Québec Nocturnal Owls Survey

Birds Canada
https://www.birdscanada.org

Birds Protection Québec
http://www.pqspb.org/

Project name: Québec Nocturnal Owl Survey

Goals : To better assess the distribution and abundance of owl species, species' associations in respect to habitat, and long-term population fluctuations for the most abundant species.

Dataset summary : To better assess the distribution and abundance of owl species, species' associations in respect to habitat, and long-term population fluctuations for the most abundant species.

Year started : 2008

Years (comments) : ongoing

Season(s) and frequency : one evening in April

Frequency : Annually

Geographic area covered : Québec

Primary species covered : Owls

Field methods : The survey protocols are similar to other roadside surveys, using playback calls and following North American guidelines for Nocturnal Owl Monitoring. Each route consists of 10 stops positioned 2 km apart. Citizen scientists are asked to survey their route during one evening in April by identifying all owls heard or seen. Broadcasts of Boreal and Barred owl calls, interspersed with silent periods, are used to invoke vocal responses from owls.