citizen-science

Use of distance sampling to measure long-term changes in bird densities in a fenced wildlife sanctuary

Long-term data are needed to assess the impact of management initiatives such as mammalian predator-exclusion fences, but long-term monitoring programmes can be difficult to maintain. We used annual line transect distance sampling data collected by undergraduate students to model trends in native bird densities at Bushy Park, New Zealand, from 2002 to 2018, including 14 years of data collection following the installation of a predator-exclusion fence in 2005.