Overview
Project Name
Canadian Migration Monitoring Network
Access Level
By Request
Year started
2006
Year Ended
Ongoing
Dataset
Daily Migration Counts: Tatlayoko Lake Bird Observatory
About
Dataset summary
Counts from Tatlayoko Lake Bird Observatory (TLBO) of birds banded and observed during daily operations; plus a composite Daily Estimated Total (DET): the best estimate for each species of unduplicated number of individuals detected within the official count area during the daily monitoring period
Season(s) and frequency
Standardized daily coverage between August 3 and September 28
Geographic area covered
Located in southern BC (51.65, -124.4). Migrants at the site originate primarily from breeding range in British Columbia, western Northwest Territories, Yukon and Alaska
Primary species covered
Captures are primarily small passerines, but all species observed are recorded
Goals
To conduct standardized daily migration season counts and collect ancillary data on migration ecology for use in long-term biological and population monitoring of Canada’s bird species
Methods
Sampling Design
Daily capture and observation during migration seasons to generate species-specific daily totals of birds detected within each study site
Field methods
Daily operations include standardized banding using 12 nets (6 hr from dawn onward), a fixed-route census lasting about an hour, and incidental observation during the 6-hr standard operations period.
Analysis methods
See Quick Links. Population trends for ‘Regular Migrants’ at this site are based on counts from standardized methods alone (numbers banded and recorded on census), while trends for all other species are based on Daily Estimated Totals
Advice
Any disruption to standardized operations relevant to appropriate interpretation of analytical results is noted in a regularly-updated section of the station protocol (https://www.birdscanada.org/bird-science/cmmn-protocols). As of 2025, the following alert had been recorded. Note that the portion of count area covered during incidental observations was expanded in 2017, causing noticeable increase in Estimated Totals for certain species, especially grassland birds. As well, regeneration and succession have altered capture rates for some nets
Partners
Citation
Birds Canada and Tatlayoko Lake Bird Observatory. 2026. "Daily Migration Counts: Tatlayoko Lake Bird Observatory". Data accessed from NatureCounts, Birds Canada. 10.71842/fj3w-e548
