Mission-Sensitive Species (MSS) are those that require careful proactive conservation management because any future potential federal listing would result in significant impacts to the military mission. The Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) is one such species, as its open-habitat nesting behavior and reliance on burrows make it vulnerable to habitat loss and disturbance and occur across…

Continue Reading New Resource- Standardized Burrowing Owl Monitoring Methods for DoD Lands

Effective avian monitoring requires selecting the appropriate survey methodology to collect reliable and comparable data that meets your conservation and resource management goals. The DoD AKN team provides guidance on standardized protocols to support consistent data collection across military lands. Two widely used bird survey methods – Point Counts and Area Searches – each offer…

Continue Reading Choosing the Right Bird Survey Method- Point Counts vs. Area Searches

The DoD Avian Knowledge Network (AKN) is expanding its suite of tools to support avian monitoring and conservation on military lands. A newly available resource on the DoD AKN Portal provides a cross-walk that integrates eBird checklist data into the AKN framework. This resource enables DoD natural resource managers to leverage one of the largest…

Continue Reading New Resource- Integrating eBird Checklist Data into the DoD AKN