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Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship

The Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship Program is managed by the Institute for Bird Populations in California to assess and monitor the vital rates and population dynamics of North American landbirds. Each summer dedicated volunteers operate bird-banding stations to collect data on individual “birds-in-the-hand” representing over 200 species.

The MAPS program utilizes constant-effort mist netting and banding at a continent-wide network of monitoring stations. Analyses of MAPS data provide critical information relating to the ecology, conservation, and management of North American landbird populations and the factors responsible for changes in their populations.

Rocky Point Bird Observatory has been operating two MAPS stations on Department of National Defense properties, one at Rocky Point in Metchosin, and one at Royal Roads University in Colwood since 2003. In recent years, access to the Rocky Point site has become unreliable, so an alternate location was sought, matching as well as possible the habitat structure of the Rocky Point site.  A suitable site was found at Witty’s Lagoon Regional Park in Metchosin and MAPS was conducted at this location for the first time in 2009.  As with the research conducted on Department of National Defense properties, an annual research permit must be obtained for this project.

You can read our project reports on our Reports and Publications page.