Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas

Pennsylvania Game Commission

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

Project name: Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas

Goals : The Pennsylvania Bird Atlas is a six year project to determine the distribution and relative abundance of birds across Pennsylvania. This is Pennsylvania’s third atlas, and the second to incorporate point count surveys. The protocol was designed to support multiple statistical approaches for estimating detection probabilities, densities, and population sizes of an array of breeding species. These results will inform conservation policy in the state by identifying trends in bird populations, documenting priority species, identifying important bird areas, and informing conservation tools.

Dataset summary : Pennsylvania Bird Atlas (2024-2029) includes: point count information and species data.

Year started : 2024

Year finished : 2028

Season(s) and frequency : Annually during the breeding season, depending on species

Frequency : Annually

Geographic area covered : Pennsylvania

Primary species covered : All species of birds

Sampling Design : A road-based sampling design was used and point counts were conducted at up to eight randomly selected locations (separated by at least 400m) per atlas block. Each block is approximately 9 mi2 (23 km2).

Field methods : Surveys are conducted from late May to early July. Point counts are stationary counts lasting 6 minutes and 15 seconds. Each count consists of five 75-second time periods. All birds identified by sight or sound during a count are recorded, noting time period of first detection (1, 2, 3, 4, or 5) and distance of bird (< or > 75 m).

Data caveats : The Pennsylvania Bird Atlas 3 (PBA3) is a joint project of the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Major funding for the PBA3 comes from State Wildlife Grants administered by the PGC. For more information, contact: pabirdatlas@hawkmountain.org