Overview
Project Name
Canadian Migration Monitoring Network
Access Level
By Request
Year started
1984
Year Ended
Ongoing
Dataset
Daily Migration Counts: Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory
About
Dataset summary
Counts from Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory (BPBO) 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 from April 15 to June 10, and August 15 to October 31
Geographic area covered
Located on Lake Huron, Ontario (45.21, -81.42). Migrants at the site originate primarily from breeding range in Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec, but isotopic studies indicate that some originate farther west.
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 in 2003) include banding using 15 nets (6 hr from dawn onward), a fixed-route census of about an hour, and incidental observation during standard operations.
Analysis methods
See QuickLinks. 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 that also include incidental observations
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 only alert to users of this dataset is that coverage in spring 2020 was less than standard due to Covid 19 restrictions.
Partners
Citation
Birds Canada and Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory. 2026. "Daily Migration Counts: Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory". Data accessed from NatureCounts, Birds Canada. 10.71842/feg7-eb35
