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This survey will be carried out using a technique known as Mackinnon Lists. This technique enables a rapid assessment of bird species richness over a large area, but is not designed to compile a full species list for a site, or assess population sizes.
Key attributes
- Species richness
Protocol description
Monitoring is carried out by following a route through the area to be surveyed which takes in as much of the area as possible, and covers the main habitat types.
Lists of birds are compiled, with each species that is encountered factoring once in each list. Lists are compiled until ten new species have been encountered, at which point a new list is started. Species previously encountered can then be re-recorded on this new list.
Surveyors should record any species which is seen or heard within 50m of their route, within the site boundary. Surveyors should ensure that they do not double count a species by recording the same bird at the end and beginning of adjacent lists, unless it is obvious that two individual birds are present. Likewise, birds seen or heard behind the surveyor (from the direction the surveyor has travelled) should be disregarded.
Skill level
Surveyors should be competent birders, able to identify the full range of species expected by sight and sound.
Surveyors should have received training in the Mackinnon List technique.
Materials/equipment
- Map and GPS
- Survey sheets
- BTO codes https://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/u16/downloads/forms_instructions/bto_bird_species_codes.pdf
- Weather writer
- Binoculars
Timing
Two surveys should take place from the beginning of May – end of June at least four weeks apart.
The surveys should start at dawn and be complete by noon.
Method
Fieldwork
GPS waypoints should be taken at the start of each list, as well as the end point of the survey. These should be noted on the survey sheet.
Eventually fewer new species will occur on each new list, to a point where the number of new species will flatten out. Surveyors should continue their monitoring route until it is finished, but are unlikely to encounter new species at this point. There is no upper limit on the amount of lists completed.
BTO species codes should be used when recording species. https://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/u16/downloads/forms_instructions/bto_bird_species_codes.pdf
Surveys should take place on clear days, with no rain and low wind speeds.
If a site has been split into two or more routes, these should be carried out simultaneously.
Data input
The MacKinnon list Nature Counts survey form represents a single list within the whole survey visit.
- Recorder: please add the recorder's name using the format "Surname, First name". Separate multiple recorders using a semi colon (;). Example: "Bloggs, Joe; Rolph, Simon"
- Date: click in the box and it will bring up a date picker. Ensure you select the day that the survey was done, not today's date.
- Site: which site you were surveying.
- Weather: a text box where you can enter the weather conditions - the specifics of this are not important we just need a record that the survey wasn't carried out in inappropriate weather.
- List number: the number of the list for the list of species you are entering
- Map reference: this should be the starting location of this list. In order to get this you need to look at the GPS waypoint number you have recorded then look at that GPS waypoint on the GPS unit or downloaded GPS data and get the coordinates of that GPS waypoint. You can change the type of data from British National Grid (eg. SK142425) to latitude and longitude by clicking the box which says 'British National Grid' and selecting WGS84 from the dropdown. You can then enter decimal latitude and longitude by separating the values with a comma eg. 53.383060,-1.464790
- Species: here you can tick which species you saw on this list here, and add additional species at the bottom.
Survey forms
Other information
References
MacLeod, R., Herzog, S, K., Maccormick, A., Ewing, S, R., Bryce, R., Evans, K, L. (2011) ‘Rapid monitoring of species abundance for biodiversity conservation: Consistency and reliability of the Mackinnon lists technique’. Biological Conservation. 144 pp.1374-1381.
O’Dea, N., Watson, J, E, M., Whittaker, R. (2004) ‘Rapid Assessment in Conservation Research: A critique of Avifaunal Assessment Techniques Illustrated by Ecuadorian and Madagascan Case Study Data’. Diversity and Distributions. 10(1) pp.55-63.
Poulsen, B, O., Krabbe, N., Frolander, A., Hinojosa, M, B., Quiroga, C. (1997) ‘A rapid assessment of Bolivian and Ecuadorian montane avifaunas using 20-species lists: efficiency, biases and data gathered’. Bird Conservation International. 7 pp.53-67