SEARCH THE DATABASE

The database currently holds data from the 2002 and 2003 breeding seasons. Search Tip: selecting only a species without specifying quad or block will return all observations of the species in the County.

Select search criteria: Choose Location Quad Betterton Centreville Chestertown Church Hill Galena Hanesville Langford Millington Rock Hall Sudlersville Swan Point Choose Region NW NE CW CE SW SE Choose Species or Enter One Below BLACKBIRD, Red-winged BLUEBIRD, Eastern BOBWHITE, Northern BUNTING, Indigo CARDINAL, Northern CATBIRD, Gray CHAT, Yellow-breasted CHICKADEE, Carolina CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW CORMORANT, Double-crested COWBIRD, Brown-headed CROW, American CROW, Fish CUCKOO, Black-billed CUCKOO, Yellow-billed DICKCISSEL DOVE, Mourning DOVE, Rock DUCK, Wood EAGLE, Bald FINCH, House FLICKER, Northern FLYCATCHER, Acadian FLYCATCHER, Great Crested GNATCATCHER, Blue-gray GOLDFINCH, American GOOSE, Canada GRACKLE, Common HAWK, Red-tailed HERON, Great Blue HERON, Green HUMMINGBIRD, Ruby-throated JAY, Blue KESTREL, American KILLDEER KINGBIRD, Eastern KINGFISHER, Belted LARK, Horned MALLARD MARTIN, Purple MOCKINGBIRD, Northern NUTHATCH, White-breasted ORIOLE, Baltimore ORIOLE, Orchard OSPREY OVENBIRD OWL, Eastern Screech OWL, Great Horned PARULA, Northern PHOEBE, Eastern RAIL, Virginia ROBIN, American SANDPIPER, Spotted SPARROW, Chipping SPARROW, Field SPARROW, Grasshopper SPARROW, House SPARROW, Song SPARROW, Vesper STARLING, European SWALLOW, Bank SWALLOW, Barn SWALLOW, Northern Rough-winged SWALLOW, Tree SWAN, Mute SWIFT, Chimney TANAGER, Scarlet TANAGER, Summer TERN, Common TERN, Least THRASHER, Brown THRUSH, Wood TITMOUSE, Tufted TOWHEE, Eastern TURKEY, Wild VIREO, Red-eyed VIREO, White-eyed VIREO, Yellow-throated VULTURE, Black VULTURE, Turkey WARBLER, Kentucky WARBLER, Pine WARBLER, Prairie WARBLER, Worm-eating WARBLER, Yellow WARBLER, Yellow-throated WATERTHRUSH, Louisiana WAXWING, Cedar WOOD-PEWEE, Eastern WOODPECKER, Downy WOODPECKER, Hairy WOODPECKER, Pileated WOODPECKER, Red-bellied WOODPECKER, Red-headed WREN, Carolina WREN, House WREN, Marsh YELLOWTHROAT, Common BIRD SPECIES

About the Data Collection

For the purpose of the Breeding Bird Atlas project, the state has been divided into “quads”, based on the U.S. Geological Survey 7-minute series. There are 239 quads in Maryland and DC, each named after a major town or geographic feature and given a number from west to east. The quads are then divided into sixths and each sixth is given a name depending on its position within the quad (i.e., NW, NE, CW, CE, SW, or SW). These sixths are called “blocks”; they cover approximately 10 square miles and are the basic units of the atlas. Some of the blocks have been further divided into quarters; this produces an even finer grid and will make it easier in future years to detect changes. Each block is adopted by one or more observers, usually volunteers, who try to determine the presence and breeding status of as many species as possible. Each county has a County Coordinator, an experienced birder, whose job is to oversee the atlas project in his/her county, collect the data at the end of each breeding season and verify any questionable sightings.

The emphasis in atlasing is not on counting birds but rather on observing behaviors. When collecting data, observers use three categories, “possible”, “probable” and “confirmed”, to describe the level of certainty that a given species is nesting in a block. “Possible” simply means that a bird was heard or seen during breeding season, but there is no further information. The categories “probable” and “confirmed” have one or two letter codes to describe behavior. For example, under “probable” (meaning a bird is most likely breeding), the code letter “P” means that a pair has been observed in suitable breeding habitat. Under “confirmed” (meaning that there is definite evidence of breeding), the code “FL” indicates that fledglings were seen. Once a species has been confirmed as breeding in a given block, that species may be ignored in that block for the remainder of the atlas project.

Atlasing can be a year-round activity since some birds, such as great-horned owls, begin breeding as early as the middle of December and other species, such as northern cardinals, breed as late as the end of September. June and July, however, are the best months for determining which species are in a block because the birds are on territory and singing. July and August are the best months for recording birds as “probable” or “confirmed” since parents are often seen carrying food to the nest and fledglings are heard or seen begging. Each species has “safe dates”; birds seen outside of the safe dates may be migrants while birds seen during the safe dates may be assumed to be breeding.
It is hoped that observers will find at least the same number of species that were found in their block in the previous atlas. Obviously, that may not always be possible, due to changes in habitat or access. Observers are not asked to cover every acre of land in their block, but to try to cover all possible habitats. The goal is to find a high number of “probable” species rather than to spend a lot of time locating and confirming a few species, especially the common ones.

Each observer records his data on a field card which is turned in to the County Coordinator at the end of the breeding season. Each county’s data is then entered into a statewide database maintained through the Maryland Ornithological Society and the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. The database is up-dated at the end of each breeding season for the duration of the Atlas Project.

Photos Courtesy Global Bird Photos Collection