3. PROTOCOLS

The recommended survey types for inventory of waterfowl in British Columbia are summarized in Table 2 (for breeding waterfowl and allied species) and Table 3 (for non-breeding waterfowl and allied species).

Table 2. Recommended survey type(s) to satisfy different inventory objectives for breeding ¹waterfowl and allied species in British Columbia.

Species Group	Recommended Methods
	Obj.*	Presence/Not Detected & Relative Abundance	Obj.*	Absolute Abundance
Loons (except B-YBLO)	PBG PBG	Observation Stations Helicopter Surveys (large or inaccessible areas)	PBG PBG N	Observation Stations Helicopter Surveys (for large or inaccessible areas) Nest Counts - Boat
Grebes & Coots	G P	Observation Stations Call Playback	N	Nest Counts - Ground or Boat
Swans (B-TRUS B-MUSW)	PBG PIBG	Observation Stations (small areas) Transects - Aerial (large or inaccessible areas)	PBG PIBG N	Observation Stations (small areas) Transects - Aerial (by helicopter for large or inaccessible areas) Nest Counts - Ground
Geese (B-CAGO)	PBG PBG I	Observation Stations (small areas) Transects - Aerial (large or inaccessible areas) Helicopter Surveys (large or inaccessible areas)	PBG PBG N	Observation Stations (small areas) Helicopter Surveys (large or inaccessible areas) Nest Counts - Ground
Dabbling Ducks	PBG BG PBG	Observation Stations Transects - Aerial or airboat Helicopter Surveys (large or inaccessible areas)	PBG PBG	Observation Stations Helicopter Surveys (large or inaccessible areas)
Diving Ducks	PBG BG	Observation Stations Transects - Aerial or airboat	PBG	Observation Stations
Sea Ducks	PBG BG	Observation Stations Transects - Aerial (large or inaccessible areas)	PBG	Observation Stations
Sandhill Cranes	PBG PBG PBG PIBG	Transects - Ground (small areas) Observation Stations (small areas) Transects - Aerial (large areas) Helicopter surveys (large areas)	PBG N	Observation Stations (small areas) Nest Counts - Ground

* Objective:

• P = breeding pairs; B = broods;
• N = nests; I = incubating adults;
• G = general (total number of birds: including migrants/nonbreeders; or regardless of breeding status or chronology).

Table 3. Recommended survey type(s) and their specific applications for non-breeding waterfowl and allied species in British Columbia.

Species Group	Recommended Methods
	Applies to *	Presence/Not Detected & Relative Abundance	Applies to *	Absolute Abundance
Loons	LD C	Transects - Aerial, Boat Observation Stations	L C	Transects - Boat Observation Stations
Grebes and Coots	C LD	Observation Stations Transects - Boat, Aerial	C L	Observation Stations Transects - Boat
Swans	LD C	Transects - Aerial Observation Stations	C CL +	Observation Stations Airphoto Technique (for concentrated flocks) Mark-resight/recapture
Geese	LD LD C	Transects - Aerial, Boat Transects - Ground (where roads can be used for transects) Observation Stations	CL C +	Airphoto Technique (for concentrated flocks of B-SNGO). Observation Stations - Ground (for B-CAGO and B-BRAN) Mark-resight/recapture
Dabbling Ducks	LD LD C	Transects - Aerial, Boat Transects - Ground (where roads can be used for transects) Observation Stations	C CL L	Observation Stations Transects- Ground (where roads can be used for transects to obtain 100% coverage) Transects- Aerial
Diving Ducks	LD LD C	Transects - Aerial, Boat Transects - Ground (where roads can be used for transects) Observation Stations	C CL	Observation Stations Transects - Ground (where roads can be used for transects to obtain 100% coverage)
Sea Duck	LD	Transects - Aerial, Boat	L	Transects - Boat
Sandhill Cranes	D CLD C	Transects - Aerial Transects - Ground (roads for D) Observation Stations	C CL +	Observation Stations - Ground Transects - Ground Mark-resight/recapture

* Application:

• C = confined areas (accessible small basins, bays, or other restricted geographical areas), or concentrated flocks;
• L = linear habitat features (shorelines, rivers, etc.);
• D = dispersed or extensive areas (open lakes or ocean; birds scattered through upland areas, inaccessible bogs, widely distributed potholes, etc.);
• + = Mark and resight/recapture techniques are suited to known stable, closed, wintering or resident populations.

Note that access method into a site will depend on terrain, remoteness, and size of study area.

1. Note: see Table 1 for species that breed in British Columbia.