Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship Network (MAPS)

Military lands provide some of the best remaining habitat for migratory bird species of concern, especially in the heavily developed mid-Atlantic region. The Department of Defense (DOD) plays a significant role in the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) network, supporting over 20% of the 500+ monitoring stations throughout the U.S. The MAPS program collects accurate population trend and demographic data on breeding birds providing valuable insight about breeding productivity and annual survivorship. MAPS works in tandem with landscape modeling and analysis techniques to provide accurate data on habitat conditions including variation from climate change or local weather events. MAPS data is collected by means of a constant-effort mist-netting technique that identifies temporal and spatial patterns in demographic indices at a variety of scales ranging from the local landscape to the entire continent. Currently, MAPS data is used by DOD and US Forest Service land managers to inform management recommendations for maintaining and creating quality bird habitat on federal lands. MAPS data is also used to evaluate new or existing management practices and their effect on local bird populations.