eBird
eBird
Overview
eBird (www.eBird.org) is a real-time, online checklist program where birders document the detection or nondetection of species, as well as their counts at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. A simple and intuitive web-interface encourages participants to submit their observations and view results via interactive queries into the eBird database. eBird also provides users with summary and visualization tools to maintain their personal bird records and view them in interactive maps, graphs, and bar charts.
Strengths
eBird offers a consistent format for the public to catalog their bird sighting records. This approach offers promise for potentially harnessing the vast numbers of bird observations made annually by the general public for scientific investigations. Observations can be either detection-nondetection or counts (the latter preferred), and all observations are required to be associated with a spatial location. Users identify where they birded via interactive mapping (i.e., Google Maps), inputting GPS coordinates, or specifying city/county names. Users can view species observations on an interactive map by selecting a time period and a location, state, or region. eBird accepts observations from traveling counts, stationary counts, area searches, and casual observations. Automatic error checking ensures necessary description data (date, time, etc.) accompany each observation. Automated data filters and a network of local experts review all data records to verify rare species and maintain data quality and integrity. Data portals are managed and maintained by local conservation partnerships but consistent data structure and formating allows integration at larger scales (including via the Avian Knowledge Network).
Weaknesses
The eBird data entry portal does not easily permit recording data needed to calculate detection probabilities (distance or time intervals). Spatial locations derived from interactive mapping and GPS coordinates are all point locations, which are not ideal for describing traveling or area counts. Data quality filters are only reliable for rare species or out-of-date species names; they do not assess ability of individual birders to distinguish species that could be reasonably expected to occur in an area (e.g., mistaking American Goldfinch for Yellow Warbler) or ability to detect species (e.g., high frequency song of Blackburnian or Worm-eating Warblers). The pooling of data collected in many different ways in eBird summaries can produce patterns in distribution and abundance that represent differences in collection methods and not actual species ecology.
Examples
The International Rusty Blackbird Technical Working Group uses eBird to manage all data collected during the Rusty Blackbird Blitz (http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/MigratoryBirds/Research/Rusty_Blackbird/blitz.cfm)
Tutorials
A tutorial available on the eBird website covers both creation of an eBird account and submission of checklists: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/about/tutorial
This publication is dynamic in that it will continue to be improved, updated, and expanded over time. Suggestions for improving the content, organization, and scope of this publication are encouraged and can be contributed here (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NP3Y772).