Yukon High Elevation Bird Point Counts from 2019

Yukon High Elevation Monitoring Program data consists of human-conducted bird point counts from 2019. The program sampled ten mountains across southern Yukon and northern British Columbia ecoregions to establish baseline species distribution and abundance data. Observers recorded every bird heard and seen during ten-minute counts conducted from 4AM to 11AM.

Use Cases

• Analyze species distribution across elevational gradients and habitat zones like low boreal forest and alpine.
• Model population abundance using count data of individuals per species from ten-minute point counts.
• Study avian community response to climate change by comparing time to first detection across remote northern mountains.
• Assess habitat representation by examining data collected from five random sample sites within each habitat zone.

Strengths

• Data collected across ten specific mountains in remote northern regions.
• Sampling designed for spatial balance across five habitat zones per mountain.
• Point counts conducted during standardized dawn chorus period (4AM-11AM).

Limitations

• Limited temporal coverage to a single year (2019), preventing long-term trend analysis.
• Geographic scope restricted to mountains with hiking or access trails, introducing sampling bias.
• Sample size and row count are unknown, limiting assessment of statistical power.

Provenance

Source

Environment and Climate Change Canada, migratory birds unit of CWS-NOR in Whitehorse, Yukon.

Collection Method

Human point counts using a modified BOSS/BBMP sampling design; observers identified birds heard and seen in ten-minute intervals.

Time Range

2019

Freshness

null

Geography

Ten mountains across Yukon Southern Lakes, St. Elias Mountains, Ruby Ranges, Pelly Mountains, Yukon Stikine Highland ecoregions (Yukon), and Northern Coastal Mountain ecoregion (British Columbia).