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Plummer, K.E.; Siriwardena, G.M.

Point count survey data for birds in the east of England, UK, in 2013

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This dataset is made available under the terms of the Open Government Licence

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https://doi.org/10.5285/c4806e25-5325-4b01-8066-91a8fb55eb41
This dataset comprises bird abundance data collected using point count methods in Bedford, Luton and Milton Keynes in the summer of 2013. The purpose of the study was to characterise the variation in breeding bird fauna across a range of urban forms. As well as measuring the birds that were 'really' present, the survey aimed to investigate the birds detectable at times of day when people were more active and more likely to have casual encounters with them.

These data were collected as part of the Fragments, Functions and Flows in Urban Ecosystem Services (F3UES) project, as part of the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) framework.
Publication date: 2018-02-08
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More information

View numbers valid from 01 June 2023 Download numbers valid from 20 June 2024 (information prior to this was not collected)

Format

Comma-separated values (CSV)

Spatial information

Study area
Spatial representation type
Tabular (text)
Spatial reference system
OSGB 1936 / British National Grid

Temporal information

Temporal extent
2013-05-01    to    2013-08-31

Provenance & quality

The data were collected between May and August 2013 in Bedford, Luton and Milton Keynes, UK. A subset of 500m x 500m survey tiles (n = 116) were selected from across the three towns using a stratified sampling design. Point count methods were then used to survey birds at up to four pre-defined survey points within each tile. All tiles were visited six or seven times; two visits were made between 06:00am and 10:00am in May and June and all other visits were made monthly between 10:00am and 18:00pm. During each visit, ten minute point counts were conducted at all survey points within the tile in a random order. Over two-minute intervals, observers recorded all birds seen or heard within five distance categories or in flight. Birds singing and not singing were recorded separately. The survey conditions and the numbers of people observed during each observation period were also recorded. (see Supporting documentation for details, available by 31 December 2018 at the latest)

Several data inputters were used to digitally input the field data sheets. Then the completed dataset was compiled, error checked and validated. These were converted to csv files for deposit to the data centre.

Licensing and constraints

This dataset is made available under the terms of the Open Government Licence

Cite this dataset as:
Plummer, K.E.; Siriwardena, G.M. (2018). Point count survey data for birds in the east of England, UK, in 2013. NERC Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/c4806e25-5325-4b01-8066-91a8fb55eb41

Citations

Cox, D. T. C., Hudson, H. L., Plummer, K. E., Siriwardena, G. M., Anderson, K., Hancock, S., … Gaston, K. J. (2018). Covariation in urban birds providing cultural services or disservices and people. Journal of Applied Ecology, 55(5), 2308–2319. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13146
Karimi, J.D., Harris, J.A., & Corstanje, R. (2021). Using Bayesian Belief Networks to assess the influence of landscape connectivity on ecosystem service trade-offs and synergies in urban landscapes in the UK.Landscape Ecology, 36(11), 3345-3363 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-021-01307-6

Supplemental information

The F3UES project website

Correspondence/contact details

Kate Plummer
British Trust for Ornithology
The Nunnery
Thetford
Norfolk
IP24 2PU
UK
 kate.plummer@bto.org

Authors

Plummer, K.E.
British Trust for Ornithology
Siriwardena, G.M.
British Trust for Ornithology

Other contacts

Custodian
NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
 info@eidc.ac.uk
Publisher
NERC Environmental Information Data Centre
 info@eidc.ac.uk

Additional metadata

Topic categories
biota
INSPIRE theme
Habitats and Biotopes
Keywords
Bedford , BESS , biodiversity , bird , ecosystem services , F3UES , Luton , Milton Keynes , people , urban area , UrbanBESS
Funding
Natural Environment Research Council Award: NE/J015067/1
Last updated
26 August 2024 15:56