Bird Community of the Regional Protected Landscape of the Vila do Conde Shoreline and the Mindelo Ornithological Reserve (PPRLVCROM) (2013-2014)

Study Extent

The study area in this dataset is the Regional Protected Landscape of the Vila do Conde Shoreline and Mindelo Ornithological Reserve(PPRLVCROM, Paisagem Protegida Regional do Litoral de Vila do Conde e Reserva Ornitológica de Mindelo), in the Porto district and Vila do Conde municipality.

Sampling

A total of 18 count points were established in PPRLVCROM, using the land use maps from the Vila do Conde municipality (Honrado et al., 2005) and ArcGIS 9.3 (Environmental Systems Research Institute, Redlands, CA, EUA). The points were initially established at random using GIS software, with a minimum distance of 500 meters between them to reduce the possibility of double counts. Afterwards point locations were slightly adjusted to account for field conditions assessed in a preliminary visit. Counts were conducted between 2013-2014 in two periods, winter (November to January; seven visits) and spring (April and May; six visits). These periods were chosen because they represent periods during which bird communities in Northwestern Portugal are relatively stable. Counts were performed in the morning, beginning, on average (± SD) at 25.54 ± 3.96 minutes after sunrise, by the same observer (J.D.S.), in days with good weather conditions (i.e., without heavy rain, wind or fog). Bird identification was aided by binoculars (Opticron Discovery WP PC 10×50). In each point counting time was set to 10 minutes, started immediately after arrival at the location. This enabled the recording of birds flushed by the observer’s arrival. For this purpose, all individuals flushed from within a radius of 15 m around the counting point were considered. The date and starting time were recorded. For all observations in the 10-minute period, species identification, number, behavior and location were recorded. The precise location of birds resting or flushed by the arrival of the observer at the point was recorded in an ortophoto map (1:3,500 and 1:12,500), and afterwards used to estimate the distance to the observer with ArcGIS 9.3. For flocks, the central position of the group was recorded as the location (Mardsen 1999). The location of birds that were not seen, but were heard, was estimated in the field and recorded in the ortophoto map. All records except one were found within a radius of 250 m around the count point.

Quality Control

All identifications were made my qualified technicians

Method steps

1. To be completed

The taxonomic coverage of this dataset spans 1 phylum, 1 class, 9 orders, 24 families, 46 genera and 52 species.

1. Chordata
   rank: phylum
2. Aves
   rank: class
3. Anseriformes
   rank: order
4. Charadriiformes
   rank: order
5. Columbiformes
   rank: order
6. Cuculiformes
   rank: order
7. Falconiformes
   rank: order
8. Passeriformes
   rank: order
9. Pelecaniformes
   rank: order
10. Piciformes
    rank: order
11. Suliformes
    rank: order
12. Accipiteridae
    rank: family
13. Alaudidae
    rank: family
14. Anatidae
    rank: family
15. Ardeidae
    rank: family
16. Charadriidae
    rank: family
17. Cisticolidae
    rank: family
18. Columbidae
    rank: family
19. Corvidae
    rank: family
20. Cuculidae
    rank: family
21. Falconidae
    rank: family
22. Fringillidae
    rank: family
23. Hirundinidae
    rank: family
24. Laridae
    rank: family
25. Motacillidae
    rank: family
26. Muscicapidae
    rank: family
27. Paridae
    rank: family
28. Passeridae
    rank: family
29. Phalacrocoracidae
    rank: family
30. Phylloscopidae
    rank: family
31. Picidae
    rank: family
32. Prunellidae
    rank: family
33. Recurvirostridae
    rank: family
34. Scolopacidae
    rank: family
35. Sturnidae
    rank: family
36. Sylviidae
    rank: family

The study area in this dataset is the Regional Protected Landscape of the Vila do Conde Shoreline and Mindelo Ornithological Reserve(PPRLVCROM, Paisagem Protegida Regional do Litoral de Vila do Conde e Reserva Ornitológica de Mindelo), in the Porto district and Vila do Conde municipality.