Overview
Project Name
Canadian Migration Monitoring Network
Access Level
By Request
Year started
1984
Year Ended
Ongoing
Dataset
Daily Migration Counts: Beaverhill Bird Observatory
About
Dataset summary
Counts from Beaverhill Bird Observatory (BBO) 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
Daily counts in spring (May 1st to June 10th) and fall (August 1st to October 10). Fall owl monitoring runs September 9th to November 14th
Geographic area covered
Located near Edmonton, AB (53.38, -112.52). Migrants at the site originate primarily from breeding range in northern Alberta and 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 (standardized since 1990) include daily banding using 12-17 nets (6 hr from dawn onward), a fixed-route census lasting about an hour, and incidental observations
Analysis methods
See Quick Links. Population trends for all species at this site 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. Habitat at BBO has undergone succession, such that net locations have been regularly shifted to maintain fairly similar netting conditions, mainly in willow edges
Partners
Citation
Birds Canada and Beaverhill Bird Observatory. 2026. "Daily Migration Counts: Beaverhill Bird Observatory". Data accessed from NatureCounts, Birds Canada. 10.71842/6b87-4x24
