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The list entitled 'Birds of Citrus County' is NOT a complete list of Florida birds. It represents birds that could be seen in Citrus County. If you find a bird that is not on the list, you must document the bird in your report. Pelagic birds are not listed, but are certainly found in the Gulf.
The purpose of this bird list is to create a database of birds by month on each trail and site. The accuracy of the data will allow us to post bird sightings on a continuous bases for the general public. Documenting unusual sighting is an important aspect of our bird census. This would include birds that you are very familiar with but should not be present in the season you see it. Late and early migratory birds happen all the time. You should have a copy of Birders' Guide to Florida by Bill Pranty, which lists the seasonal distribution of all species. This will provide information on relative abundance of each species by season.
Providing accurate documentation is essential for maintaining the credibility of the census. Your familiarity with a species is no excuse for brief and incomplete documentation. The perspective that you should use should be that you are describing a bird that has never been seen before. How well you do this will depend on how well you actually see the bird.
- Factors that can work against you are:
- Lighting
Distance
Duration of the encounter
Quality of Optics
We should do everything we can to minimize a negative impact by any of these factors. The sighting should be recorded in the greatest detail possible. If you have a camera - that's great, but if you don't then the words you choose to put down on paper are the only snapshot that we have.
Three rules to consider are:
Concentrate on the bird in the field - not the bird in the Field Guide.
Choose your words carefully, using accepted terminology to describe the location of field marks
You can't say too much - go into as much detail as your observation allows, such as notes, sketches etc.
To give you an idea of the level of detail that we hope for but realize is not always achievable; here are some things to consider:
Bill color and shape. Is the bill two-toned?
Head field marks from central crown stripe to malar stripe - they're all important.
Breast, back, tall, under tail coverts, etc.. What is the overall pattern? What creates that pattern? (For example: little streaks, barring or crescents).
Note feather wear, as these markings can change due to wear. If the feather edges differ in color from the interior portion of the feather, make note of it.
Feather tracts that can be very obvious are found in the wing - describe in coverts, primaries, secondaries, tercials - keeping in mind the individual feather patterns.
Feather lengths can also be important, such as how far do the tail feather project beyond the undertail coverts, or how far do the primaries extend beyond the secondaries. Relationships like this will make a tail look long or short or make a bird look short-winged.
Don't describe just the highlights, such as a bold, white wing-bar. The color of the rest of the wing is just as important. Those brown streaks on the breast -what color breast are they on?
What about the feet? Are they one color?
What vocalizations is the bird making?
This is all meant to enlighten, not to intimidate. You may only see the bird for a blink of the eye. Just do the best you can with what you are dealt.
Everyone should enjoy the census and certainly everyone who is willing to help is welcomed with open arms. The seriousness that we are asking you to apply to your documentation only enhances the value of all of our efforts in the field. We can feel proud that we are making an import contribution.