Guidelines

Birding guidelines to prepare the Atlas utilising eBird portal:

1. Mysore city is divided into 33 cells (1.25x1.25 minutes grid) and each cell measures 2.2 Km x 2.2 Km (Refer Map 1)

2. Each cell is divided into four sub-cells, and there is a unique code for each sub-grid (Refer any of the maps attached).

3. Each sub-cell is visited once before the end of Feb, 2014. The duration of the visit must be the same for all sub-cells across Mysore.

4. Duration is 30 min per sub-cell. So, for 2.2 Km x 2.2 Km bird data collection, we will be covering four sub-cells and amounts to 2 Hrs.

5. In each 30-min list, count all individuals of all species (including common species), just as we have been doing in the past. In addition, we should look for any evidence of breeding, and record accordingly. Even if you don’t find any bird, report the same.

6. A bird seen flying over the area but not foraging or perching, record these species, but specify them as Flying Over. This is the last option under Breeding Code in eBird !

7. Teams should take care to stay within their sub-grid and not count birds outside it.

8. For ease of analysis, teams should specify their sub-grid code in the comments field in eBird: eg, "Mysore Atlas 1B".

9. For location name on the eBird map, teams can give the name of the locality. Each sub-grid will be a different location in eBird and all should be marked HOT-SPOT. So, that any birder at any time of the year or in future can visit the location and update the data collected.

10. Teams should study their grid boundary well so that one will not encroach others boundary (to avoid duplication).

11. The distance between two birding locations should not be less than 200 mtr.

12. Depending on one’s free time one can choose any numbers of locations. But we need to cover that place minimum two times a year (once in summer- April to July and once in winter Period of winter - Nov to Feb ) and three years in a row. It is up to individual to visit particular location any number of times.

13. All observations should ideally be done before 11 am.

14. The zoomed version of each of the cell’s in Map 1 can be downloaded from this folder. Choose the cell you want to cover, based on your closeness to the area, and intimate us on facebook or by mail.

15. Finally Bird data is uploaded in eBird as done in Mid-winter Bird Monitoring at the earliest.

There are two more bird monitoring programs –Bird Count India and Great Backyard Bird count happening in India. Interested individuals can contribute to these programs also.

MAP 1: [with 1.25x1.25 minutes grid -approx 2.2x2.2 km]