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SEANET Calls for Volunteers
SEANET is helping
to perform important research via beached bird surveys. These surveys are being
carried out to identify and record information about bird mortality along the
northeastern US coast. Data collected by SEANET volunteers are used to examine
the spatial pattern of bird carcass deposition and how it varies across time.
Because regular monitoring of beached birds has not been done in this region,
these surveys will provide baseline information about bird mortality as well as
help detect mass mortality events such as oil spills. Seabirds are especially
sensitive to petroleum and other pollution, because the physical properties of
oil degrade the insulating and waterproofing properties of feathers, and
ingestion or inhalation of oil can also poison birds. Because there is a large
amount of shipping traffic offshore, there is a great risk to seabirds from both
large spill events and small-scale discharge of waste from boats on a daily
basis. Numerous other threats such as contaminants, diseases, and offshore
development threaten coastal and marine birds, which can serve as indicators of
ecosystem and human health. Volunteers walk a
designated stretch of beach, generally a mile or two, at approximately the same
time once or twice per month through out the year. We provide a kit for each
volunteer including datasheets, a ruler, calipers, and latex gloves. Volunteers
record location information, date, conditions, and if they find a bird carcass,
as much detail on the specimen as possible, including basic measurements and
condition. Trainings on identification, measurement technique, and general
protocol will be held for those interested in volunteering. If possible,
volunteers take photographs of specimens they find, for confirmation of
identification and for possible use in an Atlantic coast guide to beached birds
that we are producing. If specimens are fresh enough, and we have identified a
nearby collaborating facility, specimens can be collected for necropsy. We also
encourage those volunteers with bird ID skills to keep track of live birds seen
while doing the surveys. |
