Terrestrial Birds - Waterton Lakes - Forest

Birds are the most diverse of land vertebrates and are an important indicator of ecosystem health. Large protected areas, such as Waterton Lakes National Park, provide important habitat for a wide range of bird species. Data collected can provide a number of ecological indices; for example, used to assess the effects of land use and climate change. Yearly data are collected at these sites using audio recorders to determine indices of bird diversity and occupancy trends to inform management.