Summary Report on Long-Term Constant Effort Monitoring Station and Special Species Monitoring Efforts in the Klamath-Siskiyou Bioregion by the Klamath Bird Observatory in 2007

Frey, Robert; Alexander, John

The Klamath Bird Observatory (KBO) continued its comprehensive, long-term bird monitoring program in the Klamath-Siskiyou Bioregion in 2007. The objectives of this program are to collect data that provide an index to species diversity and abundance in riparian and upland habitats, to evaluate the reproductive success and population health of Neotropical migratory and resident birds, to maintain a long-term monitoring effort for tracking landbird population trends, and to test methods for effectively monitoring special species. The Klamath-Siskiyou Bioregion lies within the Partners in Flight (PIF) Pacific and Intermountain West Avifaunal Biomes. Our monitoring efforts are conducted within several habitat types of which PIF describes 45 focal species for which conservation and monitoring efforts should be targeted (Altman 1999, 2000, CalPIF 2002, RHJV 2004, Rich et al. 2004; Tables 1a-1c). KBO’s monitoring efforts are a major component of the Klamath Bird Monitoring Network, a regional program established in 1992 (Alexander et al. 2004). KBO works with partners in the Klamath-Siskiyou Bioregion to fulfill monitoring goals defined by the National PIF Inventory and Monitoring Working Group (Hussell and Ralph 1998, Rich et al. 2004) and Oregon-Washington (Altman 1999, 2000, Altman and Bart 2000) and California PIF (CalPIF 2002, RHJV 2004) recommendations. As a part of KBO’s monitoring program we maintained long-term efforts to track population trends and demographics with constant effort mist netting stations, rapid ornithological inventories, breeding bird survey routes and extensive point count survey routes throughout the Bioregion. KBO also conducted various research efforts to evaluate the effects of land management projects on landbirds, and to test methods for monitoring special species (e.g., Black Terns, small owls, and Snowy Plovers). KBO continued development of its role as a support source for regional research and monitoring projects by providing technical assistance, training, and consultation to cooperating individuals, organizations, and agencies. This report provides a summary of 2007 constant effort mist netting station efforts, rapid ornithological inventories, special species monitoring, technical training, and banding-associated outreach efforts. The long-term monitoring point count efforts are documented in a separate report (Stephens and Alexander 2008).