Northern Colorado Plateau Network landbird monitoring protocol science review: A summary of reviewers’ responses and recommendations

Bozek, Michael

doi:10.36967/2313929

Beginning in 2020, the Northern Colorado Plateau Inventory and Monitoring Network (NCPN) partnered with the Mediterranean Coast Network (MEDN) and seven other National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring networks to review their collective landbird monitoring protocols in an effort titled the “Western Bird Review”. As part of the overall effort, both NCPN and MEDN conducted a detailed science review of their specific landbird monitoring protocols to assess each program’s scientific integrity, management significance to national parks, and opportunities for improved efficiency and collaboration; this report summarizes the NCPN review. Three peer reviewers and three park employees provided feedback on the protocol and science products. In short, the program has excelled. Reviewers were impressed with the longevity, statistical design, rigor, and frequency of reports and publications being generated by the NCPN bird monitoring protocol for parks. Improvements suggested by reviewers noted that only one trend analysis had been conducted across all years that data had been collected and suggested that moving forward, analyses be conducted and results communicated to the parks more often for timely and effective management. Further, reviewers suggested NCPN integrate how climate change might be impacting the effectiveness of the monitoring protocol such as identifying how/if changes in phenology are affecting the surveys, how climate-influenced changing habitats affect a habitat-based sampling approach, and how to address these changes. Questions posed to three park staff indicated that staff were pleased with the bird monitoring and were receiving information that they wouldn’t have obtained otherwise. The data reassured park managers that currently, there were no declining trends to be concerned about and no management issues currently necessitating the direct use of the information for park management.

Northern Colorado Plateau Network landbird monitoring protocol science review: A summary of reviewers’ responses and recommendations

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