Puget Sound seabird survey: Science by citizens

Background/Question/Methods

The Puget Sound Seabird Survey (PSSS) leverages the expertise of birdwatchers to provide valuable - and unique - data on wintering waterfowl, loons, grebes, cormorants, gulls/terns and alcids in Puget Sound. Current and previous areal and shore-based surveys show nearly all species have declined but methodologies and differences in protocols make quantitative evaluations difficult or impossible. 

The goal of PSSS is to develop density estimates for seabirds in Puget Sound during the fall and winter and subsequently detect trends over time. To accomplish this, a large sample size is developed by conducting simultaneous or near-simultaneous observations monthly at over 60 shore-based sites in six coastal counties. Nearly eighty skilled volunteers have been trained to use a sophisticated and consistent protocol based on distance-sampling methodology. Unlike simpler point count surveys, distance sampling addresses issues of detectability and allows inference to be made about species' abundances. Data are input online. After the survey season, individual records are scrutinized to assure that the measurements and species recorded are plausible and that the survey protocol was followed. Due to the documented protocol and other procedures, the survey is fully scalable and can be expanded to other areas if adequate resources are available for the recruitment and training of volunteers.

Results/Conclusions

The robustness of the data set also enables ancillary uses of the data. Mainly through partnerships with agencies and universities, the PSSS data can be utilized to identify areas of stress and avian response to those stressors, as well as the potential for identifying their responses when stressors are reduced. PSSS data on individual seabird species attendance by survey site by month are already being used in developing oil-spill response plans. A feasibility study in 2009 examined the potential risk an oil spill would have on seabirds by modeling a 5,000 gallon oil spill using real-world tide, wind, and PSSS-based density estimates. The study concluded that the PSSS data can be used to examine potential oiling of birds from an oil spill and which species are the most vulnerable. A study was initiated in 2011 to quantitatively evaluate the degree of variation between observers in the PSSS program in species identification, counts of abundance of observed species, and distance estimates. Once completed, Seattle Audubon will better understand the strengths and limitations of the PSSS dataset, a prudent step before sharing with agencies and individuals or further expanding the study area.