Ontario Bird Feeder Survey

Birds Canada
https://www.birdscanada.org

Project name: Project FeederWatch

Goals : Data collected between 1976 and 1987 in the Ontario precursor to Project Feeder Watch.

Dataset summary : Data collected between 1976 and 1987 in the Ontario precursor to Project Feeder Watch.

Status : Discontinued

Year started : 1976

Year finished : 1987

Geographic area covered : Ontario. Project FeederWatch, which replaced the OBFS, now extends to North America (US and Canada) Approximately 16,000 participants from all states and provinces.

Type(s) of habitat : Backyards, nature centers. Generally rural or suburban

Primary species covered : Landbirds that visit bird feeders

Sampling Design : Depends on citizen scientists (data collected by volunteers). Sampling locations are determined by the volunteers.

Field methods : Counts at feeders, species, number and weather conditions, effort information

Data format : Over 5 million records per year, maintained in Oracle data base at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Raw data available - contact the Lab. Data retrieval tools including simple trend graphs and distribution maps available to the public at: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/DataRetrieval/dataretr_index.html

Sample size : Counts submitted from about 10,000 participants each year, over 5 million birds reported in 2003.

Results : http://birds.cornell.edu/PFW/News/

Trends and time series availability : http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/DataRetrieval/trendgraphs/index.html

Publications : http://birds.cornell.edu/PFW/News/ScientificPapers.htm

Funding sources : Fees paid by participants to Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada.

Applications for the data : long-term trends in bird distribution and abundance; timing and extent of winter irruptions of winter finches and other species; expansions or contractions in the winter ranges of feeder birds; kinds of foods and environmental factors that attract birds; how disease is spread among birds that visit feeders

Users of the information : Research Scientists