Surveying Marbled Murrelets at Inland Forested Sites: A Guide

摘要

The marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoralus), a seabird, nests in forestedstands from southeast Alaska south to Santa Cruz, California. Because of this species' close association with old-growth forests, researchers and land managers need a method to assess murrelet distribution and use patterns throughout its range. The guide describes a standardized method for surveying marbled murrelets used by researchers in California nd Oregon during 1988 and 1989. Transects can be used to assess activity patterns over large blocks of land, such as States or countries. Stationary counts using an intensive inventory method can be used to survey small acreages, such as individual timber sales. In addition to bird counts, vegetation and physical data should be collected at each census point. The guide includes a form that can be used to design studies and determine activity patterns and potential use.