This is a detailed analysis of the Garden Bird Survey (GBS) that has been run by
Canberra
Ornithologists Group (COG) since July 1981.
The report is based on the first 18 years of continuous data, from 46273
observer weeks of data, from 1151 observer years of data, from a total of 277
sites. It for the first time, fully describes the survey's history and methods.
It includes a
summary of urban bird surveys throughout the world (especially Australia).
It addresses how observer activity affects results
and the importance of habitat at the range of sites. It demonstrates observer
differences in results. It details how recording rate relates to assessed
abundance of birds and how the connection alters, according to the migratory and
social behaviour of birds. It makes vital comparisons between results of the GBS
and the COG ACT Bird Atlas. It describes frequency distribution by year at which
species were recorded and found breeding. It shows how species diversity and
total abundance of bird fauna varies over the year (by month). It describes how
residency of birds is assessed. There are 34 Figures (graphs) and 2 data Tables
in this first section. (There is a total of 303 individual graphs in the book.)
Conservation aspects are also addressed.
It has 41
pages of text (in standard sequence with one exception) on 163 species where the
data are sufficient. This covers monthly patterns of abundance and/or long term
trends in abundance, such as increases, decreases and stability. Also timing and
duration of all stages of breeding is given (if recorded). Monthly patterns are
interpreted relative to migration, changes in habitat use over the year,
seasonal changes in behaviour and breeding. It includes 15 pages of clearly set
out graphs of both monthly and long-term abundance, over the 18 years,
for 120 species. It includes 8 Appendices of detailed statistical and other
supplementary information (statistics on occurrence and breeding of all species
and statistics on all sites, plus other items) and 149 references and a
comprehensive index.
The
report is 128 pages in length, printed in plain black and bound. It is set out
very compactly (avoiding blank space). Although it is in part based on the same
dataset, this report includes an extra year of data and far more detailed
analysis and none of the pictures that are in the book Birds of Canberra
Gardens. (But it does have three original pictures) That book, that you have probably seen, was published in 2000 by COG (and usually retails for something over $30). This
report is very different in concept, coverage and
design.
This price on this report is $19.00 (normally plus package and
postage of $3.50) and will be available only from:
Philip Veerman
24 Castley Circuit
Kambah ACT 2902
(02) 62314041 Please contact me
first (preferably by email) before sending any
money.
