Atlantic Colonial Waterbird Monitoring Data from 1910 to 2024

Survey data spanning from 1910 to 2024, monitoring 22 species of colonial waterbirds across Canada's four Atlantic provinces. The dataset is managed by Environment and Climate Change Canada's Canadian Wildlife Service and includes geo-referenced data from aerial, boat, and ground surveys. It is used to update information on species distribution, status, and trends for marine spatial planning and impact assessments.

Use Cases

• Modeling population trends for colonial waterbirds based on survey data spanning over a century.
• Informing marine spatial planning and protected area management based on colony distribution data.
• Assessing anthropogenic threats to seabird populations using long-term monitoring records.
• Supporting COSEWIC species status assessments with updated population and trend information.

Strengths

• Covers a long temporal range from 1910 to 2024.
• Monitors 22 distinct species across multiple bird groups.
• Data collected via multiple survey platforms (aerial, boat, ground) for complementary perspectives.
• Geo-referenced data supports spatial analysis and mapping.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the Atlantic Canada region.

Provenance

Source

Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada

Collection Method

Data collected under the Canadian Wildlife Service's Colonial Seabird Monitoring, waterfowl, and protected areas programs using aerial, boat, and ground surveys.

Time Range

1910 to 2024

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-12 15:31:21.263935; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Atlantic provinces of Canada (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador)