How do I count waterbirds?
WATERBIRD COUNTS All waterbirds are counted during a survey, but we would like you to separate waterbirds into 3 habitat categories: INLAND, NEAR-SHORE and OFF-SHORE habitats. Separating waterbird counts by habitat will help us understand which habitats birds are using as well as reduce the variation among observers. Most of us, under good conditions, will be able to identify waterbirds up to 500m, but the observer variation will increase at greater distances. INLAND refers to all birds in inland habitats (on the shore, in fields, or on inland waterbodies) that are visible from the shore or from your vantagepoint. NEAR-SHORE refers to birds in near-shore habitats, which extend from the high tide mark of the shoreline to 500m out onto the water. OFF-SHORE refers to birds in off-shore habitats, which extend from 500m off-shore to as far as you can see waterbirds during the visit. Please separate these counts by habitat, and enter them in the appropriate columns on the BC Coastal Waterbir
