M.A.P.S. Banding

Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) is a cooperative effort among public agencies, private organizations, and the bird banders of the continental United States and Canada to provide critical, long-term data on population and demographic parameters for many landbird species.

The major objective of the MAPS program is to contribute to an integrated avian population monitoring system (Institute of Bird Populations) for North American landbird species by providing annual regional indices and estimates for four populations and demographic parameters: Adult population size, post-fledging productivity, adult survivorship, and recruitment into the adult population. The standardized year-to-year commitment of the study is at least five, preferably ten consecutive years. It is necessary for each station to provide reliable estimates of annual variations in productivity and survivorship (DeSante 2000).

The three main habitat species describing the CLDC (MAPS) station include Arrowwood (Viburnum recognitum), Goldenrod (Solidago sp) and Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides). What makes this station unique is that the Arrowwood was invaded by the Viburnum Leaf-beetle (Pyrrhalta virburni) after a few years the station had opened. We are currently looking into the productivity and survivorship resulting from the devastation of the Arrowwood by this beetle and what population changes have resulted in this habitat modification.

The SWAT (MAPS) station in Allegany State Park had begin its first year of operation during the summer of 2007. This station is conducted on the flood riparian zone which is the primary habitat for this station. The 2007 years was a very interesting year with the birds that we captured.

LITERATURE CITED

DeSante, David F. , Kennethy M. Burton, Pilar Velez, and Dan Froehlich 2000. MAPS Manual, 2000 Protocol. The Institute for Bird Populations, CA.

Pyle, P. 1997. Identification Guide to North American Birds, Part 1. Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, CA