coast could be alerted to the sta-
tus of the migrating birds and provided with additional early warning of their arrival.
Despite its current regional focus, BirdCast also hopes to expand to cover the entire United
States by forming new partnerships with local governments and birding organizations. So
far, BirdCast has succeeded at drawing both widespread media attention (it was discussed
in more than over 100 news articles by spring 2000) and attention in venues of national
importance (it has been covered by news reporters from both the New York Times and the
Wall Street Journal).
INTRODUCTION
-------
1.2.2 BIRDCABT IN CONTEXT
The BirdCast project is a collaboration among individuals and organizations that made sig-
nificant contributions to the field of bird monitoring both before and after receiving
EMPACT funding. A brief history of these bird monitoring activities (and of radar
ornithology in particular) will help to place BirdCast in its full context.
At the outset of World War II, almost immediately after the invention of tracking radar,
British radar operators noticed that birds flying over the English channel would sometimes
appear on their screens. At the time, this fact was noteworthy primarily because it was pos-
sible to mistake a bird for a fast-moving-ship—significant ornithological use of this
phenomenon did not begin until the 1960s. Sidney Gauthreaux, now Director of the
Clemson University Radar Ornithology Laboratory, began studying the radar detection of
birds at that time and has accumulated over 35 years of experience with the method. In the
1970s, the United States Air Force also began studying bird migration as a serious hazard
to the operation of military aircraft, which often fly at high speeds and low altitudes. The
Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) team organized by the Air Force began exploring
radar's potential to provide early warning of potential bird collisions. Their efforts were sig-
nificantly aided by the emergence of "Next Generation Radar" (NEXRAD) in the early
1990s. NEXRAD is a network of highly sensitive weather radar stations located through-
out the United States. In 1995, Sidney Gauthreaux also began using NEXRAD in his
ornithological studies.
Meanwhile, in the mid-1990s, the National Audubon Society and Cornell University's
Laboratory of Ornithology began applying a very different emerging technology to the
field of bird conservation. These two groups collaborated to develop BirdSource, a sophis-
ticated computer database that uses the Internet to allow birders from across North
America to send their observations to a central repository. With financial assistance from
the Packard Foundation, these two groups spent more than $2.5 million developing the
BirdSource database as a nation-wide information technology resource for birders.
The idea of the BirdCast program emerged at a 1997 biodiversity meeting attended by per-
sonnel from both EPA Region 3 and the Department of Defense. EPA and DoD discussed
the possibility of providing the public with near real-time information about bird migra-
tion using radar technology. BirdCast combined the capabilities of Clemson's Radar
Ornithology Lab with the information technology capabilities of BirdSource so that mem-
bers of the public would be able to not only view radar images but also submit data that
might verify (i.e., "groundtruth") those images. EMPACT began funding the project
through EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs and Region 3 in 1999, and BirdCast began its
public operations in 2000.
1.2.3 RELATED BIRD MONITORING PROGRAMS
BirdCast is not the only program that is currently using radar technology to track bird
migration. Additional groups, such as the ones listed below, either have pursued or plan to
pursue radar tracking technologies:
* BASH, the U.S. Air Force's program to guard against collisions between wildlife and
aircraft, has developed an Avian Hazard Advisory System (AHAS). AHAS can be
accessed on the Web at http://www.ahas.com. This system uses radar to predict the
risk of a bird-aircraft collision along various flight paths at various times.
* The Illinois Natural History Survey, the University of Illinois
(http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu}, and EPA Region 5 (http://www.epa.gov/region5] have pro-
CHAPTER 1
-------
posed setting up a project analogous to BirdCast for the Chicago region. The organ-
izers hope to draw Chicago residents' attention to the unique role that their urban
and suburban open spaces play in the migration of birds, thereby encouraging inter-
est in the conservation of those open spaces.
1.3 ABOUT THIS HANDBOOK
A number of bird observatories throughout the United States have expressed interest in
beginning projects similar to BirdCast. The Technology Transfer and Support Division of
the EPA Office of Research and Development's (ORD's) National Risk Management
Research Laboratory initiated the development of this handbook to help interested organ-
izations learn more about BirdCast and to provide them with the technical information
they need to develop their own programs. ORD, working with BirdCast, produced the
handbook to leverage EMPACT's investment in the project and minimize the resources
needed to implement similar projects in new areas.
Both print and CD-ROM versions of the handbook are available for direct online order-
ing from ORD's Technology Transfer Web site at http://www.epa.gov/ttbnrmrl. A PDF
version of the handbook can also be downloaded from that site. In addition, you can order
a copy of the handbook (print or CD-ROM version) by contacting ORD Publications by
telephone or by mail at:
EPA ORD Publications
USEPA-NCEPI
P.O. Box 42419
Cincinnati, OH 45242
Phone: (800) 490-9198 or (513) 489-8190
Please make sure you include the title of the handbook and the EPA document number
in your request.
We hope that you find the handbook worthwhile, informative, and easy to use.
We welcome your comments; you can send them by e-mail from EMPACT's Web site at
http://www. epa.govIempactlcomment, htm.
1.4 FOR MORE INFORMATION
Try the following resources for more on the issues and programs this handbook discusses:
The EMPACT Program
http://www. epa.gov/empact
BirdSource
http://www. BirdSource. org
Cornell University Laboratory of
Ornithology
http://birds. Cornell, edu
National Audubon Society
http://www.audubon. org
Ralph Wright
EPA Office of Pesticide Programs
(703) 308-3273
Ronald Landy
EPA Region 3
(410) 305-2757
Sally Conyne
National Audubon Society
(215) 297-9040
Steve Kelling
Cornell University Laboratory of
Ornithology
(607) 254-2478
INTRODUCTION
-------
CHAPTER 1
-------
2
How TO USE THIS HANDBOOK
T
his handbook provides information your organization can use to create and imple-
ment a Web-based bird monitoring program. It presents detailed guidance, based on
the experience of the EMPACT BirdCast Project, on how to:
1. Identify target communities that would be interested in reporting on and following
the progress of bird migration.
2. Record and present real-time information about bird migration using radar, weather
information, and acoustic monitoring.
3. Collect groundtruthing information from volunteer birders and present it to the public.
4. Provide education and outreach to members of the public about what to do when
migratory birds pass through their area.
This handbook provides simple "how to" instructions on each facet of planning and
implementing a bird monitoring program, along with additional information about bird
migration:
* Chapter 3 discusses bird migration as a general conservation issue and how the dif-
ferent members of a bird migration monitoring organization work with each other
to help birds as they migrate.
* Chapter 4 discusses instrument-based observations of birds.
* Chapter 5 covers a variety of issues relevant to volunteer groundtruthing, including
a detailed description of BirdCast's policies and experiences working with volunteer
birders.
* Chapter 6 treats the methods and strategies a bird monitoring organization may
make use of to conduct public outreach and education.
* Appendix A presents examples of education and outreach materials from the
BirdCast project.
Interspersed throughout the handbook are success stories and lessons learned in the course
of the EMPACT BirdCast project.
Haw TO USE THIS HANDBOOK
-------
CHAPTER 2
-------
3
BEGINNING A NEW BIRD
MIGRATION MONITORING PROGRAM
This chapter provides guidance on important first steps that you will need to take as
you start your bird migration monitoring program. Section 3.1 provides a brief
overview of the structure of a bird migration monitoring program and outlines the
roles and responsibilities of program partners, based on the EMPACT BirdCast Project
model. Section 3.2 discusses the critical process of selecting program partners who can best
help you meet your program's objectives within your target community.
The information in this chapter is designed primarily for managers and decision-makers
who may be considering whether to implement bird migration monitoring programs in
their communities, as well as for organizers who are implementing such programs.
3.1 PROGRAM STRUCTURE: OVERVIEW OF A
BIRD MIGRATION MONITORING PROGRAM
The EMPACT BirdCast project is a multifaceted project that engages a variety of activi-
ties—everything from distributing posters to counting birds. These activities can be
grouped into four main categories, which make up the main components of the project:
administration and public outreach, radar analysis, database management, and volunteer
groundtruthing.
The following paragraphs summarize these activities to provide an overview of how the
EMPACT BirdCast program works. These activities are described in greater detail in
Chapters 4 through 6.
General Administration and Public Outreach. The administrator and staff of BirdCast
are responsible for the primary public relations and outreach efforts of the project. This
includes managing the distribution of posters about pesticide use, maintaining contacts
with news media organizations to ensure that BirdCast stays in the public eye, issuing peri-
odic press releases, and working with local land managers to encourage bird-friendly
gardening practices. The administrator also provides a broad range of support tasks related
to the project's birdwatching volunteer program. These tasks include providing advice
about making bird identifications, making quality control checks of data submitted by vol-
unteers, and networking to recruit new volunteers. The BirdCast administrator also serves
a central liaison with the other BirdCast staff, including the radar analyst and the chief
database base manager.
Radar Analysis. The chief radar analyst and his assistant are responsible for predicting the
degree of bird migration activity in upcoming evenings and for measuring the actual
amount of bird migration using radar data. The radar analyst (and/or his assistant) must
make daily reports of predicted and observed migration during the periods of bird migra-
tion (in the spring and the fall) but have fewer regular duties during the "offseason." They
seek out and contract information service providers to ensure a constant supply of radar
data during the periods of migration. Once per day, the radar analysts submit their predic-
tions and observations to the database administrator via the Internet.
Database Administration. BirdCast s database administrator and his staff ensure that the
public has access (via the Internet) to the information submitted by the radar analyst. In
the case of BirdCast, the database is actually maintained as a separate organization called
BEGINNING A NEW BIRD MIGRATION MONITORING PROGRAM
-------
BirdSource. BirdSource is an entity distinct from BirdCast and it maintains a variety of
other Web-enabled birding databases. The BirdCast database administrator issues user
identifications to new volunteers, implements backups and system security measures, and
coordinates the programming of changes to the database system. Also, while BirdCast's
bioaccoustic monitoring was being conducted, the project was coordinated by the database
administrator.
Volunteer Birdwatching. BirdCast's volunteers provide the "groundtruthing" information
necessary to verify the observations made using radar instrumentation. Volunteers are
recruited by the project administrator and contact her with any questions or comments
they may have about their participation in the program. Registered volunteers make obser-
vations several times a week and record their findings directly to the BirdCast database
(using the Internet).
The flow chart below summarizes the basic structure of the BirdCast project. The chart
identifies the main activities of the project, the team members responsible for these activi-
ties, and the flow of work among team members. It also indicates where in this handbook
you can go for more information about specific activities.
BIRD CAST I an EMPACT-funded, collaborative
effort to track bird migration
a computer facility
at Cornell's
Laboratory of
Ornithology for the
collection and
dissemination of
groundtracking data
3.2 SELECTING PROGRAM PARTNERS
As described in Chapter 1, BirdCast is a partnership of several public and non-profit organ-
izations. These have included university laboratories, a wildlife conservation society, a park
management authority, and a natural history organization. The reason BirdCast is com-
posed of such a wide range of partners is that its goals require the use of a wide range range
1 D
CHAPTER 3
-------
of skills and community connections. None of the individual organizations, working by
themselves, would have been as effective as the collaboration of many different organiza-
tions, each possessing complementary skills and abilities.
For example, the staff of Clemson University's Radar Ornithology Lab have specialized
skills in forecasting and analyzing bird migration patterns using radar images and other
weather data. The National Audubon Society, on the other hand, has an extensive media
infrastructure for presenting bird conservation information to the public and can easily
enlist the support of birding communities. Cornell's Laboratory of Ornithology, in con-
junction with the National Audubon Society, has invested in the development of
BirdSource, a sophisticated Web-enabled database for the collection and distribution of
bird monitoring data.
In starting your own bird monitoring program, you'll need to assemble a team of individ-
uals or organizations who offer a similar range of skills and qualifications. To select partners
or team members, you should think about how each will fit into the overall program struc-
ture, and how different partners can work together to create a successful program. You will
also need to consider their relationship to the region where you will be monitoring bird
activity. For example:
* A small, grass-roots organization that already has strong ties to the community can
be ideal for providing public outreach and obtaining volunteer birdwatchers. Local
chapters of birding clubs, natural history associations, or conservation groups can
all be good choices. (For a directory of birding clubs in the United States, see:
(http://birding. about, com/hobbies/birding/library/blalphausclub. htm.)
«• A university with an ornithology laboratory would make a good partner for identi-
fying and interpreting radar images of birds. A professor or graduate student working
in such a lab might either already have the necessary skills or be able to acquire them
for the benefit of the bird monitoring project.
* A government agency, university, or private company that employs persons with a
range of programming and "new media" skills would make a good partner for the
purposes of establishing a Web site where the public can access up-to-date radar
images and submit and retrieve groundtruthing observations. Building such a Web
site from the ground up may require access to staff trained in JAVA programming,
Web page design, network administration, and database building.
3.3 FIGURING COSTS
One of the important first steps for your organization to take when it is considering setting
up a bird monitoring program is to estimate how much your planned activities will cost.
Although your program need not be as large or ambitious as BirdCast's, you may find it
helpful to know how much money BirdCast spent in its first year of operation.
In its initial year (between December of 1999 and November of 2000) EMPACT provided
BirdCast with $449,500 for operations and set-up. As shown above, these expenses break
down into five categories, each of which was handled by a separate entity:
* Project management and national level promotion was handled by National
Audubon Society. This cost $71,000 or 16% of the overall EMPACT budget for
BirdCast. This category covers all the public promotion of BirdCast that went on
during the year, excepting a local media campaign in Philadelphia.
BEGINNING A NEW BIRD MIGRATION MONITORING PROGRAM
i i
-------
Software for Processing
NEXRAD Images
22%
Project Management
and National-level
Promotion
16%
Generation and
Interpretation of
NEXRAD Images
15%
Project Promotion in
Philadelphia Area
17%
Database and
Internet Support
30%
* Project promotion in the Philadelphia area was handled by the Academy of
Natural Sciences. This cost $76,500 or 17% of the overall EMPACT budget for
BirdCast. The Academy was responsible for encouraging local news media to discuss
BirdCast and reporting its findings.
* Database and Internet support was provided by the staff of the BirdSource project
at Cornell University. This support cost $136,000, or 30% of the overall EMPACT
budget. BirdSource staff maintained the BirdCast Web site, set up and managed a
database for groundtruthing observations, and coordinated BirdCast's bioacoustic
monitoring program.
* Generation and interpretation of NEXRAD images was performed by Clemson
University's Radar Ornithology Laboratory (CUROL) for a fee of $68,000, or 15%
of the overall EMPACT budget. As described elsewhere in this report, CUROL
submitted daily radar information about bird migration to the BirdCast Web site.
* Software for Processing NEXRAD images was developed by GeoMarine Software
for $98,000, or 22% of the overall EMPACT budget. GeoMarine developed soft-
ware algorithms for distinguishing radar signals reflected from birds from those
reflected from clouds.
This cost breakdown represents the first-year of a cutting-edge program and should not be
taken as completely representative of the ongoing costs of other bird monitoring programs,
particularly those that are smaller in scale. For example, BirdCast organizers learned that it
was neither necessary nor feasible at present to automatically distinguish birds from pre-
cipitation with software algorithms. The expense associated with this component of the
program, therefore, was not carried forward into future years and need not be incurred by
newer monitoring programs.
1 Z
CHAPTER 3
-------
4
INSTRUMENT-BASED
OF BIRD MIGRATION
DBS ERVATION
Flying takes a lot of work. While larger birds (such as raptors, cranes, and waterfowl)
will migrate during daylight hours, most songbirds migrate on clear, calm nights when
weather conditions are most favorable to powered flight. Unless there is a full moon
out, lack of light can make it almost impossible to visually observe migrating songbirds.
Birders can take note of where such birds land in the morning, but actual songbird migra-
tion is typically recorded using special instruments.
The primary foundation of BirdCast's predictions and observations of bird migration is the
information provided by a network of WSR-88D weather stations located throughout the
United States. These weather stations (and the data they produce) are collectively referred
to as Next Generation Radar (NEXRAD). BirdCast has also experimented with bioacoustic
monitoring of nocturnal bird migration. Although this technique has proved promising, it
is not currently in widespread use due to cost considerations.
4.1 WHAT is NEXRAD AND WHAT CAN IT Do?
Like all radar systems, NEXRAD identifies the location of distant objects by transmitting
radio signals and analyzing the returning signals that have been reflected off of those dis-
tant objects. Unlike previous radar networks, which were composed of WSR-57 and/or
WSR-74C radar stations, NEXRAD radar is also able to measure the radial velocity of
objects by recording the Doppler shift of the reflected radar. (The Doppler shift is the dif-
ference between the frequency of the transmitted radar signal and the reflected signal—if
the reflected signal is higher frequency
than the transmitted signal, it is an indi-
cation that the reflecting object is
moving toward the radar station; con-
versely, if the reflected signal is at a
lower frequency, it is an indication that
the object is moving away from the
radar station).
In addition to this new ability to detect
object velocity, NEXRAD is also distin-
guished by increased object detection
sensitivity. This is particularly impor-
tant for ornithologists because birds are
relatively weak reflectors (compared to
the objects usually detected with radar,
such as clouds, airplanes, and ships). NEXRAD is capable of detecting birds flying at a
range of heights and can provide a rough idea of the altitude at which a particular group
of birds is flying. NEXRAD is so sensitive that radar ornithologists need to learn how to
differentiate birds and insects—both can be detected.
Finally, NEXRAD provides information about the reflectivity of a particular object (i.e.,
how effective a particular object is at reflecting radio waves). Reflectivity can be determined
by a number of different factors but in the case of migrating birds, it provides indirect
information about the number of birds traveling in a particular area.
NEXRAD Radar Station in Mount Holly, New Jersey
INSTRUMENT-BASED OBSERVATION DF BIRD MIGRATION
1 3
-------
In summary, then, NEXRAD can help determine:
*The location of a group of migrating birds, including general altitude information.
* The speed with which the group birds are moving towards and away from a partic-
ular radar station.
* The approximate quantity of migrating birds in a particular area. Quantitative
NEXRAD estimates are calibrated by "moonwatching" (counting the number of
birds that fly across a visible full moon) and by making next-morning ground obser-
vations.
4.2 WHAT is B i 0 AC 0 u STI c MONITORING
AND WHAT CAN IT Do?
BirdCast staff have been experimenting with bioacoustic monitoring as a way of keeping
track of nighttime bird migrations. Bioacoustic monitoring is the process of recording bird
calls and matching them to a library of the bird calls of different species. When birds fly at
night, they typically make frequent 50- to 100-millisecond vocalizations. Some birders can
make fine distinctions between certain kinds of birds simply on the basis of these calls (e.g.,
the distinction between the Veery Thrush, the Gray-Cheeked Thrush, and the Hermit
Thrush). Although birders can perform something like bioacoustic monitoring right in
their heads, BirdCast staff are developing a computerized system to automate and stan-
dardize the process of recording, filtering, and identifying bird calls.
A bioacoustic monitoring station, typically located on the property of a volunteer birder,
consists of a computer with a sound processing card and a specially designed outdoor
microphone. The microphones used in bioacoustic monitoring can detect noises made by
birds that fly up to 1,500 above the ground. Throughout an entire evening, the computer
automatically analyzes the sounds picked up on the microphone and digitally records those
sounds that appear to be made by birds. In the morning, a volunteer uploads this "filtered"
recording to the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, where more sophisticated computer
software enters the information into a database and attempts to determine which species
are represented in the recording.
The BirdCast program has recently found it necessary to curtail its bioaccoustic monitor-
ing program—only a very few stations are currently in use and there are no current plans
to establish new ones. The greatest barrier to the more extensive use of bioacoustic moni-
toring has been the cost of manufacturing the special microphones for the monitoring
stations. The basic materials for the microphones are quite inexpensive, but because pro-
duction quantities were extremely low, the microphones were being hand-built by
laboratory staff at Cornell. The microphones currently cost about $2,500 apiece, but
BirdCast staff imagine that the microphones could be dramatically reduced in price if some
way were found to mass produce them.
Additional limitations of bioacoustic monitoring include the following:
* Weather conditions can affect both the likelihood that birds will make noises and the
ease with which those noises can be picked up with a microphone. Thus, it is diffi-
cult to disentangle weather variability from variability in the numbers of migrating
birds.
* Many species of birds do not make noises while flying. Therefore, it is difficult to
gauge overall numbers of migrating birds solely using this method.
1 4
CHAPTER 4
-------
* Bioacoustic technology is in an early stage of development. The software that is used
to quantify and identify birds on the basis of sound recordings is still quite experi-
mental and there has not been enough time for scientific literature to accumulate on
this topic.
4.3 Haw Da NEXRAD, BiaAcausric MONITORING,
AND VOLUNTEER GROUNDTRUTHING FIT TOGETHER?
It is noteworthy that the altitude detection range for bioacoustic monitoring (0-1,500 feet)
does not overlap with the detection range for NEXRAD radar (generally between 3,000 to
6,000 feet). The non-overlap of these two ranges complicates the correlation of bioacoustic
results and NEXRAD results, as it is possible for certain bird species to picked up by one
kind of instrument and not the other. Due to the influence of variable weather conditions
and a lack of complete information about the altitude at which different bird species fly
when they migrate, it is not possible to precisely predict which species will fly within the
altitude range of which instruments on any given evening.
Groundtruthing data collection, covered in greater detail in Chapter 5, is an essential com-
plement to both NEXRAD radar interpretation and bioacoustic monitoring. One reason
for this is the fact that it is difficult to ascertain what kinds of birds are migrating through
an area solely from NEXRAD data. In combination with coordinated groundtruthing data,
however, it is sometimes possible to associate particular clusters of reflectivity with partic-
ular species of birds. Groundtruthing also helps to calibrate the quantitative estimates of
birds made from radar and it serves as a quality control check of the basic reporting infor-
mation provided by radar and bioacoustic monitoring.
Until recently, the BirdCast Web site combined the daily results of NEXRAD observations,
bioaccoustic monitoring, and groundtruthing in a single display. The purpose of this dis-
play was to show how each of these methods produced results that were similar to those of
the other methods. Under ideal circumstances, for example, all three methods would pre-
dict the same degree of migration activity. This display has been recently discontinued on
the grounds that some viewers may have found it too complicated.
4.4 Haw CAN A BIRD MONITORING ORGANIZATION
BEGIN USING NEXRAD Ta OBSERVE AND PREDICT
BIRD MIGRATIONS?
The essential first step in setting up a radar component for your migration monitoring pro-
gram is to contact an organization that is already experienced in this work, such as the
Clemson University Radar Ornithology Laboratory or the Illinois Natural History Survey.
Such contact is essential for obtaining advice about the feasibility of your project and about
the best way to obtain the expertise necessary to accomplish your project. Depending on
the training and availability of your organization's staff, you will probably need to either
delegate your actual NEXRAD analysis to an experienced laboratory or send a staff mem-
ber for training at such a laboratory. Both of these plans would require negotiating a
working partnership with an organization possessing expertise in radar ornithology.
The use of NEXRAD to forecast bird migration, in the words of one practitioner, "is a dif-
ficult task that requires laboratory and field experience as well as an appreciation for
meteorological phenomena." The interpretation of NEXRAD radar to observe current
migration is a similarly complex task. At present, it is an undertaking suitable for a gradu-
ate level or post-doctoral ornithologist who has received hands-on training with an expert.
INSTRUMENT-BASED OBSERVATION OF BIRD MIGRATION
1 5
-------
4.5 Haw DID BIRDCAST IMPLEMENT THE NEXRAD
COMPONENT OF ITS BIRD MONITORING PROGRAM?
In July 1998, Dr. Sidney Gauthreaux of the Clemson University Radar Ornithology
Laboratory (CUROL) helped propose the BirdCast project to EPA's EMPACT Program.
His proposed task involved forecasting bird migration twice a day (mid-morning and mid-
evening) over the Delaware Valley and then using Doppler weather surveillance radar (i.e.,
the NEXRAD network of WSR-88D stations) to validate the forecast and measure the
actual amount of bird migration that occurred over the area. The text files and graphic
radar files were to be sent to the BirdCast Web server at the Laboratory of Ornithology at
Cornell University and posted on the BirdCast Web site. GeoMarine, another partner in
the project, was to supply hourly WSR-88D imagery that had been processed to eliminate
echoes from weather and other non-bird targets. The hourly images would also be posted
on the BirdCast Web site. A proposal was developed in August 1998 and work began after
Clemson University signed a subcontract with National Audubon Society in mid-March 2000.
4.5.1 ACTIVITIES IN SPRING 2OOQ
The first task was to purchase a host computer (Dell Dimension XPS T600MHz, Dell
Computer Corporation) that could be used to download the WSR-88D images from the
NEXRAD Information Distribution Service (NIDS) provider, download the weather data
necessary for generating a migration forecast, and serve as host computer where Cornell
could electronically "capture" forecast text files, analysis text files, and the mosaic radar
image files. CUROL used Marta Systems, Inc. as the NIDS provider. CUROL was famil-
iar with Marta Systems' software, so it could easily make the mosaic images of the radar
displays from the Delaware Valley. In order to work from remote locations, CUROL also
purchased a Gateway Solo 9300 CX laptop computer. This allowed laboratory staff to
work on forecasts and analysis while at home or traveling by communicating with the Dell
host computer over the Internet. CUROL believes that laptops are essential for producing
consistent and timely results for display on the BirdCast Web site.
During a previous research project in the middle 1970s, Dr. Gauthreaux developed a multi-
variate forecasting model to predict the amount of bird migration in the Athens, Georgia,
area. The input variables for this model were the weather predictions for the period in ques-
tion. Dr. Gauthreaux generated this model by step-wise regression analysis, choosing an array
of weather variables that best explained the variation of nighdy bird migration amounts. No
existing forecasting models of bird migration were available for the Delaware Valley area and
time constraints prohibited the development of a model for the region. Given this situation,
CUROL used the Athens forecast model for the spring 2000 BirdCast effort.
From 31 March through 30 May, Dr. Gauthreaux or graduate students Andrew Farnsworth
or Jonathan Ariail gathered weather data via the Internet from weather stations in the
Delaware Valley for input to the Athens model. The model generated a forecast of the
amount of migration expected over the Delaware Valley. The model was run before noon
to forecast the amount of migration expected that evening at 10 PM, and it was run before
midnight to forecast the amount of migration expected the following morning at 10 AM.
In addition, to verify the accuracy of their forecasts, CUROL downloaded radar imagery
from five WSR-88D stations (KAKQ in Norfolk, VA; KLWX in Sterling, VA.; KDOX at
Dover Air Force Base, DE; KDIX at Ft. Dix near Philadelphia, PA; and KCCX at State
College, PA) and made mosaic images showing the amount of bird migration over the
Delaware Valley at the forecast times. The laboratory analyzed and interpreted the mosaics
so that the viewer of BirdCast would be able to discriminate birds from weather and insects.
1 6
CHAPTER 4
-------
Each morning before noon and each evening before midnight, CUROL staff placed the
text file of the forecast, the text file of the analysis, the graphic file of the radar reflectivity
mosaic, and the graphic file of the radar velocity mosaic in separate folders on the Dell host
computer. The BirdCast server at Cornell automatically downloaded the files and posted
the materials on the BirdCast Web site. Except for a few glitches near the beginning of the
project, the CUROL efforts proceeded with no problems.
4.5.2 LATER SEASONS (FALL ZQQQ AND SPRING ZQQ1)
CUROL was encouraged to continue with the BirdCast program because of its success in
forecasting the amount of bird migration during the initial BirdCast effort. There were a
number of changes between the second season of BirdCast and the first. For example,
BirdCast coverage was expanded in this season to include the state of New York. Also,
because only a very small amount of bird movement had been found in the mid-morning
hours, CUROL discontinued forecasts and analyses of daytime bird migration.
CUROL learned from the spring 2000 effort that using a single model to forecast migration
amount over the entire BirdCast area resulted in inaccurate forecasts for some areas. In an
effort to overcome the geographical limitations of the spring 2000 model, CUROL devel-
oped two models specifically for the BirdCast area using a step-wise regression analysis of
forecast weather variables and the amount of bird migration measured (i.e., the relative
reflectivity of targets [dBZ] displayed in WSR-88D images). CUROL used WSR-88D data
collected during the fall migration of 1999 for another CUROL project and Local Climatic
Data (LCD) for September and October 1999 that it purchased from the National Climatic
Data Center (NCDC) for two stations: Albany, New York, and Washington, D.C. By the
spring of 2001, CUROL had developed more than 30 regional models.
As in the spring of 2000, at 2 PM every day CUROL placed a text file containing the
evening forecast, a text file containing the analysis of the previous evening, the graphic file
of the radar reflectivity mosaic, and the graphic file of the radar velocity mosaic in separate
folders on CUROL's BirdCast host computer. As in the spring the Cornell BirdCast server
collected these files and posted them to the CUROL portions of the BirdCast Web site.
The ability to generate a forecast each day, including days on which both forecasters were
traveling or away from the CUROL host computer, was greatly enhanced by a laptop com-
puter with an FTP program that allowed the forecasters to upload text and graphics
remotely. With the exception of some initial glitches that were quickly corrected, CUROL's
models worked well. A sample of the Web page products for an afternoon posting (in this
case for the afternoons of 28 and 29 September 2000) can be found in Figure 1.
4.5.3 FEEDBACK AND CONCLUSIONS
CUROL received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the public with regard to its fore-
casting and the radar ornithology tutorial that it developed for the BirdCast Web site.
Although the forecasting and analysis portion of the BirdCast project is complete, CUROL
seeks to develop better forecast models. As it refines its methodology for building models
and its understanding of the interactions and correlations between specific weather vari-
ables and the amount of bird migration, the accuracy of its forecasting will continue to
improve. Models are an absolute necessity for any attempt to track bird migration over
large spatial scales (such as the entire eastern seaboard), and improved accuracy will
improve scientists' ability to understand where and when large movements of migrating
birds will occur.
INSTRUMENT-BASED OBSERVATION DF BIRD MIGRATION
i v
-------
Figure 1. NEXRAD radar images of bird migration on September 28: reflectivity (1) and velocity (r).
Analysis 28 September evening:
Weather conditions over the BirdCast area were favorable for bird migration.
Northerly winds, clear skies, and cool temperatures associated with a strong ridge
of high pressure over the area facilitated southward movements of migrants across
the region. The reflectivity image (above left) shows extensive moderate to high
densities (15-28 dBZ) of non-precipitation reflectors over the coverage area. The
velocity image (above right) shows most of these reflectors are moving S and SSW
at 20-50 knots on N and NW winds at 5-10 knots. These are likely birds.
Migration amount was moderate to high across the region, with bird densities
reaching 600-1150 birds per cubic kilometers (25-28 dBZ) in many areas.
—Andrew Farnsworth, Clemson University Radar Ornithology Laboratory
Forecast 29 September evening:
Weather conditions over the BirdCast area will not be favorable for bird migration.
E and S winds and warming temperatures associated with high pressure off the coast
of New England will keep most birds on the ground. Migration amount will be low
to moderate, reaching densities of 80-120 birds per cubic kilometer (12-16 dBZ).
—Andrew Farnsworth, Clemson University Radar Ornithology Laboratory.
1 B
CHAPTER 4
-------
5
B RDU N DTRUTH ING OBSERVATIONS
The ornithological community uses the term "groundtruthing" to refer to a particular
process of corroborating and supplementing instrument-based observations of birds
(such as NEXRAD signals). This procedure is straightforward: one recruits birders in
the area in question to count and identify birds there. A collective groundtruthing program
serves a variety of purposes:
* It complements the radar data provided by NEXRAD.
* As a form of "citizen science" it encourages birders to become
increasingly engaged in environmental science and conservation.
* It makes birding more fun by organizing an audience for the
observations of individual birders.
This chapter is oriented toward helping the administrators of
bird monitoring organizations develop and manage groundtruthing pro-
grams. It describes BirdCast's sophisticatedlnternet-based groundtruthing
database (BirdSource). However, a groundtruthing program need not use
precisely this kind of tool to manage its information. Regardless of a par-
ticular program's data distribution/collection needs, the experiences of the
BirdCast program may provide valuable insights.
5.1 Haw DOES BROUNDTRUTH i N B
COMPLEMENT RADAR ANALYSIS?
Dedicated birdwatchers are often eager
to contribute their observations to
The eyes and ears of a careful observer offer the most direct indication
of the number and type of birds in a particular area. Therefore, such groundtruthing programs.
observations can serve as a means of calibrating, validating, and supple-
menting NEXRAD images of bird migration. As described in Chapter 4, NEXRAD does
not provide a direct sampling of the number of birds traveling through a particular area and
provides very little information about what kind of birds are being detected. All it can do is
record the radio reflectivity at a particular distance and angle from the station. During
spring migration in particular, there appears to be a high correlation between nights when
radar shows bird-like signals and mornings when birders see a lot of new birds on the
ground in nearby areas. Radar ornithologists are still in the process of developing relation-
ships between radar activity at a particular place and time and groundtruthing results at
other places and times. Therefore, there is heightened value in a coordinated program of
groundtruthing and radar imaging—the connection between the two data sets is as valuable
as the sets themselves. In the future, for example, it may be possible to track the migration
of individual species of birds using a combination of radar and extensive groundtruthing.
BRDUNDTRUTHINB OBSERVATIONS
1 9
-------
5.2 Haw DOES BIRDCAST CONDUCT
ITS GROUNDTRUTHING PROGRAM?
Over an average week of operation, the BirdCast Web site receives more than 300 reports
of bird activity from its volunteers. The project then presents this information (in the form
of charts and graphs) to the Web site's visitors, who number over 80,000 in a 2-month
migratory season. As these figures indicate, BirdCast's groundtruthing program requires
significant information technology infrastructure and program administration. Whether
your organization is planning a groundtruthing program of similar scope or one that will
be smaller scale, a knowledge of the methods and experiences of BirdCast in this endeavor
is likely to be helpful.
I N FRASTRU CTU RE
5.2.1 BIRDCAST'S IN FOR MAT ION MANAGEMENT
As described in Chapter 3, BirdCast's operation relies on a substantial prior investment of
time, money, and labor in the establishment of BirdSource's information technology infra-
structure. This infrastructure consists of:
* Software: an Oracle database customized to handle groundtruthing data, JAVA
applications to process the information requests of users of the BirdSource Web
site, and a CIS tool that allows users to specify the latitude and longitude of their
observation site by zooming in from a map of the mid-Atlantic United States.
* Hardware: A four-processor server computer to maintain the BirdSource web site,
an uninterruptable power supply and tape backup system, and Internet connection
service for the computer.
* Support Staff: one full-time network administrator and five JAVA programmers.
This infrastructure, which cost $2.5 million to establish, is larger and more robust than
what is necessary to simply record and present groundtruthing information. One proposed
bird monitoring program, based in the Chicago area, expects to meet its information tech-
nology needs for 2 years at a cost of $100,000 per year. A potentially economical option
for supporting groundtruthing programs may be to collaborate with BirdSource staff at
Cornell's Laboratory of Ornithology. BirdSource staff expect that they could provide com-
plete information technology support for an initial outlay of $35,000-50,000 and a
maintenance fee of $5,000-10,000 per year. Depending on the goals and needs of your
organization's groundtruthing program, it may not even be necessary to spend this much.
One group planning to set up a groundtruthing program in the Chicago area has estimated
that they could store their data using spreadsheet software and would not even need to
dedicate an entire Windows workstation to the task.
5.3 BIRDCAST'S ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
BirdCast records the birding observations of both registered and unregistered visitors to its
Web site. The former are called "control" observations and the latter are called "anony-
mous" observations.
5.3.1 COLLECTING CONTROL OBSERVATIONS
Control observations are repeated visual inventories of birds obtained by regularly visiting
a particular site during a bird migration season. They are made by committed, experienced
birders known by or referred to the site's administrator. It is one of the primary tasks of the
administrator to identify these individuals, provide them with support and guidance, and
monitor and edit their contributions to the database.
ZD
CHAPTER 5
-------
The site administrator actively recruits individuals to serve as control observers through
several avenues:
* Personal networking within the local birding community.
* Appeals to local conservation groups, such as chapters of the Audubon Society and
the Nature Conservancy.
* Postings to e-mail distribution lists dedicated to birding.
A control observer needs be reasonably experienced at quantifying and identifying birds in
his or her area. He or she must also have enough free time, energy, and commitment to
make frequent visits to an observation site. Ideally, a volunteer should be able to make these
visits during the early morning hours (between sunrise and roughly 9 AM) when migratory
birds are most active. It is also very helpful for a volunteer to be able to recognize birds by
their songs as this is the most rapid way of identifying the presence of a particular species
of bird. (The Cornell ornithological laboratory makes recordings of bird songs that volun-
teers can use for training purposes.)
At present, BirdCast has not established a formal procedure for screening observers or
checking their qualifications, as most control observers are friends or colleagues of the proj-
ect organizers. Some control observers, however, are individuals unknown to BirdCast staff
who have spontaneously approached the project about participating. It is assumed that an
inexperienced birdwatcher would tend to be discouraged by the time commitment required
in making regular observations over a prolonged period, so there is a process of "self-screen-
ing" inherent in signing up volunteers.
/•r
Lessons Learned: How frequently should control observers go into the field?
In the experience of BirdCast organizers, control observers should ideally make five visits to a sin-
gle observation site during each week of a data collection period. A typical observation session takes
between 1 and 2 hours, depending on the observer's time constraints and the abundance of birds
at the observation site. This schedule of frequent observations increases the likelihood of "catch-
ing" the migration of different species of birds through an area. The goal is to have the observation
record reflect the variability of the birds' presence or absence at a particular location rather than the
variability of the observer's presence or absence.
In the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, spring migration period takes place over a relatively
short period of time: roughly from April 15 to May 15. Fall migration, however, is more difficult to
observe completely because it takes place over a more extended period of time. In the fall of 2000,
BirdCast experienced significant difficulties with volunteer burn-out when it asked control observers
to work from September 1 to November 1. In the future, BirdCast is planning to implement a stag-
gered observation schedule that will keep observers' commitment limited to approximately 1 month.
Volunteers living at higher latitudes will begin and end their observing earlier than will volunteers
living at lower latitudes.
BRDUNDTRUTHINB OBSERVATIONS
z i
-------
Once the site administrator has identified a new control observer, she briefs him or her
about the standard observation protocols used by the project and issues that person a new
User ID for logging into the site. Also, new control observers need to be shown how to use
BirdSource's interactive map to estimate the latitude and longitude of their observation site.
The interactive map is a software component of the BirdSource Web site in which users
"zoom in" to their observation site by clicking on a map of the United States. Once a user has
selected a particular location, the software calculates that location's latitude and longitude.
Once they have registered and determined the location of their observation site, control
observers use their User ID to access data entry pages on the BirdCast Web site where they
can enter:
* The date and time of their observations.
* Whether or not they recorded every species that they saw.
* The birders' estimation of their own skill at identification.
* The physical environment and weather at the place of observation.
* The numbers and kinds of different birds counted.
* Any additional information not provided elsewhere in the form.
The administrator has ongoing responsibilities for answering any questions the control
observer may have and for editing the data provided by the observer. The purpose of this
editing process is to ensure that the data provided by the control observers is of a high qual-
ity. Editing requires some local birding expertise—one must review the submitted
observations and make judgment calls about whether they are reasonable, questionable, or
obviously erroneous. The administrator flags control observations that appear problematic
and follows up with the observer to resolve her concerns. The following signs, when they
appear repeatedly or in combination with each other, may cast doubt on an observer's
results:
* Species that are extremely rare for the area, particularly in large numbers.
* Species that are extremely rare for a particular time of year (particularly record-set-
ting early sightings of a species).
* The omission of migratory species that are quite common for the particular area
and time.
None of these signs is a certain indication that a set of observations is invalid, but they may
prompt the BirdCast administrator to request additional information from the observer,
such as sketches, notes, photographs, and the names of co-observers. Following is a sample
letter from BirdCast that requests additional information in a non-confrontational manner:
ZZ
CHAPTER 5
-------
May 10, 2001
Dear Mr./Ms
I'm interested in learning more about the birds you've reported to our project and the site
from which you're reporting. As you probably know, you've had some extraordinary sight-
ings during the two days for which you've reported. Standard procedure for our BirdSource
projects is that we request verification for unusual reports before the data is entered in the
database.
Several of these would be all time early records for your immediate area and the numbers
you report for some species are unusually large. On the other hand, your report for a species
like Yellow-rumped Warbler is very low.
We are making a great effort to report only species and numbers that were well seen and
absolutely identified. Only sightings of this type will give our project credibility and, in the
long run, benefit bird conservation efforts. With this in mind, would you review your
reports that I have listed below and answer the following questions?
Was the bird well-seen? for how long?
Is this a positive identification? Which of the field marks were observed?
Was the bird photographed? Was it seen by additional observers?
Were notes taken? Sketches made?
American Black Duck - Wild bird? late
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - early
Golden-crowned Kinglet - late
Philadelphia Vireo - 1 unusual, 2 extremely rare
Bay-breasted Warbler - early, 2
Cerulean Warbler - early, 2
Mourning Warbler - early
Yellow-breasted Chat - early, 2
Rusty Blackbird - late, unusual, 10 birds
I would also like to have more information about the site where you observed these species.
Is this land named? Is it public or private?
Thanks very much for providing us with this information and thanks for your patience.
Sally Conyne
Audubon
/•r
BRDUNDTRUTHINB OBSERVATIONS
-------
BirdCast also has a number of proactive strategies for limiting the amount of potentially
unreliable observations that it receives. These strategies include:
* Putting caps on the number of individual birds of a particular species that can be
reported.
* Phrasing data entry questions clearly to avoid misunderstanding.
* Offering assistance in the identification of birds to volunteers.
* Creating area-specific checklists of birds for volunteers to use in data entry. This
prevents the reporting of obviously erroneous reports (e.g., roadrunners in upstate
New York)
Lessons Learned: Data Entry Burdens
One of the lessons that BirdCast organizers learned when they established their volunteer
groundtruthing program was that they needed to minimize the data entry requirements for their vol-
unteers. Some of the first volunteer observers complained that the observation protocols took too
long to key into the computer. BirdCast has reduced the length of its protocol since then to make
volunteers' jobs easier.
5.3.2 COLLECTING ANONYMOUS OBSERVATIONS
Visitors to the BirdCast Web site do not need to register or commit to making a schedule
of repeated observations in order to submit data to the BirdSource database. Any birder vis-
iting the site may submit information as an "anonymous" observer. Strictly speaking, these
observers are not always anonymous because they are encouraged to submit their e-mail
address along with their observations. The term is meant in distinction to the control
observers, who are either known by or referred to the BirdCast staff.
The data entry form used by anonymous observers and the data they submit are very sim-
ilar to those of control observers. There are number of differences, however, between how
control and anonymous observations are handled. Unlike control observations, anonymous
observations do not include information about the latitude and longitude of the observa-
tion site. Instead, observers simply list the postal code of their area. Also, BirdCast does not
(at present) conduct any quality control editing of anonymous observations. BirdCast staff
currently do not have enough time to manually edit the anonymous observations, which
are of somewhat less value than the control observations because they are not made regu-
larly. BirdCast hopes, however, that in the future they will be able to institute
computer-based "filters" that will provide automated quality control of anonymous data.
5.3.3 DISPLAYING GROUNDTRUTHING INFORMATION
Visitors to the BirdCast Web site have two options for displaying observation data. They
may either:
* Select a single observation location. The user then views a table (such as Figure 2 and
Figure 3) of different kinds of birds counted at that single observation location (either
an anonymous observation postal code or a specific control site). The table also lists the
numbers of each kind of bird, and the numbers of reports of each kind of bird. The
user may select whether this table lists results for the entire migration period or for a
specific date.
CHAPTER 5
-------
Select a single species of bird. The user then views a graph (such as Figure 4 and Figure
5) of how many times that bird was sighted during each day of the migration period.
The graph includes combined information from all the control sites but excludes anony-
mous observations. This is because anonymous observations are not edited for accuracy
and are not likely to be made regularly at any single location.
BirdCast Control Results for:
Dryden Lake, NY Lat: 42.4610113
JAM Dates Combined Long: -76.2766158
Species Name
Pied-billed Grebe
Number of
Birds Seen
6
Great Blue Heron 2
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Osprev
Bonaparte's Gull
30
6
2
10
Number of
Reports
2
2
2
2
2
2
BirdCast Control Results for:
Chestnut Hill College, PA Lat: 40.0869233
IAN Dates Combined Long: -75.2306741
Number of species seen: 6
Fig 2. Single observation location: Dryden Lake, NY.
Species Name
Canada Goose
Red-tailed Hawk
Tree Swallow
American Robin
Number of
Birds Seen
12
1
6
9
Number of
Reports
1
1
1
1
Number of species seen: 4
Fig 3. Single observation location: Chestnut Hill College, PA.
BirdCast
Green Hemn
4/12 4/13 4/26 5/3 5(10 5/17 5/24 5/31
Date (2001)
Fig 4. Single species count: Canada Goose
4/12 4/19 4/26 513 5/10 5/17 5/24 5/31
Date (2001)
Fig 5: Single species count: Green Heron
GRDUNDTRLJ THING OBSERVATIONS
25
-------
Chuck Hetzel
Hannah Suthers
MEET Two BIRDCAST VOLUNTEERS
Chuck Hetzel, one of BirdCast's control observers, doesn't
have to go any farther than his back yard to collect data for
the project. That's because he's fortunate enough to live at
the edge of the Schuylkill Valley Nature Center near
Philadelphia. Mr. Hetzel first heard about BirdCast
through his local bird club—the Cornell Laboratory of
Ornithology was looking for volunteers in his area to host
bioacoustic monitoring stations in their homes. Through
this introduction to Cornell's research program, he became
involved in making regular control observations for
BirdCast. It usually takes him between 1 and 2 hours to
record the birds in his backyard, which he does nearly every
day of the migration period around 7 AM. With more than
50 years of birding experience, he doesn't need to take an
identification guide into the field with him; all he needs is
a notepad or a tape recorder for keeping track of the types
and numbers of birds that he sees (or hears). Mr. Hetzel
enjoys the extra motivation to go birdwatching that
BirdCast provides—in sharing his observations through the
BirdCast database he enjoys an extra feeling of accomplish-
ment and satisfaction about birdwatching.
Hannah Suthers makes her control observations at an aban-
doned 108-acre farm in central New Jersey. The farm,
which has recently been converted into a wildlife sanctuary,
is slowly reverting back to forest. This makes it a fascinat-
ing birding site because the land's habitat is undergoing
continual transformation. Ms. Suthers has more than 50
years of experience as a bird bander and for more than 20
years has been studying how the farm's changing habitat
has affected the population of resident birds in the area.
Now in her retirement, she continues to publish articles
related to avian population biology and trains graduate stu-
dents from nearby Princeton and Rutgers Universities in
bird banding. After a friend referred her to the BirdCast
project, Ms. Suthers started working as a volunteer for it,
tallying migratory birds at the sanctuary. During the
BirdCast observation period, she aims to be in the field on
a daily basis, tallying birds by sight and sound. She carries
a small notebook with her and jots down her tally in alpha
codes. A counting session can take anywhere between 1.5 to
4 hours, depending on the time of season and how many
different species are present. It can be tiring getting up so
early in the morning on a regular basis, she admits. Though
she does not need to go out as frequently to spot-map the
singing males on their breeding territory, she feels that to
get an accurate picture of migratory movements one needs
to go into the field daily. One of the most pleasant aspects
of the work is the opportunity to greet all her "old friends"
as they fly through her area each migration season.
26
CHAPTER 5
-------
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
This chapter provides guidance on setting up and maintaining an education and out-
reach component of a bird migration monitoring program. Section 6.1 provides tips
on developing an outreach plan for your program, with a focus on defining goals, key
messages, and target audiences. Section 6.2 describes a variety of outreach tools that can be
used, and provides examples of outreach materials developed by the BirdCast project.
Section 6.3 describes the challenge of evaluating the success of your education and outreach
program, and Section 6.4 lists some additional sources of information for education and
outreach.
The information in this chapter is designed primarily for managers who are implementing
bird migration monitoring programs, as well as for education and outreach workers who are
responsible for communicating about these programs.
S.I DEVELOPING AN DUTREACH PLAN
BirdCast represents a milestone for radar ornithology, a field that has evolved slowly for
more than 30 years, advanced by a handful of scientists working mostly in isolation.
BirdCast's breakthrough is that it is the first program to bridge the gap between these sci-
entists, collecting and interpreting radar images in their labs using highly specialized
technologies and techniques, and the general public. The founders of BirdCast also recog-
nized that "a picture is worth a thousand words"— a live visual image, such as a radar image
of birds migrating, or digital photos or videos from groundtruthers, would more likely stim-
ulate action than just a verbal description of migration.
Communication is at the heart of the BirdCast mission: to provide the public with timely
information on the status of bird migrations, and to educate land managers and the broader
public about actions they can take to assist birds during their migration and reduce the
number of birds that die while passing through. An effective education and outreach pro-
gram, therefore, is key to the project's success.
BirdCast's education and outreach program is run primarily by the National Audubon
Society. Staff from Audubon's Citizen Science Program work together with Audubon's pub-
lic relations department to create educational materials, write and distribute press releases,
develop and deliver presentations, and conduct direct outreach to land managers. Other
BirdCast partners (including staff from EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs, EPA Region 3,
Cornell University's Laboratory of Ornithology, and Clemson University's Radar
Ornithology Laboratory) contribute to the outreach effort as well, mostly by delivering pre-
sentations. In addition, Philadelphia's Academy of Natural Sciences, a founding partner of
BirdCast, developed many of the project's original outreach materials.
The first step to creating an effective education and outreach program of your own is to
develop an outreach plan. This plan will provide a blueprint for action. It does not have to
be lengthy or complicated, but it should define four things: What are your outreach goals?
Who are the target audiences? What are the key messages and types of information that you
want to deliver? And what outreach tools will you use to reach these audiences? Let's look
at each of these questions in turn.
EDUCATION AND DUTREACH zv
-------
6.1.1 WHAT ARE YOUR OUTREACH GOALS?
Defining your outreach goals is the first step in developing an education and outreach plan.
Outreach goals should be clear, simple, action-oriented statements about what you hope to
accomplish through outreach. Here are some sample goal statements that a BirdCast-type
program might develop for its outreach effort:
* Convince all local television stations in the region to give a brief report on bird
migration after the weather forecast, or to run at least one report on bird migration
per migratory season.
* Place a story on bird migration in the major newspaper of each state in the region.
* Deliver a presentation to each bird club or Audubon chapter in the region.
* Conduct direct outreach (e.g., via letter or phone call) to the managers of all public
parks in your region.
* Attract 100,000 visitors per year to your Web site.
Where possible, outreach goals should be measureable. This will help you when it comes
time to evaluate the success of your program (see Section 6.3). Abstract statements of good
intention (e.g., "increase the public's appreciation of the wonders of bird migration") do
not make effective outreach goals, even if such statements accurately describe one of your
main motivations for starting a BirdCast-type program.
S.I.2 WHO ARE YOUR TARGET AUDIENCES?
The second step in developing an outreach plan is to clearly identify the target audience or
audiences for your outreach effort. As illustrated in the sample goals above, outreach goals
often define their target audiences. You might want to refine and add to your goals after
you have specifically considered which audiences you want to reach.
The target audience for the BirdCast project is broadly defined as land managers and the
general public. Yet within these groups there are a number of sub-audiences, each with spe-
cialized interests. For example, among the general public there are (according to a 1998
report of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) roughly 55 million people who consider them-
selves bird enthusiasts, and within that number there is a smaller pool of deeply committed
birders. Your goals for conducting outreach to these committed birders may be different
than your goals for the general public. Likewise, the category of "land managers" includes
park managers, city officials, utility land managers, building managers, golf course man-
agers, and others. Here again, you will want to tailor your message for the specific audience.
Before you can begin tailoring messages for your different audiences, however, you will
need to develop a profile of their situations, interests, and concerns. This profile will help
you identify the most effective ways of reaching the audience. For each target audience,
consider:
* What is their current level of knowledge about bird migration and birds in general?
* What do you want them to know about birds and migration? What actions would
you like them to take?
* What information is likely to be of greatest interest to the audience? What informa-
tion will they likely want to know once they develop some awareness of bird
migration issues?
* How much time are they likely to give to receiving and assimilating the information?
za
CHAPTER 6
-------
* How does this group generally receive information?
* What professional, recreational, and domestic activities does this group typically
engage in that might provide avenues for distributing outreach products? Are there
any organizations or centers that represent or serve the audience and might be
avenues for disseminating your outreach products?
Profiling an audience essentially involves putting yourself "in your audience's shoes." Ways
to do this include consulting with individuals or organizations who represent or are mem-
bers of the audience, consulting with colleagues who have successfully developed other
outreach products for the audience, and using your imagination.
S. 1 .3
WHAT ARE THE KEY MESSAGES AND TYPES
OF INFORMATION THAT You WANT TO DELIVER?
The next step in planning is to think about what you want to communicate. In particular
at this stage, think about the key points, or "messages," you want to communicate.
Messages are the "bottom line" information you want your audience to walk away with,
even if they forget the details.
A message is usually phrased as a brief (often one-sentence) statement. For example:
* Populations of migratory birds are declining and vulnerable.
* The BirdCast Web site provides you with real-time information about the status of
bird migrations.
* You can take steps to help protect migrating birds.
Outreach products often will have multiple related messages. Consider what messages you
want to deliver to each target audience group, and in what level of detail. As stated above,
you will want to tailor different messages for different audiences.
Let's look at how this can be done. For instance, let's say that you are writing a press release
for distribution to newspapers and other general interest publications. Your audience, the
average reader of these publications, has relatively little interest in birds. What should be
the focus of your press release? Probably you will want to concentrate on a few simple mes-
sages: that bird migration is a fascinating and magnificent phenomena; that populations of
migratory birds are declining and vulnerable; and that individuals can help protect migra-
tory birds through simple steps such as keeping cats indoors, providing food and water, and
avoiding pesticide use during the peak of migration (you would probably time your release
for distribution just prior to peak migration).
On the other hand, if you were composing a press release for placement in bird club
newsletters, you would probably spend less time preaching the wonders of migration (after
all, here you would be preaching to the converted) and more time addressing complex
issues of special interest to birders: how the technical aspects of radar ornithology work,
how birders can attract birds to residential yards by creating a landscape of native plants,
how to choose pesticides that cause less ecological harm. Your press release could also pro-
vide detailed information on how birders can participate as citizen scientists in BirdCast's
groundtruthing efforts. (See Appendix A, pages 49 to 50, for an example of a press release
for bird club newsletter.) Alternatively, you could choose to deliver all of this information
through a presentation at a bird club meeting.
EDUCATION AND DUTREACH
29
-------
Tall, brightly lit buildings threaten migratory birds by
disrupting their ability to navigate.
Here's another scenario: Let's say you are target-
ing the managers of a number of large buildings
in a downtown area. In this case, your message
might be very focused and simple: that tall,
brighdy lit buildings threaten migratory birds
by disrupting their ability to navigate, and that
building managers can prevent bird deaths by
turning off lights during peak migrations. But
the real challenge here would be reaching these
building managers with your message. Could
you issue a press release or media advisory?
Possibly, but even if the local newspapers picked
up the story, there's no guarantee that the target
audience would read it. No, in this case, the
only way to ensure that your message reaches the target is to contact the building managers
directly through a letter or phone call. In fact, you might have to follow up with repeated let-
ters or phone calls. This type of direct outreach is time-consuming and can be a drain on
resources, but in some circumstances it is absolutely necessary.
6.1.4 WHAT OUTREACH TOOLS WILL You USE?
As the above examples illustrate, one of the challenges of conducting outreach and educa-
tion, besides tailoring your message for the intended audience, is choosing the best outreach
tool or approach for delivering your message. There are many different types of outreach
products in print, audiovisual, electronic, and event formats (outreach tools used by the
BirdCast project are described in the next section). It's up to you to select the most appro-
priate products to meet your goals within your resource and time constraints. Questions to
consider when selecting products include:
* How much information does your audience really need to have? How much does
your audience need to know now? The simplest, most effective, most straightforward
product generally is most effective.
* Is the product likely to appeal to the target audience? How much time will it take to
interact with the product? Is the audience likely to make that time?
* How easy and cost-effective will the product be to distribute or, in the case of an
event, organize?
* How many people is this product likely to reach? For an event, how many people are
likely to attend?
* What time frame is needed to develop and distribute the product?
* How much will it cost to develop the product? Do you have access to the talent and
resources needed for development?
* What other related products are already available? Can you build on existing products?
* When will the material be out of date? (You probably will want to spend fewer
resources on products with shorter lifetimes.)
* Would it be effective to have distinct phases of products over time? For example, a
first phase of products could be designed to raise awareness, followed at a later date
by a second phase of products to encourage changes in behavior.
3D
CHAPTER 6
-------
* How newsworthy is the information? Information with inherent news value may be
rapidly and widely disseminated by the media.
The key here is to make good use of the resources available to you. In the best of all worlds,
you would have the time and budget to personally contact every land manager in your
region and to craft customized press releases for every type of publication and every audi-
ence. But it is unlikely that you will have the resources to do everything you'd like to do.
The goal, then, is to pick your spots wisely. Reach as many people as you can, but also focus
on those audiences that are most receptive to your message. If you have only limited time
for direct outreach, concentrate on land managers who control critical habitat.
6.2
EDUCATION AND DUTREACH TOOLS
This section describes a variety of outreach tools used by the BirdCast project. Examples of
specific outreach materials developed by BirdCast can be found in Appendix A.
6.2.1 BIRDCAST WEB SITE
In addition to hosting radar images, daily migration forecasts, and groundtruthing data,
the BirdCast Web site (http://www.BirdCast.org) also contains an array of outreach and edu-
cational information designed to assist the public in the protection of migrating birds.
Major educational pieces on the site include:
* Guidance on appropriate timing and application of pesticides to minimize birds'
exposure.
* Tips on preventing bird deaths caused by collisions with household windows.
* Advice on controlling domestic cats to prevent predation on migratory birds.
* Information on how tall buildings and radio towers can disorient birds, causing them
to crash or drop from exhaustion.
* Tips on bird feeding and watering, and on providing habitat for migratory birds dur-
ing stopovers.
Many of these educational pieces are provided in hard copy in Appendix A of this hand-
book. Others can be found online (go to http://www.birdcast.org/ucanhelp.html). If you are
developing a BirdCast-type program of your own, you can use these pieces as a model to
stimulate ideas for your own outreach language. If you are a member of the public inter-
ested in birds and migration, you can read these materials to learn about steps that you can
take to protects migrants.
One of BirdCast's mottos is: "Engage, educate, activate." The BirdCast Web site is a key
tool for accomplishing each of these goals. The site is designed to be both attractive and
interactive. The homepage, for example, features a colorful poster by Charley Harper, enti-
tled "Mystery of the Missing Migrants," along with a species key to help visitors identify
the birds depicted in the poster. Any birder visiting the site is welcome to submit data on
his or her bird observations (see Section 5.3.2, Collecting Anonymous Observations), and
visitors can also search the database of groundtruthing observations to view tables and sum-
mary graphs. In addition, throughout the site there are numerous links that visitors can
follow to gather additional information and access other resources.
EDUCATION AND DUTREACH
3 1
-------
The goal of all this interactivity is to engage visitors, interest them in the plight of migra-
tory birds, and give them a chance to participate in protecting and researching the lives of
migrants. The outreach materials are there to educate them. The site also features several
text pieces on the aesthetic and economic values of migrating birds, along with the beauti-
fully written preface to Scott Weidensaul's book, Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere
with Migratory Birds, which BirdCast was able to use with the permission of the author.
6.2.2 POSTERS AND OTHER PRINT MATERIALS
Because BirdCast is a Web-based project, it has developed relatively few educational and
outreach materials for distribution in hard copy. When the project was first launched, a
press packet was created for distribution to reporters and other media outlets, containing
news clippings and other outreach materials. But this is no longer in use.
The main item that BirdCast partners distribute in hard-copy format is a poster entitled
"Audubon Guide for Healthy Yard and Beyond," which was developed by the National
Audubon Society. The poster lists actions that home owners can take to limit pesticide use
and create healthy habitats for birds and wildlife. It also includes a guide to home pesti-
cides, with information on chemicals, their uses, their toxicity to wildlife, and alternatives
to the chemicals. Altogether, over 1 million copies of the poster have been distributed
through Audubon chapter offices, bird-oriented stores, parks departments, and other
groups.
To request copies of the poster, e-mail healthyhabitats@audubon.org. A version of the
poster can also be found online at:
http://www.audubon.org/bird/pesticides/10%20COMs%20boxes.html.
+!r~.
Lessons Learned: Conducting Outreach Via Television Stations
When BirdCast was first launched, one of the original goals was to encourage television coverage
of bird migrations. BirdCast's founders envisioned that there would come a day when weather fore-
casters would routinely include migration updates as part of their nightly reports. But that day has
unfortunately not yet arrived.
As part of its education and outreach program, BirdCast has made a concerted effort to conduct
outreach to newscasters and weather forecasters. The idea has been to combine radar images with
photographs and educational information on protecting migrants, creating a package that will
appeal to television stations. But so far the results have been discouraging. Though several stations
have produced short news pieces on BirdCast, the general response has been that the BirdCast out-
reach materials are inappropriate for television in that they lack visual appeal. Newscasters have
stated that the radar images are too esoteric and difficult to interpret.
In the future, the BirdCast project will continue to look for creative ways to package its outreach
materials for television. The Illinois Natural History Survey, another organization that has succeeded
at getting a local television station to make use of NEXRAD images of bird migration, has some
ideas for getting television stations interested. The Survey suggested pointing out to television
weather forecasters that significant bird migration usually coincides with "meteorologically boring
periods" when they might lack weather-related material to discuss. The Survey also suggested
developing simplified visual displays that convey basic information (e.g., presence/absence of
birds, relative abundance of birds, general direction of bird movement) in a manner that parallels
the other displays on the weather forecast.
32
CHAPTER 6
-------
6.2.3 PRESS RELEASES
Press releases are a key tool in BirdCast's education and outreach efforts. Writing a single
press release and distributing it to dozens of publications simultaneously is a cost-effective
way of reaching a large and varied audience.
The National Audubon Society's public relations department leads BirdCast's efforts to
conduct outreach through the media. A PR department is an ideal choice for this job for
two reasons: 1) PR staff have the writing, editing, and outreach skills needed for devel-
oping stories that will appeal to various news outlets, and 2) PR staff already have
contacts and working relationships with individual journalists, editors, and newscasters.
An experienced PR worker knows how to work with people in the media, feeding them
the information they need to get stories into print and on the air.
For BirdCast, the Audubon PR staff have done several rounds of outreach to the media,
each timed to coincide with a major migration (spring or fall). Their technique, which
has produced excellent results so far, has been to write a single, in-depth press release and
distribute it to a list of roughly 500 reporters whom Audubon has worked with in the
past. (Examples of these press releases can be found on pages 45 to 48.) In some cases,
Audubon staff precede the press release with a phone call or e-mail to the reporter, meant
to kindle interest in the story. In other cases, Audubon sends the press release first, then
follows up with an e-mail or phone call.
Once a reporter has expressed interest in BirdCast, the PR staff work with him or her as
necessary to get the story into print. Some reporters (maybe half) request additional
interviews with BirdCast partners or want help identifying a local angle for the story (for
example, a reporter from a small city newspaper may want to interview members of a
local bird club). Other reporters will develop a story using little more than the informa-
tion and quotes found in the press release and other materials found online.
This type of personal contact with members of the press is crucial, as is the strategy of tar-
geting individual reporters or newscasters. The odds of placing a story fall drastically if you
just send a press release to a news desk or editorial department, since most publications
are inundated with dozens (if not hundreds) of press releases daily. Audubon's PR staff
always send press releases directly to a particular reporter, and virtually every story they've
placed has been written by a reporter whom Audubon had worked with in the past.
What if you don't have a contact at a particular publication? One thing you can do is to
read some back issues of the publication, looking for a reporter who has demonstrated
some interest in topics related to your project. If the publication is a daily newspaper, it
will likely have a beat reporter who focuses primarily on science and/or the environment.
Outdoors writers often have an interest in bird migration, especially if their columns
cover hunting and waterfowl migration. BirdCast has placed several stories with garden-
ing columnists, and numerous technology reporters have also written about the project,
focusing on the BirdCast Web site or on the project's use of advanced radar technology.
Once you have targeted a particular reporter, write him or her a personal e-mail or call
directly. Pitch the story, keeping your presentation short and to the point. Ask the
reporter if he or she would be interested in reading your press release (or, better yet, sim-
ply attach the release to an e-mail as an electronic file). Also, it never hurts to
demonstrate that you are familiar with a reporter's work by complimenting or mention-
ing some article that he or she wrote in the past.
EDUCATION AND DUTREACH
33
-------
How many publications or news outlets should you target? The simple answer is, as many as
possible. However, there are different ways to use the resources available to you. One
approach would be to identify a limited number of publications that you view as critical, and
then to spend extra time and resources doing everything you can to place a story with them
(this might involve customizing your press release or following up repeatedly with a reporter).
If you don't have existing contacts with the news outlets in your area, this type of intensive,
focused effort might be necessary.
Audubon's PR staff have taken the approach of writing one major press release for each migra-
tory season (spring and fall) and distributing it to hundreds of media oudets throughout the
mid-Atlantic flyway, from New York to Maryland and the Washington, D.C. area. Audubon's
staff spend virtually no time customizing press releases for particular publications, though
they have issued press releases for particular occasions. For example, in September 2000,
Audubon issued a spur-of-the-moment press release urging health officials not to spray for
West Nile Virus on a weekend when BirdCast was predicting that a large wave of migratory
birds would pass through the area. (See pages 47 to 48 for a copy of this release.)
Audubon's primary goal each migratory season has been to place a story in the major paper
of each state in the region, with the idea that smaller papers will pick up the story after see-
ing it in a major paper (this has turned out to be true). The results of this PR effort have been
excellent. More than 100 articles on BirdCast appeared in spring 2000, including prominent
articles in the Philadelphia Inquirer, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and
other major publications. Articles also appeared in virtually every Audubon chapter and inde-
pendent bird club newsletter from northern Virginia to southern New York. Additionally,
BirdCast was the subject of stories in Scientific American and National Audubon magazines,
and the project was also featured on National Public Radio.
+!r~.
Lessons Learned: Dealing with the Redundancy Issue
Audubon's PR staff have found that one of the main challenges associated with conducting BirdCast
outreach through the media is the issue of redundancy. Birds migrate through the mid-Atlantic fly-
way twice each year, in spring and fall. Ideally, BirdCast would like to have the media cover both
migrations, every year. However, once a publication has covered the story once or twice, reporters
and editors no longer consider it newsworthy.
Audubon's PR staff constantly search for creative ways to work around this problem. One strategy
is to look for a "news peg" or tie-in, some newsworthy happening that can provide the basis for an
article. For example, you might craft a press release about International Migratory Bird Day (an
annual event set on the second Saturday in May), and slip in some information about your program
within the body of the text. Audubon staff used a similar approach when they sent copies of the
poster "Audubon Guide for Healthy Yard and Beyond," to all of the reporters in their database;
the idea was to generate articles about the effects of pesticides on migrating birds and other wildlife,
with BirdCast as a subtext.
The key point here is that your program doesn't have to be the main focus of every press release
you send out. Look again at the press release on pages 47 to 48. The main message of this release
was an urgent recommendation that health officials not spray for West Nile Virus on a weekend of
intensive bird migration. Yet the press release also managed to provide a thorough description of
the BirdCast project, and it also touched on a number of other important messages: the decline in
numbers of migrating birds; their vulnerability to pesticides and other man-made threats; and steps
individuals can take to protect migrants.
34
CHAPTER 6
-------
Large areas of open or undeveloped land, such as city parks,
provide important habitat for migrating birds.
6.2.4 DIRECT OUTREACH TO LAND MANAGERS,
BUILDING MANAGERS, AND OTHERS
Property managers (including park managers, city officials, utility land managers, building
managers, golf course managers, and others) are a key target for BirdCast's outreach and
education efforts. Many property managers, especially in urban areas, control large chunks
of open or undeveloped land that pro-
vide important habitat for migrating
birds. These managers can help protect
migrants by avoiding pesticide applica-
tions during migratory stopovers and
by considering the birds' needs when
making other management decisions.
BirdCast relies on direct communica-
tion when conducting outreach to
property managers. This typically
involves calling or writing property
managers a few times a year to update
them on the status of bird migrations
and to remind them of the need for
environmentally responsible manage-
ment practices. In general, BirdCast
has found direct outreach to be a relatively time-consuming process (especially in compar-
ison to outreach through the media, where a much larger audience can be reached with a
single press release). In the future, the project may attempt to make more use of volunteers
in its direct outreach efforts.
Following are a few examples of effective direct outreach, taken from the work of BirdCast
and other groups:
* In Philadelphia, BirdCast has worked closely with the Fairmount Park Commission
to encourage environmentally responsible land management and to raise awareness
of the plight of migrating birds. The Commission oversees a system of parks, golf
courses, and baseball fields in the city, and works with other land and utilities man-
agers in the Philadelphia area. BirdCast wrote to alert the Commission about the
value of the parks' habitat to migrating birds and the timing of migration. BirdCast
provided copies of the poster "Audubon Guide for Healthy Yard and Beyond," for
the commission to distribute, and provided all facility managers under their juris-
diction with guidance on environmentally responsible pesticide application (e.g.,
how to alter the use of specific chemicals and minimize the impacts on migrants).
* The City of Chicago and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have signed an innova-
tive "Treaty for Birds," which features an effort by downtown building owners to
turn off their lights during migration periods. Members of the mayor's Wildlife and
Nature Committee worked with Chicago's Building Owners and Managers
Association to spread the word to owners of downtown skyscrapers. Members of the
Bird Conservation Network assembled the information needed to convince building
owners that this action was warranted, and helped to identify buildings that were
known for their high bird mortality.
/•r
EDUCATION AND DUTREACH
35
-------
* In the Chicago area, a partnership of researchers, government scientists, city officials,
and conservationists is proposing to use radar ornithology to identify key stopover
habitat for migrating birds. The partners will then use direct outreach to educate
land managers about the habitat needs of migrating birds, and to ask them to take
steps to protect and enhance bird habitat (e.g., by controlling the spread of buck-
thorn, an invasive plant that impacts biodiversity).
6.2.5 PRESENTATIONS
BirdCast partners regularly deliver presentations on the project to school groups, bird
clubs, American Birding Association meetings, Audubon chapters, and other groups. The
partners have developed several PowerPoint presentations for this purpose. These include:
* An overview of the project.
* A more detailed presentation on how BirdCast integrates multiple monitoring tech-
niques (radar, groundtruthing, acoustic monitoring) to achieve a unified analysis of
bird migration.
* A presentation focusing on the radar ornithology component.
All of these presentations make use of screen captures from the BirdCast Web site, sample
radar images, and graphs from the groundtruthing database to give the audience a genuine
feel for how BirdCast works.
6.2.6 LISTSERVS
A ListServ is an automated system that automatically redistributes e-mail to names on a
mailing list. Users can subscribe to a mailing list by sending an e-mail note to a mailing list
they learn about; the ListServ will automatically add the name and distribute future e-mail
postings to every subscriber.
There are numerous bird-oriented ListServs around the country. Some of these have a regional
focus, and are used by birders to compare field notes and share notable sightings. Others are
devoted to bird conservation, activism, and other topics of general interest. For an index of
ListServs administered by the National Audubon Society, go to http://list.audubon.org/archives/.
The American Birding Association also maintains a state-by-state list of birding ListServs,
available at http://www. americanbirding. org/resources/reschat. htm.
BirdCast's education and outreach program utilizes ListServs as a medium for distributing
information about the program, such as press releases and announcements. ListServs make
an ideal tool for targeting an audience of committed birders. They are also cost effective,
since there is no charge for subscribing to (or posting messages on) most ListServs.
BirdCast has also occasionally used ListServs as a tool for recruiting birders for the project's
groundtruthing efforts. By monitoring the discussions at particular regional ListServs,
BirdCast staff have been able to identify birders who are both committed and skilled and
then contact them directly via e-mail. For more information on recruiting birders for
groundtruthing, see Section 5.3.1.
36
CHAPTER 6
-------
G.3 EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF DUTREACH EFFORTS
BirdCast has found no easy or cost-effective way of measuring the success of its education
and outreach program. Since the ultimate goal of the program is to encourage behavior
changes (e.g., changes in the way people use pesticides), the only true measure of success
would be to document behavior changes on a large scale. Doing this is beyond the scope
and means of the project.
Due to these limitations, BirdCast's partners have been forced to rely on other indicators
as a measure of the program's effectiveness. For example:
* Between September 1 and October 21, 2000, the BirdCast Web site received
1,867,163 "hits" and 147,423 visitors. These numbers show, among other things,
that many people are returning to the site multiple times.
* In the spring of 2001, roughly 100 to 150 people per week were submitting
"anonymous" bird observations to the BirdCast database. (See Section 5.3.2 for more
information on collecting anonymous observations.)
* More than 100 articles on BirdCast appeared in the spring of 2000, including
prominent articles in major publications such as the Philadelphia Inquirer, New York
Times, Wall Street Journal, and USAToday. The combined readership of these pub-
lications is in the many millions.
If nothing else, these numbers indicate that BirdCast has reached thousands (if not mil-
lions) of people, raising their awareness about the plight of migratory birds and things they
can do to help. The numbers also seem to show that thousands of people are engaged in
the project and are participating on some level (for example, by returning to the BirdCast
Web site repeatedly, or by submitting their own bird observations). Overall, it appears that
BirdCast is succeeding in its mission: to engage, to educate, and to activate.
S.4 FOR MORE INFORMATION
The BirdCast Web site: http:llwww. birdcast. orgl
To access BirdCast's educational pieces online, go to: http://www.birdcast.org/ucanhelp.html
Scott Weidensaul's Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere with Migratory Birds
(Northpoint Press, 1999) has been called "a nimble summation of current thinking on bird
migration and attendant environmental themes" (Kirkus Reviews).
To request copies of the poster "Audubon Guide for Healthy Yard and Beyond", devel-
oped by the National Audubon Society, e-mail healthyhabitats@audubon.org. A version
of the poster can also be found online at:
http://www.audubon.org/bird/pesticides/10%20COMs%20boxes.html
For an index of birding ListServs administered by the National Audubon Society, go to
http://list. audubon. orgl archives
The American Birding Association maintains a state-by-state list of birding ListServs, avail-
able at http://www.americanbirding.org/resources/reschat.htm
/•r
EDUCATION AND DUTREACH
37
-------
CHAPTER 6
-------
APPEN DIX A
BIRDCAST EDUCATION AND
DUTREACH MATERIALS
PESTICIDES: Is YOUR BACKYARD SAFE FOR BIRDS?
Our lawns and gardens are like other environments. Plants, insects and other animals all
interact and affect one another. Altering a part of that system can have unintended effects
on other components of it. This is an important thing to keep in mind when considering
whether or not to apply pesticides around the home. Pesticides are not only lethal to pests,
but to other wildlife as well. Here are three important rules to consider before applying any
pesticides:
1. Make sure you actually have a pest problem. Learn to identify pests and to determine
at what stage they actually become a problem. Many times people treat for pests that are
either not present, or not present in large enough numbers to cause problems.
2. Know your pesticides. Read the labels on your pesticides CAREFULLY. Learn to iden-
tify what active ingredients are contained in the product. Read about the potential effects
these pesticides can have on the other organisms in your yard and community.
3. Check for alternative treatments. Make it a priority to use the least toxic method to
control any pests or diseases. Many simple, non-toxic solutions are as easy to employ and
as effective as chemical solutions. Contact your local garden center and Cooperative
Extension for advice.
Making your garden or lawn more community friendly isn't difficult and may actually save
you time and money. Plus a little bit of education and a few changes around your home
can have a lasting effect on migratory bird populations and other wildlife.
To learn more about the pesticides commonly used around the home, refer to Audubon's
pesticide summary at http://birdsource.cornell.edu/birdcast/pestsum.html.
Other useful pesticide web sites:
EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides
The National Pesticides Telecommunication Network:
http://ace. orst. edu/info/nptn/index. html
Toxicology and Environmental Health Information: http://sis. nlm. nih.gov/tehip. htm
Look up all the registered pesticide products containing certain active ingredients:
http://www. cdpr. ca.gov/docs/epa/epachem. htm
The American Bird Conservancy's Pesticide Pages:
http://www. abcbirds. org/pesticideindex. htm
BIRDCAST EDUCATION AND DUTREACH MATERIALS
39
-------
WINDOWS: AN INVISIBLE THREAT TO MIGRATING BIRDS
Fact: Every year millions of birds die when they crash into windows in homes, schools, sky-
scrapers, factories, office buildings, and other sites.
Why: The transparent quality of windows makes them virtually invisible to birds, often
until it is too late to stop short. It is difficult for a bird in flight to distinguish between glass
and open space. It may see reflected vegetation in the window, but not the glass itself.
What You Can Do: There are different steps you can take in your home to prevent need-
less bird deaths caused by invisible windows.
* Move your bird feeder. Make sure your bird feeder is either a minimum of 3 meters
away from windows, or less than 1 meter away. Birds may still fly into the window
if you move the feeder closer, but they will not have enough momentum to injure
themselves.
* Reduce transparency and reflectivity. Change the angle or surface of the window
to lessen the transparency and reflectivity. Cover the window's external surface with
a film, change the lighting, and keep all curtains closed or add external blinds.
* Mark the window. You can etch the surface of the glass or streak it with a bar of
soap. Hang strips of newspaper or ribbons, place strips of masking tape on the win-
dow. (These are more temporary measures in case there is a severe problem.
However, most of these solutions are inconvenient or unsightly.)
* Apply netting. Perhaps the best and most permanent solution is to stretch netting
across the windows. Fine black netting that is used to protect berry bushes and fruit
trees is available at many garden shops, home centers, and feed mills. Stretch the net-
ting across the window or across a frame that can be installed outside the window.
Be sure it is stretched with adequate tension to hold it several inches from the win-
dow's surface. Birds may continue to fly towards the window, but they will bounce
off the mesh unhurt.
* Hang hawk silhouettes. Attach hawk silhouettes to the window's surface. These
shapes probably decrease collisions because they break up the smooth reflective sur-
face and make the glass more "visible" rather than because they are shaped like
hawks; but, in any case, they seem to help. The silhouettes are most effective if used
in multiples. It is helpful also to attach the silhouettes by a suction cup or a hanging
device from the outside so that movement caused by wind will catch the birds' atten-
tion. Most people think that the graceful shapes are interesting rather than unsightly.
They're available commercially but they're also easy to make. (See the below instruc-
tions.)
4D
APPENDIX A
-------
Materials:
* black, light-weight plastic
* clear, outdoor tape
* scissors
* a template or model of the shape (approximately 8 inches from bill to tail and 12
inches from wing tip to wing tip)—go to
http://birdsource. Cornell, edu/birdcast/images/hawk.giffa print-ready template
Simply trace or carefully draw the shape on the plastic, cut out the silhouette, and tape it
to the outside of the window. Be sure to place several on any large expanse of glass. One
word of caution: you should check with the manufacturers of thermopane windows before
you place anything on the glass surface. If this presents a problem, hang the silhouette from
the sash around the window. ^^^
Not only can you make your house safer for birds, but by making several silhouettes and
giving them as gifts to friends, neighbors, and even that office building with the big glass
windows down the street, you can also encourage others to make their houses bird-safe.
Other Usefal Window Web Sites:
National Audubon Society: http://www.audubon.org/educate/expert/window.html
BIRDCAST EDUCATION AND DUTREACH MATERIALS 41
-------
DOMESTIC CATs: A CAUSE FOR CONCERN
Fact: Every year hundreds of thousands of birds are killed in the United States by free-
roaming domestic cats.
Why: Cats are natural hunters. Even your cute house pet is innately a predator. But while
hunting is an instinctual behavior, cats are not a natural link in local food chains. Cats were
introduced to North America by humans towards the end of the 19th century as a method
of pest control. Since then feline populations have exploded out of control. Their preda-
tory activities are an unnatural burden on birds. Keeping your cat well fed does not deter
it from attacking birds; hunting birds is a natural behavior unrelated to a cat's hunger. You
may not see your cat in action, but if you routinely let it outside it is likely to be killing up
to 10 birds every year. With nearly 60 million pet cats in America today, that is a signifi-
cant number of bird kills. Combined with many other threats birds face, this adds
significantly to their struggle to survive. When you allow your cat to roam free outside, you
are risking the lives of countless birds. You are also risking the life of your cat; those that
are kept indoors live happier, healthier, and longer lives.
What You Can Do: A cat is only responding to a natural instinct. Ultimately you are
responsible for your cat and its behavior.
* Keep your cat indoors, especially during the peak migratory seasons in fall and
spring.
* Put an alarm collar on your cat. Many collars exist which will hamper the cats' stalk
and attack. These collars will not harm the cat, but will give an unsuspecting bird
ample warning to escape before a cat strikes. Bells alone will not stop a cat from
attacking.
* Spay your cat. Make sure you spay or neuter your cat to help keep the cat popula-
tion in check.
* Help stray cats. In addition to house pets, there are millions of stray cats in the
United States, all a potential threat to native wildlife. You can take in some of these
cats or call a local animal shelter.
* Keep birdfeeders out of reach. Make sure the birdfeeder in your yard is not cat acces-
sible. Keep it high and away from windows and vegetation.
* Join the Indoor Cat Campaign. Encourage others to keep their cats indoors.
Check out the American Bird Conservancy "Cats Indoors" at
http://www. abcbirds. orglcatindoo. htm
Other Useful Web Sites:
American Bird Conservancy: http://www.abcbirds.org
May 13, 2000 is National "Keep Your Cat Indoors" Day
42
APPENDIX A
-------
MAN-MADE OBSTACLES POSE PROBLEMS
FOR MIGRATING BIRDS
Fact: Millions of birds die every year in building collisions.
Why: Tall buildings and their lights pose a serious threat to migrating birds. The feat of
migration is already a dangerous one with the natural hazards due to weather, predators,
and food scarcity. Birds are exhausted and hungry and yet humans have created tall obsta-
cles to complicate an already difficult journey.
Birds use a variety of different cues to navigate their migration route, including the pattern
of the stars, topographic features, earth's magnetic fields, and the location of the setting
sun. If any of these cues are disrupted or unclear, for example during cloudy weather, the
birds will have difficulty staying on their path. The lights of tall buildings and radio tow-
ers only contribute to this confusion. The lights will often overwhelm natural cues and
disorient the birds. These confused birds will then circle the lighted structures, not because
they are attracted to the light, but because they are following an erroneous and obscure cue.
Blinking lights, which often adorn radio towers, and bad weather only further contribute
to the problem. Eventually many of these birds will collide with the building, with each
other, or will drop from exhaustion.
This problem is increasing as more and more highrise buildings are constructed. The now
popular glass skyscrapers, found brilliantly lit at night, are augmenting the dangers.
Not all birds die from the collisions. Some will only be stunned with minor injuries, but
often these dazed birds will fall prey to predators, cats and other birds, lurking on city streets.
Many will panic upon finding themselves in the midst of a busy, morning, urban setting.
Another related danger to nightflying migrants are the broadcast radio towers which may
stand 200-2000 feet into the night sky. There are around 75,000 towers currently built in
the United States and with the current progress of Internet and satellite technology another
5000 to be added every year. Each of these towers may kill hundreds to thousands of birds
in a single migratory season. Add lights and bad weather to the scenario and the death rate
grows even higher.
What You Can Do:
* Turn off all lights during the peak migration seasons in fall and spring.
* Write letters to the owners of tall skyscrapers requesting that lights be turned off at
night during peak migration periods.
* If you find a stunned bird, carefully place it upright inside a brown paper bag and
transport it to a safe area where it can recover before resuming its journey.
Other Useful Web Sites:
Fatal Light Awareness Program: http://www.flap.org
Towerkills: http://www.towerkill.com
BIRDCAST EDUCATION AND DUTREACH MATERIALS
-------
NATIVE PLANTS AND BIODIVERSITY
We have peppered our continent with new houses, sidewalks, lawns, and regimented land-
scapes that are relatively devoid of seedpods, berries or other natural food sources. Imagine
a different type of "yarden": birds chirping, butterflies flitting, bees busily transporting
pollen, and wildlife drinking and bathing in the rainwater you collected in your yarden.
You can create this scene, and in so doing, you'll find that you'll have to replace plants less
often and use less pesticide, time, money, and water.
To begin the transformation from traditional landscape to nativescape:
* Identify your existing plants, then explore forests and other natural areas to examine
differences. Never remove plants from the wild.
* For a gradual transition, retain high maintenance areas close to the house while
establishing a natural garden toward the edges and back of your property.
* Consider neighboring property. Cooperate with your neighbors and extend existing
plantings to create larger joint habitat.
* Reduce lawn by breaking it up with curved borders around gardens, trees, shrubs and
groundcovers to create an "edge effect."
* Select native plants to attract birds through all seasons and allow space for natural
growth patterns (less pruning).
* Consider tall native grasses (quail and other grassland species are declining), flower-
ing annuals and perennials, and shrubs for shelter and food.
* Consider removal of overgrown, unattractive plants that offer little wildlife value.
* Add to your plan a little at a time. Enjoy a work in progress while reducing the area
of lawn.
* Plant more than one of a plant, as larger patches are more visible to birds. Plant them
in an irregular pattern so that it looks more natural.
AVOID TOXIC CHEMICALS. Birds eat the treated insects and berries.
Remember, numerous plant species attract a greater variety of birds and other wildlife.
Check links below to find out more and where you can find native plants.
Learn more about how to reduce the use of pesticides, find alternatives, and create a healthy
backyard by region
* Pesticide and garden tips: Ten Commandments for a Healthy Yard:
http-.llwww. audubon. org/bird/pesticides/10%20COMs %20boxes. html
* The Environmental Protection Agency's Biopesticides site:
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides/
44
APPENDIX A
-------
* Backyard Conservation: 1-888-LANDCARE,
http://www. nhq. nrcs. usda.gov/CCS/Backyard. html
* Native plants and gardening links: http://plants. usda.gov/plants/links. html
*• Native plant societies by region: http://www.nanps.org/associations/frame.shtml
«• Green Landscaping with Native Plants: http://www.epa.gov/greenacres/
«• Audubon Habitat Collection from Monrovia: 1-888-PLANT IT
Further Reading:
The Bird Garden by Steve Kress
Bird Gardening Book by Donald and Lillian Stokes
The Chemical Free Lawn by Warren Schultz
Going Native by Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Landscaping for Wildlife by Carrol L. Henderson
Redesigning the American Lawn -A Search for Environmental Harmony by Bormann,
Balmori & Geballe
For additional information contact:
Director, Pesticide Initiative & Healthy Habitats
National Audubon Society
HealthyYards@Audubon.org
BIRDCAST EDUCATION AND DUTREACH MATERIALS 45
-------
CITIZEN SCIENTISTS LEND A HAND TO BIRDS THIS FALL
Award-Winning Web Site Combines Technology and Bird Science
to Help Birds Get Home Safely
New York, NY August 28, 2000 - This fall, migratory birds will face a number of life
threatening challenges in their journey south. In addition to predators, difficult weather,
and long distances, birds this year must contend with man made threats including poten-
tial poisoning from the pesticides employed to combat the West Nile Virus. With the help
of citizen scientists and state-of-the-art forecasting technology, birds migrating through the
Mid-Atlantic may get a break.
"Using the most advanced migration monitoring techniques, in combination with the
efforts of the public, BirdCast www.BirdCast.orgwi\\ become one of the most effective ways
to track bird movement, and protect bird species," said Audubon's Senior Vice President
for Science, Frank Gill. "From September 1st through November 15th, National Audubon
Society urges citizens from New York to Washington, D.C. to report bird sightings to
BirdCast and to take action to aid birds."
As birds migrate, major factors contributing to their demise include pesticide use; loss of
feeding and watering opportunities; impact with radio, television, and cellular towers, and
brightly lit office buildings which disorient birds, causing them to crash. Scientists recog-
nize that migrating birds are in decline—down by nearly 50% since the 1960s.
BirdCast, enabling scientists to predict bird migration through a specific region, offers
practical uses for homeowners and public officials. Using BirdCast, homeowners will be
advised as to when to avoid spraying pesticides in their gardens, provide seed and water,
and when to keep their cats indoors, in order to keep bird populations alive and well.
Building owners can use BirdCast to determine when to turn off disorienting lights that
often cause birds to crash into windows and die.
Public Health officials are also urged to make use of BirdCast. "This fall, BirdCast has an
unintended and immediate use for county health officers," continued Audubon's Gill.
"BirdCast will provide guidelines on when to suspend spray operations, helping officials
avoid unnecessary bird deaths and violations of federal Migratory Bird Laws."
BirdCast, a project of National Audubon Society, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and
Clemson University Radar Ornithology Lab, made its debut this past spring and was a
resounding success. Funded by the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Research
and Development and the Office of Pesticide Programs, the project was granted the "Dr.
Copernicus Award" by the Copernicus Education Gateway, a Web site that features the
best educational sites for students and teachers. Using radar pictures, audio samples and
most importantly, personal observations (or "groundtruthing,") scientists were able to
make predictions and draw conclusions about songbird migratory behavior.
Participants from the mid-Atlantic region watched the skies, reported their findings to the
BirdCast site and were then advised when to keep their cats indoors, to refrain from pesti-
cide use, and to provide food and water in order to protect migrating birds in their region.
Of particular interest to the thousands who visited BirdCast were the "10 Commandments
to a Healthy Yard" and "The Audubon Guide to Home Pesticides," still available at the site
http-.l/magazine.audubon. orglbackyardlbackyard0005. html.
46
APPENDIX A
-------
"By encouraging the public to report bird sightings in their region, BirdCast has and will
continue to enable scientists to gather valuable information on migratory movements," said
Gill. "The project will not only increase scientific knowledge but also encourages people
to make informed decisions about when to apply pesticides, let their cats out or undertake
other activities that might cause birds harm."
This fall, with additional support from the EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs, BirdCast
will expand into the states of New York and New Jersey. Scientists will generate morning
and evening pictures of warbler, waterfowl, and hawk migration through the region using
NEXRAD (Next Generation Radar). These snapshots of bird migration and weather
events will be accompanied by interpretation and predictions from the Clemson Lab so
that the general public and city officials can both observe and assist migratory birds.
"BirdCast has already inspired the general public to use this new technology to observe
birds and ultimately become partners in conservation," said Sally Conyne, Director of
Citizen Science for Audubon. "This fall we are eager to track bird movement once again.
Web users will be able to obtain daily forecasts of bird movements, learn about the best
bird-viewing spots and find out how human activity impacts birds. In addition, the site
now includes general information about migration, some late-breaking pesticide news, and
a variety of tips for the fall gardener."
Aside from adding color and music to our lives, birds serve as important environmental
indicators, helping scientists assess the health of an ecosystem. Evidence of a declining bird
species in a particular region may indicate another problem such as the loss of food or water
sources, the destruction of specific habitats, or contamination by a toxic element. Despite
the significant role birds play in local ecosystems, every year the numbers of migratory birds
that return to the Mid-Atlantic region, and other parts of the country, decreases. These
decreases may indicate problems with broad environmental implications, problems that
can impact us in many ways.
Founded in 1905 and with over a 550,000 members and supporters in 530 chapters
throughout the Americas, the National Audubon Society conserves and restores natural
ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of human-
ity and the earth's biological diversity.
MEDIA CONTACT:
John Bianchi
Kara Grobert
jbianchi@audubon.org
kgrobert@audubon.org
212/979-3026
212/979-3027
BIRDCAST EDUCATION AND DUTREACH MATERIALS
-------
NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY URGES NY. NT & CT HEALTH
OFFICIALS NOT TO SPRAY PESTICIDES THIS WEEKEND
Largest Wave of Bird Migration This Fall Predicted to Pass Through Tri-State Area
New York, NY September 15, 2000- Using the latest technology in bird tracking techniques
and the efforts of citizen scientists through BirdCast.org, National Audubon Society pre-
dicts the largest wave of migration will occur this weekend- and strongly urges county
officials to suspend pesticide spraying operations in the tri-state area.
"This weekend will be one of the best opportunities for people to see a wide variety of
species of migrating songbirds and hawks, and to contribute their sightings to BirdCast,"
said Sally Conyne, Director of Citizen Science for Audubon. "On the other hand, this week-
end will be one of the worst times for pesticide sprayings to occur, due to the unknown
effects of the use of Scourge and Anvil on birds and the consequent reduction of their food
source. By not spraying pesticides in the tri-state area this weekend, county and city officials
will avoid unnecessary bird deaths and violations of federal Migratory Bird Laws."
Migratory birds usually face a number of life threatening challenges in their journey south.
This weekend, in addition to predators, difficult weather, and long distances, birds must
contend with man made threats, especially potential poisoning from the pesticides
employed to combat the West Nile Virus. With the cooperation of health officials, help of
citizen scientists and state-of-the-art BirdCast technology, birds migrating through the Mid-
Atlantic may get a break.
"In combination with the efforts of the public, BirdCast www.BirdCast.org will become one
of the most effective ways to track bird movement, and protect bird species," said Audubon's
Senior Vice President for Science, Frank Gill. "From September 1st through November
15th, National Audubon Society urges citizens from New York to Washington, D.C. to
report bird sightings to BirdCast and to take action to aid birds."
As birds migrate, major factors contributing to their demise include pesticide use; loss of
feeding and watering opportunities; impact with radio, television, and cellular towers, and
brightly lit office buildings which disorient birds, causing them to crash. Scientists recog-
nize that migrating birds are in decline—down by nearly 50% since the 1960's.
BirdCast, enabling scientists to predict bird migration through a specific region, offers prac-
tical information for homeowners and public officials. Using BirdCast, homeowners will
learn when to avoid spraying pesticides in their gardens, when to provide seed and water,
and when to keep their cats indoors, in order to keep bird populations alive and well.
Building owners can use BirdCast to determine when to turn off disorienting lights that
often cause birds to crash into windows and die.
BirdCast, a project of National Audubon Society, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Clemson
University Radar Ornithology Lab, and Academy of Natural Sciences made its debut this
past spring and was a resounding success. Supported by the Environmental Protection
Office of Pesticide Programs and Mid-Atlantic Office (Region III), the project was granted
the "Dr. Copernicus Award" by the Copernicus Education Gateway, an educational Web
site for students and teachers. Using radar pictures, audio samples and personal observa-
tions (or "ground truthing,") scientists were able to make predictions and draw conclusions
about songbird migratory behavior.
APPENDIX A
-------
Participants from the mid-Atlantic region watched the skies, reported their findings to the
BirdCast site and were then advised when to keep their cats indoors, to refrain from pesti-
cide use, and to provide food and water in order to protect migrating birds in their region.
Of particular interest to the thousands who visited BirdCast were the "10 Commandments
to a Healthy Yard" and "The Audubon Guide to Home Pesticides," available at the site
http:llwww. birdsource. org/birdcast/pestsum. html.
"By encouraging the public to report bird sightings in their region, BirdCast has and will
continue to enable scientists to gather valuable information on migratory movements," said
Gill. "The project will not only increase scientific knowledge but also encourages people to
make informed decisions about when to apply pesticides, let their cats out or undertake
other activities that might cause birds harm."
This fall, with additional support from the EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs, BirdCast
will expand into the states of NY, NJ and CT Scientists will generate morning and evening
pictures of warbler, waterfowl, and hawk migration through the region using NEXRAD
(Next Generation Radar). These snapshots will be accompanied by interpretation and pre-
dictions from the Clemson Lab so that the general public and city officials can both observe
and assist migratory birds.
"BirdCast has already inspired the general public to use the new technology to observe
birds and ultimately become partners in conservation," said Audubon's Conyne. "This fall
we are eager to track bird movement once again. Web users will obtain daily forecasts of
bird movements, learn about the best bird-viewing spots and find out how human activity
impacts birds. The site now includes general information about migration, some late-
breaking pesticide news, and a variety of tips for the fall gardener."
Aside from adding color and music to our lives, birds serve as important environmental
indicators, helping scientists assess the health of an ecosystem. Evidence of a declining bird
species in a particular region may indicate another problem such as the loss of food or water
sources, the destruction of specific habitats, or contamination by a toxic element. Despite
the significant role birds play in local ecosystems, every year the numbers of migratory birds
that return to the Mid-Atlantic region, and other parts of the country, decreases. These
decreases may indicate problems with broad environmental implications, problems that
can impact us in many ways.
Founded in 1905 and with over a 550,000 members and supporters in 530 chapters
throughout the Americas, the National Audubon Society conserves and restores natural
ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of human-
ity and the earth's biological diversity.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kara Grobert kgrobert@audubon.org
212 979-3027
BIRDCAST EDUCATION AND DUTREACH MATERIALS
49
-------
BirdCast & NEXRAD
In the early days of World War II, British radar operators noticed mysterious, ethereal shad-
ows drifting across their screens. Those apparitions, so wonderfully dubbed angels by
pioneering radar technicians, heralded the beginnings of radar ornithology. Radar's first major
contribution to ornithology took form only a few years later when in 1958 Sidney
Gauthreaux, then a high school student in New Orleans, postulated that if radar can see
planes and weather, why not birds? Only a few years later, as a Louisiana State graduate stu-
dent, he found his proof. His radar images definitively proved the existence of massive
trans-Gulf migrations. Prior to these observations, there was a continuing belief that the
majority of migrants held to a more land bound, clockwise pattern; arriving in North
America via Mexico.
Through the 60s, 70s, and 80s, however, radar's promise failed to fully evolve. There were
a few notable discoveries, such as in 1989 when Gauthreaux, working from archival images,
awakened the ornithological world to the precipitous decline in migrating flocks—down by
nearly half when compared to the 1960s. The existing radar of the day, however, was prov-
ing largely inadequate. It lacked not only the necessary resolution, but it also failed to provide
a three dimensional view.
In the early 1990s, however, change was coming. The new, highly efficient NEXRAD
Doppler radar (Next Generation Radar) began to be placed in service. The Air Force started
investigating NEXRAD's utility in their Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard Program (BASH).
During this period, portable NEXRAD units were teamed with vertically mounted thermal
imaging units so that the images captured by the radar could be visually verified. Elsewhere,
graduate students under Sid Gauthreaux were making their own exciting discoveries. Their
breath-taking images of giant expanding aerial doughnuts were found to be thousands of
Purple Martin radiating from critical roosting sites each morning.
Radar ornithology work is now taking place in many parts of the country and it is soon to
come to the Mid-Atlantic. With the support of the Environmental Protection Agency's Office
of Research and Development and the Office of Pesticide Programs, a coalition consisting of
National Audubon, Cornell's Laboratory of Ornithology, and Clemson's Radar Ornithology
Laboratory, "BirdCast" will be coming soon to a computer near you on September 1, 2000.
To access BirdCast you will go to the existing Audubon/Cornell Web site—BirdSource
http://www.BirdSource.org. Throughout periods of peak migration, BirdCast will provide a
morning and evening, unfiltered snapshot of the eastern region of the US from New York
through Virginia. The birds and weather shown in theseimages will be accompanied by inter-
pretation and a migration prediction provided by the Clemson Lab.
Is this work being done just as a special favor for birders? Well, not exactly. You can think
of BirdCast as an early alert and an environmental billboard on the Internet. Linked to
BirdCast will be messages such as admonitions against the use of certain pesticides as well
as a number of other migrant-friendly changes that people can make in their backyards.
We'll advise the residents of the region about the pests that actually pose local threats and
the safest management strategies. Included at the site are two charts of special interest—
"10 Commandments for a Healthy Yard" and "The Audubon Guide to Home Pesticides."
With the completion of data collection this migration season, we hope to use the inter-
preted and ground-truthed images in pinpointing critical habitat in need of protection.
5D
APPENDIX A
-------
While all of this seems reasonably simple and employs proven technology, its not simple at
all. In fact, it's really research in the development stage. What has been sorely lacking in the ^^
past is you. Most earlier radar work has been lacking a critical component—ground-
truthing. Dozens, hundreds, and, indeed, thousands of sets of eyes are needed to verify
what the radar images are capturing and to that end, BirdCast will have an interactive com-
ponent and will allow you to log on and enter your daily sightings. These will feed directly
into our database and be available to everyone in real-time.
So, BirdCast needs you. Dust off those bins and get ready to head to your favorite haunts.
While we encourage all of you to post each and every sighting, of greatest value will be
sightings coming from those who can afford the time to make regular observations. Those
of you who would like to participate on a daily or regular basis or if you would like addi-
tional information please contact Sally Conyne sconyne@audubon.org. These data you
collect will greatly enhance our overall understanding of migration patterns and move- V^^
ments. And this project will educate a multitude of people about how their backyards can
be made friendlier and healthier for our angels. So, please, help us help the birds.
BIRDCAST EDUCATION AND DUTREACH MATERIALS 51
-------
-------
------- |