EDP Foz Tua Nocturnal Birds - Ecological Monitoring Program [2011-2017]

Study Extent

The data were collected within a 5-km buffer around the Tua lower valley (Northeast Portugal), up to 50 km from the mouth, in the municipalities of Carrazeda de Ansiães, Alijó, Vila Flor, Murça and Mirandela.

Sampling

Sampling was designed to cover the main habitat types for nocturnal birds in and around the lower Tua River valley affected by the Foz-Tua dam. Each sampling point was visited once (2011) or three times (2011-2017) per year in winter (January/February) and spring (April/June), for acoustic censuses. The methodology consisted in spontaneous listening (withouth any playback) for 10 minutes, during which all "natural" contacts with nocturnal birds were recorded, followed by the emission of vocal recordings for one minute to induce audible responses of individuals of Bubo bubo, or other species. The playbacks were followed by a fixed listening time (2 min), where all contacts with any nocturnal species were recorded. This procedure was repeated three times in each sampling point. All censuses begun 15 minutes after sunset and proceed up to two hours (maximum) after the first listening.

Quality Control

All identifications were performed by qualified technicians

Method steps

1. To be completed

The taxonomic coverage of this dataset spans 1 phylum, 1 class, 1 order, 1 family 6 genera and 6 species

1. Strigiformes
   rank: order
2. Caprimulgiformes
   rank: family
3. Strigidae
   rank: family
4. Caprimulgidae
   rank: family

The data were collected within a 5-km buffer around the valley of the River Tua (Northeast Portugal), in Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro region, up to 50 km from the mouth, in the municipalities of Carrazeda de Ansiães, Alijó, Vila Flor, Murça and Mirandela.