Project Prairie Birds

A Citizen Science Project for Wintering Grassland Birds

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the following:

• USFWS-Region 2 for graciously supplying start-up funds.
• The Bird Interest Group of Texas also supplied start-up funds. They support conservation efforts for native birds and habitat in Texas. All the zoos and aquariums in Texas are part of the group and collaborate to promote conservation of Texas native wildlife. The following members contributed: Abilene Zoological Gardens, Cameron Park Zoo (Waco), Dallas World Aquarium, Dallas Zoo, Ellen Trout Zoo (Lufkin), El Paso Zoo, Ft. Worth Zoological Park, Gladys Porter Zoo (Brownsville) and Houston Zoological Gardens.
• David Sarkozi of Houston for starting the listserve.
• Mike Gray for the use of his incredible bird slides.

Chipping sparrow
Photo Copyright Michael L. Gray

We would also like to thank the following at TPWD:

Layout of (hardcopy) booklet by Chris Hunt, Creative Services Section
Original artwork by Rob Fleming, Creative Services Section
Liability information provided by Boyd Kennedy
Web site by Holly Hollan, Marketing and Web Services Branch

Recommended Citation:

Shackelford, C.E., N.R. Carrie, C.M. Riley and D.K. Carrie. 2001. Project Prairie Birds: A Citizen Science Project for Wintering Grassland Birds. Second Edition. Texas Parks and Wildlife PWD BK W7000-0485 (1/01). Booklet; 28 pp.

Recommended Timetable for Volunteering:

STEP 1: November – monument transects and do several practice runs; skip two weeks before returning
STEP 2: December – avian survey #1; skip two weeks before returning
STEP 3: January – avian survey #2; skip two weeks before returning
STEP 4: February – avian survey #3
STEP 5: After STEP 4 or anytime in the first half of March – vegetation sampling

Approximate Time Needed Per Activity For One Transect

Does not including driving time

• Monument a site: 15-30 minutes (general maintenance thereafter; once per year; should be done in November)
• Avian survey: 2 minutes or less (three per year; conducted from December through February)
• Vegetation sampling: 20-40 minutes (once per year; typically done in March)

Useful Conversions for Data Sheets

1 millimeter = 0.03937 inches
1 centimeter = 0.3937 inches
1 inch = 2.54 centimeters
1 foot = 0.3048 meters
1 yard = 0.9144 meters
1 meter = 3.2808 feet or 39.37 inches or 1.094 yards
1 kilometer = 0.621 miles
1 mile = 5,280 feet or 1.609 kilometers
1 hectare = 2.471 acres
1 acre = 0.405 hectares or 43,560 square feet or 4,840 square yards