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An Introduction to Atlas Methodology
Creating a Breeding Bird Atlas: The Basics
 Breeding bird atlases follow a standard field technique and protocol. Most simply described, an atlas divides the county, state or province into equally sized blocks or squares. Each square is surveyed for the presence of breeding birds. The breeding status of the species is determined by evaluating the behavior of the birds, and comparing what is observed to a set of predetermined breeding criteria.
After all blocks are surveyed, the information regarding the strength of the breeding evidence is collated for all species in all blocks. This creates a data set of the distribution of all breeding species in the area – a detailed and repeatable snapshot of the distribution of the breeding birds.
Atlas methods are firmly established and should be followed conscientiously to assure compatibility between the data from Atlas 1 and Atlas 2. They will help you to focus your energy in the field. To accurately measure changes in bird distribution over time and use the data to set conservation priorities, we need to ensure consistency in the details of data collection.
| NOTE: This is an abbreviated outline of atlas methods, designed to give the newcomer a general understanding of the work involved. Please use these pages as a primer, but not as your detailed guide to atlas methodology.
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Frequently asked questions on Atlasing
How large is a survey area?
How do I know if I found a breeding bird?
When do I survey?
For how long do I survey?
When is my block finished?
What about teamwork and safety?
Help! How do I choose where to look in my block?
What do I look and listen for?
How do I keep track of my data in the field?
Where do I enter my field data online?
Are rare species reported differently?
Can I report single species or additional sightings?
Where do I sign_up?
How large is a survey area?
Atlas survey areas are created by dividing the state into small blocks. Each block is given a unique name. These blocks, which are exactly the same blocks used in Atlas 1 and in the Massachusetts Butterfly Atlas and Massachusetts Herpetological Atlas, are 1/6th of a 7 1/2 X 7 1/2 minute USGS quadrangle map – most of you know these maps as topo maps. Each block is about 10 mi², and there are approximately 1055 blocks in the state. The blocks can be located using the MassGIS Breeding Bird Atlas 2 mapping tool, which allows volunteers to find the name of a block anywhere in the state, and can be printed using the USGS map printing tool.
The number of blocks assigned to a volunteer depends mainly on how much time the volunteer can commit during the survey period. Blocks must be surveyed for a minimum of 20 hours, so it is difficult for any one volunteer to complete more than four blocks in a single field season.
While surveying your block your goal is to find as many breeding species as you can. Once you Confirm breeding for a species you don't need to collect any more information on that species, unless it is a state or federally listed species.
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How do I know if I found a breeding bird?
Most birds that you see from May 15 – July 1 are breeding adults or recently fledged young. There are species that are present in Massachusetts during the summer that do not breed (e.g. Ring-billed Gull), but we would still like to know that you saw those species in your block. Atlas volunteers should try to find all the species in their blocks and to gather clues to confirm that the species is breeding. Watching birds for signs of their reproductive status may sound tedious, but you'll soon discover that this is the most fascinating part of this work. Some behaviors provide stronger evidence of breeding than others, so you will have a choice of three levels of evidence: Possible, Probable, and Confirmed breeding. (Please review the complete list of breeding and behavior codes.
While the first goal of the Atlas is to find all the species in the block, the second goal is to collect the strongest evidence of breeding for each species.
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It is very important to not disrupt or disturb breeding birds – don't play tapes and don't approach nests or young. You can collect all the information you need by carefully watching the birds.
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When do I survey?
- Time of Year: Blocks will be surveyed when most species are breeding, typically from May 15 – August 1, although after July 10 it can become difficult to separate recently fledged young from adults. Some species breed well before May 15, and we encourage you to visit your block for the early breeders as well.
- Safe Dates: To streamline the task of collecting data on breeders, not migrants, we have assigned a Safe Date for each breeding species. The Safe Date is the period when most passage migrants will have left, and when our breeding behavior codes for Possible or Probable breeding are most accurate. The Confirmed code, as the name implies, has less error, and this is the only set of codes that can be used before the Safe Date.
- Time of Day: Birds are most active early in the morning and from late in the afternoon to the early evening. On cooler days, the period of morning activity may be lengthened, and on warmer days it may be shortened.
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For how long do I survey?
Each block must be surveyed for at least 20 hours. The amount of time needed to survey a block completely depends on topography, habitat complexity and diversity, accessibility of habitats, and the skill level of the volunteer. If you are working with other volunteers and you are together in the field, count each hour as one hour. If you work independently during surveys, count volunteer hours separately (e.g., two volunteers working independently should record two hours of survey time).
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When is my block finished?
The amount of time needed to completely survey a block depends on topography, habitat complexity and diversity, accessibility of habitats, and to some extent, the skill level of the volunteer. The rate of new species additions declines after 10-15 hours, and the rate of upgrades declines after 30 total hours. Most blocks can be called "finished" after 30 hours - but atlasers can spend as much time as they want to in a block.
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What about teamwork and safety?
 Working in pairs, or even in larger teams, is a great way to get the block done quickly, and to maximize your block totals. Two or more people working a block and reporting species found to one another via cell phone can help you to focus your work – and it makes the work more fun. If you had four people working in different locations within a block, and you each spent from 6:30 am to 11:30 am censusing different habitats within the block and communicating Confirmations to each other via cell phone or text message, you would have accomplished 20 hours in the block.
Your safety is extremely important to us. Working in pairs or teams is encouraged. Please don't survey alone at night. Don't trespass on posted land. If your atlas work takes you out into remote areas or out in a boat, don't go alone. Be sensible – follow all biking, wilderness, and boat safety laws and precautions. Let people know where you are going and when you expect to return. Carry a charged cell phone – and please remember that if a situation doesn't feel safe, it probably isn't safe.
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Help! How do I choose where to look in my block?
One of the exciting things about the fieldwork is getting to know new areas, and discovering new birding "patches". This can also be daunting. If you know your area well, chances are you know how you would cover the area if you were doing a "Big Day" - you'd want to get the maximum number of breeding species in the minimum amount of time. Remember that different species prefer different habitats. Therefore to find as many breeding species as possible, you will want to visit all the different habitats in your block.
Study your map. Use Google Earth or Google Map to view recent aerial photos. Study your list of species found in the block during Atlas 1. If you don't know the songs of all the potential bird species in your block, try to learn a few each day (the Birding By Ear series, by Richard Walton, is a great tool). The Birder's Handbook (by Ehrlich, Dobkin and Wheye) can help you interpret behavior.
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What do I look and listen for?
It is important to bird with some expectation for what you may see; "Chance" favors the prepared mind. Every atlaser develops a personalized way of looking for breeding evidence, and, after you have finished your first block you too will have your own style. The most important thing is to know the likely species, know the breeding codes, listen carefully, watch birds closely, and expect the unexpected. Your ears will lead you to singing birds, and once you know the sound, your ears will also lead you to begging young birds.
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The paper-less office was a great idea in theory; but it turns out that paper trails are indispensable on research projects. Don't rely on your memory while you are in the field – write everything down, or record it in your PDA/Pocket PC! Please download a field checklist (PDF 410KB) to carry with you. We encourage you to fill-out the checklist in the field, and then enter the data online shortly after you return from the field. Although this seems redundant, the only way we can check for errors in data entry is for you to also send in a paper copy of your field card.
Many people have their own strategies for taking field notes – notebooks, PDAs/Pocket PCs etc. If you use a paper notebook to record field notes, please download and fill out an Atlas 2 checklist, and enter your data promptly (in case you lose your notebook!) You can then send us a copy of the checklist at the end of the field season.
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We have partnered with USGS biologists to build a data entry tool for Atlas 2. They have managed the data for many other Atlas projects, and the collaboration is a great benefit. When you have been assigned your block, you will be given access to the data entry portion of the site, although the Results portion of the site is open to anyone.
This site has a block map downloading tool, helps you keep track of data from the blocks you are working on, the hours you have spent in the blocks, the species you have reported, reports any problems with the data codes or species entered. Those not registered for the Atlas still use the site to review the results from Atlas 1 or Atlas 2.
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This is some of the most important information we will collect during this project. We need exact point locations and Rare Bird Reporting Forms for state and federally listed and species. Please alert your Regional Coordinator if you find Species of Special Concern, a Threatened or Endangered Species, or a species with "N" in the Status column of the checklist. As always, double check the ID, and call in others if you are unsure.
Species that are listed as "L" "C" or "I" on the checklist only need to be mapped - they do not need a Rare Bird Report form.
Creating the point location is easy-just make a copy of your block map, put an "X" on the map where you found the species, write your name, the block name, and include the species and dates on the map. Please mail the completed form to:
| Mass Audubon - Breeding Bird Atlas 2 |
| 208 S. Great Road |
| Lincoln, MA 01773 |
Information on state and federally listed species will be sent to the Natural Heritage database. In the case of the targeted Mass Audubon species, we will use these maps to help design future projects.
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 Once you know how to do the fieldwork, you will begin to notice breeding birds everywhere – at the beach or near your office or school. We need all of those sightings. Please don't rely on your memory – write them down! It is easy to figure out the block you were in by looking at the MassGIS mapping tool. As long as you know the block name, the species, the behavior code, and the date you can contribute to Atlas 2 by entering them at the data entry site as an Incidental Sighting.
If you are not a registered atlaser you can still enter your sightings using the Report a Breeding Bird link to our Single Sighting tool. If you know the species, date, behavior and location you can send us information of all the breeding birds you see.
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Simply complete our online Atlas Volunteer sign-up form. Based on your answers, we will assign you to a region. The Regional Coordinator will assign you a block.
If this is too great a time commitment, you can help us by learning the codes for breeding and reporting your observations of breeding birds on the data entry page for single bird observations.
If you have read this far, chances are you are already interested in helping us with this important conservation effort. Please don't let a lack of experience hold you back. Learning the ropes is half the fun of atlasing. And We Need You!
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