The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is the longest wildlife refuge in the lower 48 states, extending approximately 420 km between Wabasha, Minnesota and Rock Island, Illinois, covering 81,000 ha of floodplain forest and backwater wetlands. More than 290 bird species use this north-south corridor. During past decades, standardized refuge inventories have included only waterfowl, bald eagles, and colonial nesting birds. Recently, concern about nongame bird population declines, particularly Neotropical migrants, has inspired managers and researchers to add these birds to wildlife inventories. The refuge uses standardized point counts for determining population trends and habitat associations of these birds during migration and the breeding season.
Experience levels range from a couple of years to lifetimes of birding.
Volunteers have completed hundreds of counts throughout six habitats on the river corridor. We have 3 years of bird use data by season and habitat. Quality control concerns are reviewed. This core of volunteers strongly supports the inventory and the refuge as a whole. Their reward is public recognition and knowledge that their data are put to good use.