Detections of breeding birds in the Shoshone, Toiyabe, Toquima, and Monitor ranges, Nevada

Metadata:

Data_Quality_Information:

Attribute_Accuracy:

Attribute_Accuracy_Report:

Detections are thought to be accurate (i.e., no false positives). Coordinates and detection distances should be accurate within approximately 10 meters horizontal.

Logical_Consistency_Report:

Any questionable records were verified carefully with the observer. Most observers had considerable experience observing birds, often in the Intermountain West. If any doubt remained in the principal investigators' minds about the validity of a record, the record was omitted. Observers often checked detection distances with laser rangefinders.

Completeness_Report:

During each year, we conducted surveys (i.e., three point counts per point) for breeding birds at most of the extant survey points. In rare cases, inclement weather prevented three visits to each point. We were unable to visit all points in all years due to logistical constraints (e.g., severe weather, impassable roads, insufficient manpower).

Lineage:

Methodology:

Methodology_Type: Field

Methodolgy_Identifier:

Methodolgy_Keyword_Thesaurus:

None

Methodology_Keyword: fixed-radius point counts

Methodology_Description:

We surveyed birds during the breeding seasons (late May through June) with 75-meter (2001-2004) or 100-meter (2005-2015, 2018-2024) fixed-radius point counts. We established 179 survey points in 2001 and added additional points in most years through 2010. Most point centers were placed > 350 meters apart. During each visit, we recorded by sound or sight all birds using terrestrial habitat within the survey area. Point counts were conducted only in calm weather, and few were conducted > 3.5 hours after dawn. Points were sampled three times per year for five minutes (2001-2004) or eight minutes (2005-2015, 2018-2024) per visit. From 2005-2015, observers recorded which birds were detected from the start of the survey to 5 minutes (min) and from > 5 min to 8 min. Therefore, the 8-min data can be truncated to 5 min. From 2018-2024, observers broke the 8-min sample period into four consecutive 2-min removal intervals. This allowed us to estimate whether apparent absence of a species at a given location during a given survey reflected failure to detect individuals that were present or true absence, likely resulting from movement of birds between successive surveys. Survey points were located along the full elevational gradient of the canyons we sampled, typically with two or three points per 100 meters of vertical elevation change. Points were positioned in order to sample the dominant vegetation types in proportion to the approximate extent of each vegetation type. Dominant vegetation was consistent within the point. We estimated the geographic coordinates (measured in Universal Transverse Mercator units [UTMs], NAD83 zone 11) of each survey point with a global positioning system.

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

Taxonomy updated using Chesser et al. (2024).

Species updates/corrections:

1. House Wren (HOWR) updated to Northern House Wren (NHWR). Changes made to species code and English name, but not to scientific name.

2. Northern Goshawk (NOGO, Accipiter gentilis) updated to American Goshawk (AGOS, Accipiter atricapillus). Changes made to species code, English name, and scientific name.

3. Cordilleran Flycatcher (COFL, Empidonax occidentalis) updated to Western Flycatcher (WEFL, Empidonax difficilis). Changes made to species code, English name, and scientific name.

4. Code for American Goldfinch updated from AMGO to AGOL. No changes to English name or scientific name.

5. English name Black-crowned Night-Heron updated to Black-crowned Night Heron. No changes to species code or scientific name.

6. Code for Broad-tailed Hummingbird updated from BTLH to BTHU. No changes to English name or scientific name.

Process_Date: 20250210

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Overview_Description:

Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:

Below you will find a list and description of the files included in this data publication.


VARIABLE DESCRIPTION FILE (1)

1. \Data\_variable_descriptions.csv: Comma-separated values (CSV) file containing a list and description of variables in the data. (A description of these variables is also provided in the metadata below.)

Columns include:

Filename = name of data file
Variable = name of variable
Units = units (if applicable)
Precision = precision (if applicable)
Description = description of variable


DATA FILE (1)

1. \Data\Central_GreatBasin_bird_data.csv: CSV file containing bird detection data for the Shoshone, Toiyabe, Toquima, and Monitor ranges, Nevada from 2001-2015 and 2018-2024. Each row is a detection of an individual bird.

Variables include:

Column A (OBSERVER) = initials of the person who detected the bird (names available from the Point of Contact - see Point of Contact section).

Column B (RANGE) = mountain range in which the point was located (Monitor, Shoshone, Toiyabe, or Toquima).

Column C (CANYON) = canyon in which the point was located. Canyon names generally are consistent with those displayed on current USDA Forest Service maps.

Column D (YEAR) = year of the detection (2001-2015, 2018-2024).

Column E (DATE) = date of the detection (dd-Mon-yyyy, where dd=day, Mon=name of month and yyyy=year).

Column F (POINT) = point of contact's shorthand reference for the fixed location of the point. This simply is a reference code for the researcher, but in most cases, numbers within a canyon increase as elevation increases.

Column G (VISIT) = within a given year, sampling round (of 3 rounds) associated with the detection.

Column H (INTERVAL) = from 2018-2024, the 2-minute removal interval during which the species was detected (1=0:01-2:00, 2=2:01-4:00, 3=4:01-6:00, 4=6:01-8:00). The seven dots (.) in the 2019 data indicate a case in which the observer did not record the interval. This field is blank in other years.

Column I (TIME) = start time (local time; Pacific Daylight Time) of sampling for the point on that date (hh:mm, where hh=hour and mm=minutes). This field has a dot (.) if observers did not record the time.

Column J (WIND) = wind speed in meters per second at the start of the point count. Recorded from 2013-2015 and 2018-2024. This field has a dot (.) if observers did not record the wind speed.

Column K (TEMPERATURE) = air temperature in degrees Celsius at the start of the point count. Recorded from 2013-2015 and 2018-2024. This field has a dot (.) if observers did not record the temperature.

Column L (SPECIES CODE) = four-letter species code from Four-letter (English Name) and Six-letter (Scientific Name) Alpha Codes for 2202 Bird Species (and 139 Non-Species Taxa) in accordance with the 65th AOU Supplement (Chesser et al. 2024) (http://www.birdpop.org/docs/misc/Alpha_codes_tax.pdf, accessed January 2025).

Column M (ENGLISH NAME) = English name of species from Checklist of North American and Middle American Birds, 7th edition and its supplements (Chesser et al. 2024).

Column N (SCIENTIFIC NAME) = scientific name of species from Checklist of North American and Middle American Birds, 7th edition and its supplements (Chesser et al. 2024).

Column O (METHOD) = indicates how the bird was detected (S = by sight, V = by vocalization, F = the bird flew over the point and used resources in the point [e.g., feeding]). Multiple letters (e.g., SVF or VS) indicate the bird was detected by more than one method; the order could imply which type of detection occurred first or it could mean simultaneous detection by multiple methods. A dot (.) indicates that the observer did not record how the bird was detected.

Column P (DISTANCE) = distance from the point center (observer) (in meters [m]) at which the bird was detected. In most years, distances were recorded in the following bins: 0-10 m, > 10-25 m, > 25-50 m, > 50-75 m, or > 75-100 m. From 2001-2015, values of 10 indicate that the bird was observed 0-10 m from the point center; values of 25 indicate that the bird was observed > 10-25 m from the point center; values of 50 indicate that the bird was observed > 25-50 m from the point center; values of 75 indicate that the bird was observed > 50-75 m from the point center; and values of 100 indicate that the bird was observed > 75-100 m from the point center. From 2018-2024, observers estimated distances to 100 m as a continuous variable.

Column Q (FLEW IN) = whether the bird flew into the point during the count (1=yes, 0=no).

Column R (DETECT > 5-8) = whether the bird was detected > 5-8 minutes after the count started (1=yes, 0=no). This field is blank for detections from 2001-2004 (during which the duration of counts was 5 min) and 2018-2024.

Column S (UTMX) = Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) x (or easting) coordinates (NAD83 zone 11).

Column T (UTMY) = Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) y (or northing) coordinates (NAD83 zone 11).

Column U (NOTES) = any observations of sex, reproductive status, behavior, or location recorded in the field. This field is blank if no observations were recorded. (In these notes, m = meters.)

Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:

Chesser, R. Terry; Billerman, Shawn M.; Burns, Kevin J.; Cicero, Carla; Dunn, Jon L.; Hernández-Baños, Blanca E.; Jiménez, Rosa Alicia; Johnson, Oscar; Kratter, Andrew W.; Mason, Nicholas A.; Rasmussen, Pamela C.; Remsen Jr., J. V. 2024. Sixty-fifth supplement to the American Ornithological Society’s check-list of North American Birds. Ornithology. 141(3): ukae019. https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithology/ukae019

Chesser, R. Terry; Billerman, Shawn M.; Burns, Kevin J.; Cicero, Carla; Dunn, Jon L.; Hernández-Baños, Blanca E.; Jiménez, Rosa Alicia; Johnson, Oscar; Kratter, Andrew W.; Mason, Nicholas A.; Rasmussen, Pamela C.; Remsen Jr., J. V. 2024. Check-list of North American Birds (online). American Ornithological Society. https://checklist.americanornithology.org/taxa

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20250228

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: Erica Fleishman

Contact_Organization: Oregon State University

Contact_Position: Professor

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical

Address: 104 CEOAS Administration

Address: Oregon State University

City: Corvallis

State_or_Province: OR

Postal_Code: 97331

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 805-291-6258

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: erica.fleishman@oregonstate.edu

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: erica.fleishman@gmail.com

Contact Instructions: This contact information was current as of February 2025. For current information see Contact Us page on: https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS.

Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Biological Data Profile of the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001.1-1999