Group Sites

All you need to know...

Group Atlas Sites are the latest development to be added to Birds Australia's Atlas Project. Participants in the project are encouraged to establish survey sites which other birdwatchers can visit. This will create a network of community sites, thus optimising the amount of data that can be generated at individual sites and addressing the uneven distribution of regularly atlassed sites. We are looking for Atlassers to nominate sites to be included in this network. Go to our current Group Sites:

Choosing your Group Atlas Site

Choose your site so that it is representative of the particular habitat you are surveying. Avoid mixing habitat types in the search area. Though it is tempting, do not automatically select a site which you think will yield the most birds, and try to introduce a degree of randomness into your site selection.

Select the most suitable survey method. Though most Group Atlas Sites will require 2-hectare searches, sometimes this method is not the best survey option, and another technique will be more appropriate at the site. For example, monitoring a wetland may be best done by using an area search, or, when monitoring a threatened species, surveying along transects may be preferred. (Guidelines for monitoring threatened species will be available soon.)

Registering your Group Atlas Site

For a site to be registered as a Group Atlas Site, there are a few things we need to know. When registering a site, please provide us with:

  • GPS co-ordinates of the site
  • A mud map of the site, showing its boundaries, and it should include instructions on how to get there
  • A description of the site, and mention any special survey characteristics, such as if the site is a wader roost
  • Instructions on the preferred survey method to be used at the site (this will generally be a 2-hectare search)
  • A photo of the site, though this is an optional extra
  • Who owns the land the site is on; are there any visiting restrictions and is special permission required? If so, provide contact details.

This information will be included on the Birdata website to enable other birdwatchers to visit the site and conduct Atlas surveys there, so, when compiling the information, put yourself into the shoes of a stranger to make sure that a future visit by others will be as painless as possible.