A comparison of breeding population estimators using nest and brood monitoring data.

ABSTRACT: For many species, breeding population size is an important metric for assessing population status. A variety of simple methods are often used to estimate this metric for ground-nesting birds that nest in open habitats (e.g., beaches, riverine sandbars). The error and bias associated with estimates derived using these methods vary in relation to differing monitoring intensities and detection rates. However, these errors and biases are often difficult to obtain, poorly understood, and largely unreported. A method was developed to estimate the number of breeding pairs using counts of nests and broods from monitoring data where multiple surveys were made throughout a single breeding season (breeding pair estimator; BPE). The BPE method was compared to two commonly used estimation methods using

SUBMITTER: Baasch DM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4588649 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature