Is it the decline of juicy insects? Is it the loss of nesting habitat? Is it the spread of fire-ants in some locations? For whatever the reason, nightjars - or goatsuckers - seem to be in a steep decline in North America. Please consider adopting a Nightjar Survey Route in your area. The continuing success of U.S. Nightjar Survey Network relies entirely on volunteer participation. Spread the word, Lisa Gelvin-Innvaer MNDNR-Nongame Wildlife Program >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> U.S Nightjar Survey Network >>> Mike Wilson <[log in to unmask]> 3/26/2009 12:56 PM >>> The U.S. Nightjar Survey Network is continuing into its third year as a vital program to gather data on the population distribution and population trends on this group of declining species. We would like to invite all birders and conservationists to participate in the program by adopting Nightjar Survey Routes in 2009 and beyond. Nightjars are the group of nocturnal, insectivorous birds that includes species such as the whip-poor-will, common poorwill, chuck-will's-widow, and the nighthawks among others. The U.S. Nightjar Survey Network was introduced in the southeast in 2007 and then expanded in 2008 to gain full coverage across the conterminous United States. We are grateful to the number of participants already involved in the program. The beginning years of data collection has already helped in explaining how the composition of habitats in local landcapes influences nightjar abundance. In turn, these data will one day help to explain population declines. However, there is still need for more routes to be surveyed, greater geographic and species coverage, and longer-term count data. Nightjar Surveys are standardized counts conducted along census routes at night. Observers count all Nightjars seen or heard for a six-minute period at each of 10 stops along the route. The entire survey will not take much more than one hour to complete and only needs conducted one time per year. We have produced a series of routes in each state with many that are still in need of adoption by survey participants. Please consider adopting a Nightjar Survey Route in your area. The continuing success of Nightjar Survey Network relies entirely on volunteer participation. Visit http://www.ccb-wm.org/nightjars.htm for details on route locations, methods of survey, and more. Mike Wilson Center for Conservation Biology College of William & Mary / Virginia Commonwealth University PO Box 8795 Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795 phone: 757-221-1649 fax: 757-221-1650 email:[log in to unmask] www.ccb-wm.org ---- Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html