Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas 3
Data collection for the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas 3 (Atlas-3) began on January 1, 2021. Volunteer birders will count and record the presence of breeding birds across Ontario for five years. The goal of the Atlas is to map the distribution of Ontario’s approximately 300 species of breeding birds. The data collected will provide essential information for researchers, and will guide environmental policies and conservation strategies for years to come. There have been two previous atlases, from 1981-1985 and from 2001-2005, and these were each followed by publication of books summarizing the results.
Any careful observer with an interest in birds can participate, with the only stipulation being that people only submit records for which they are certain of identification. If in doubt, leave it out. Although anyone is welcome to participate in the Atlas, higher levels of birding skill will add to the amount you will be able to contribute. Finding all the species in your square is a lot easier if you can identify birds by their songs because atlassing largely happens in June and July when vegetation is thicker, and birds are harder to see. And having that skillset allows your to do atlas point counts. But don’t despair the Atlas is a wonderful way for beginner birders to find an entry into birding. There are numerous resources on the Atlas webste to help you on your journey, and after five years of birding you will be hooked on the activity for a lifetime.
All of the information you will need is found on the Atlas website here, including how to register, how to do the surveys, and how to enter data. There are also excellent videos to help you on your way. Rather than try to reinvent the wheel, I will suggest that you spend as much time as possible at the website if you are interested in joining the project.
For the purposes of the survey Ontario is divided into 47 regions that are coordinated by Regional Coordinators (RCs). I am the RC for the Rainy River Region (40) and can be contacted in three ways, bobsaunders01@gmail.com, rainyriver@birdsontario.org, or using the contact form on this website. If you decide to join, you will be asked to register for a specific region. You can register for as many regions as you want; our area is the Rainy River Region (40).
Each region is divided into 100x100km blocks based on the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) grid, and blocks are divided into 10×10 km squares, each with a specific number/letter name based on the UTM grid. The goal of each participant is to collect observations on breeding birds using standardized methods within those squares.
There ae several ways in which birders of different levels of expertise can participate: general atlassing, point counts, incidental records, and special surveys for owls, nightjars, and marsh birds.
General atlassing is the primary means of contributing data to the project and involves looking for breeding birds in a square, and recording breeding evidence for each species using checklists and a variety of codes that reflect the level of evidence for breeding for a particular bird. The goal of the Atlas is to get adequate coverage of all of the 10 km squares in Southern Ontario and a sampling of squares in each 100 km block in Northern Ontario. Depending upon your level of expertise you may be asked to become the principal atlasser for as many squares as you are comfortable taking on, being responsible for ensuring that each square is adequately covered. Adequate coverage of a square requires a total of 20 or more hours of atlas data coverage over the five years of the survey during the peak of the breeding season (June 1-July 10 in the north) looking for breeding evidence for as many species as possible. This involves visiting all habitat types within the square, and spreading out effort to include some early- and late-season visits as well as some evening and night-time visits to find species most active outside the peak breeding season and daylight hours (for example, crossbills, which can breed at any time of the year, owls, which are most easily heard at night in March and April, and nightjars and woodcocks, which are heard in the evening just as night settles). Do note that as a volunteer you are not responsible for all 20 hours on your own; others most likely will also be collecting data. It is entirely up to the individual how much available time they have to survey.
Point Counts are surveys that involve counting all birds seen or heard at a designated location during a five-minute period. They are the primary means by which we are able to map relative abundance of each species and compare it to that from Atlas-2. Point counts require a good working knowledge of bird songs and calls. The Atlas target is 25 point counts in a square with a mixture of roadside and offroad points. Point counts are conducted between dawn and 5 hours after dawn.
Incidental records are those you find while doing something other than atlassing. For example, you might notice a pair of Red-tailed Hawks sitting side by side in a tree in early spring. You can enter that single record (P for “pair”) as an incidental observation. Typically, these are observations of notable or less common species, or of higher levels of breeding evidence.
There are also special surveys for owls, nightjars and marshbirds. These involve a standardized protocol, and most include using playback to elicit responses.
Above all, the most important consideration to remember is that any observations be restricted to a single square. For example, if you are walking along a transect, the entire transect must be done within just one square.
As noted previously, there are numerous resources on the Atlas website to help you figure this all out. I would also suggest checking out the Saskatchewan Atlas site. It has a number of excellent videos to aid in learning to identify some birds. Click here