Observational study of bird populations at four sampling points on the Montclair State University campus
Presentation Type
Abstract
Faculty Advisor
Lisa Hazard
Access Type
Event
Start Date
25-4-2025 12:00 PM
End Date
25-4-2025 1:00 PM
Description
Montclair State University is a large college in New Jersey with multiple microhabitats to examine. Four sampling locations were chosen to capture these different habitats. Observations were conducted over multiple days, recording species, count, behaviour, physical characteristics, and weather conditions. Each partner was given one of the sampling areas to take a bird census on by simply observing the area for what birds could be found. An app called Merlin was also used to aid in data collection; Merlin is an app that records and listens to bird sounds around it to identify the birds in an area. There is a pond towards the end of the campus behind a large dormitory called the Villages. This is the sampling site with the most biodiversity, with twenty- eight different species. The sampling site with the most abundance was the edge of campus near the dormitory Dinallo. Dinallo had multiple starling and brown sparrow sightings, with the largest group being twenty-four individual starlings in one instance. The other two sites were the center of campus near the quad and near the campus’s ice rink arena. The pond site has the most trees, the pond itself, and it is away from most of the human traffic. This allowed more species to be present because there is more diversity in that habitat without human interference. The site with the most abundance is behind Dinallo because there is not as much direct human traffic, but many of the advantages generalists gain from being around humans is still available. The generalists gain easy meals from the trash and leftover food people leave, but they can still eat without worry.
Observational study of bird populations at four sampling points on the Montclair State University campus
Montclair State University is a large college in New Jersey with multiple microhabitats to examine. Four sampling locations were chosen to capture these different habitats. Observations were conducted over multiple days, recording species, count, behaviour, physical characteristics, and weather conditions. Each partner was given one of the sampling areas to take a bird census on by simply observing the area for what birds could be found. An app called Merlin was also used to aid in data collection; Merlin is an app that records and listens to bird sounds around it to identify the birds in an area. There is a pond towards the end of the campus behind a large dormitory called the Villages. This is the sampling site with the most biodiversity, with twenty- eight different species. The sampling site with the most abundance was the edge of campus near the dormitory Dinallo. Dinallo had multiple starling and brown sparrow sightings, with the largest group being twenty-four individual starlings in one instance. The other two sites were the center of campus near the quad and near the campus’s ice rink arena. The pond site has the most trees, the pond itself, and it is away from most of the human traffic. This allowed more species to be present because there is more diversity in that habitat without human interference. The site with the most abundance is behind Dinallo because there is not as much direct human traffic, but many of the advantages generalists gain from being around humans is still available. The generalists gain easy meals from the trash and leftover food people leave, but they can still eat without worry.
Comments
Poster presentation at the 2025 Student Research Symposium.