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RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch winter sightings in the UK in 2008

Dataset homepage

Citation

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2018). RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch winter sightings in the UK in 2008. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/mgkb2w accessed via GBIF.org on 2023-09-26.

Description

The dataset contains the results from surveys of garden bird observations, made by the public during a one-hour period of their choice in the last weekend of January. The survey has been conducted annually since 1979. More than 70 species of birds have been observed in these surveys. Initially data for the top three species (house sparrow, starling and blackbird) are supplied; more species and data for other years will follow.

Sampling Description

Quality Control

Observations were made and submitted by the public. The data has been mapped and checked. Species-specific filters were used to remove anomalously high counts and obviously out-of-range reports. Although the level of misidentified records may be higher than in datasets collected by more experienced observers, this is mitigated by the large sample size and standardisation between years.

Method steps

  1. Volunteers sat and watched birds for one hour during the last weekend of January, and counted the highest number of each bird species seen at any one time (not counting birds flying over). Volunteers were provided with a Counting Sheet to tally the numbers of birds, and pictures of the most common birds seen in gardens. Data was submitted to the RSPB online or using a mail-in form.

    In order to verify records and validate the dataset, the data have been mapped and checked. The distribution of the species has been approximately checked using species-specific filters to remove anomalously high counts and reports well outside the expected range. The level of misidentified records may be higher than in datasets collected by trained field-workers but this is mitigated by the large sample size.

Taxonomic Coverages

Geographic Coverages

UK wide. Grid references were generated from the central point of full postcodes. Within this dataset, there may be some bias towards the more populated areas of the UK.

Bibliographic Citations

Contacts

originator
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
The Lodge
Potton Road, Sandy
SG19 2DL
Bedfordshire
Telephone: 01767 680551
email: Dataunit@rspb.org.uk
homepage: http://www.rspb.org.uk/
metadata author
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
The Lodge
Potton Road, Sandy
SG19 2DL
Bedfordshire
Telephone: 01767 680551
email: Dataunit@rspb.org.uk
homepage: http://www.rspb.org.uk/
distributor
NBN Atlas
Unit F, 14 - 18 St Mary's Gate, Lace Market
Nottingham
NG1 1PF
Nottinghamshire
GB
email: admin@nbnatlas.org
Conservation Data Management Unit
administrative point of contact
email: dataunit@rspb.org.uk
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