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<p style="line-height:100%;margin-bottom:0in;background:transparent"> After a couple of years of development, eBird is beginning to
implement a new approach for handling records of non-native species,
which will provide significant improvements to our understanding of
the spread of non-native species across the globe. It will
substantially improve the value of eBird data for scientists,
conservationists, land managers and others who study and track
impacts of non-native species on ecosystems, native species and our
environment.</p>
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</p>
<p style="line-height:100%;margin-bottom:0in;background:transparent"><b>What will change?</b></p>
<p style="line-height:100%;margin-bottom:0in;background:transparent">All species in eBird
will be categorized as either <u><b>Native</b></u> or <u><b>Exotic</b></u>
in a region, depending on whether there is evidence that their
occurrence is due to anthropogenic means (Exotics) or whether their
occurrence is as a result of natural processes (Native). This
distinction is important, as typically the rate and the pace of
human-assisted spread of species is much greater than from natural
processes, resulting in very different impacts to ecosystems and
native species. Species categorized as Exotic are further separated
into three candidates in each region: Naturalized, Provisional and
Escapee.
</p>
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<p style="line-height:100%;margin-bottom:0in;background:transparent"><u><b>Naturalized</b></u>
species were introduced by humans in various ways, and have
subsequently established self-sustaining populations. They will
continue to count in eBird lists. In the Pacific Northwest, examples
of Naturalized species include European Starling, Chukar, and Rock
Pigeon. Some species, such as Mountain Quail are categorized as
Native in Oregon and in the Blue Mountains of southeast Washington,
and as Naturalized in the Puget Trough, based on historical records
of occurrence and of releases.</p>
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</p>
<p style="line-height:100%;margin-bottom:0in;background:transparent"><u><b>Provisional</b></u>
species include two different types of records: either species that
were clearly introduced Northern Bobwhite on the prairies of south
Puget Sound, where small populations seem to persist but there is
likely ongoing supplementation from hunter releases, and of the
latter the historical reports of Mountain Quail in Klickitat,
Skamania and Clark counties which might have been the last vestiges
of a native population or might have been the results of failed
release programs. Species listed as Provisional will also count in
eBird checklists.</p>
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</p>
<p style="line-height:100%;margin-bottom:0in;background:transparent"><u><b>Escapees</b></u>
are just that, birds that are known or considered highly likely to be
either intentionally or inadvertently released from captivity. One
frequent example is the numerous reports of Northern but have not
clearly become established or species whose origin is uncertain as
the evidence does not support either human-assisted occurrence or
natural processes. Examples of the former include Bobwhite from
areas where hunters often use them to train their dogs and another is
the Monk Parakeets of Yacolt, which appear to be a handful of
survivors from a release years ago. There are numerous other
examples of this category, including Mandarin Duck, Indian Peafowl and
Northern Cardinal. Escapees will not count in eBird totals, but will
appear at the bottom of personal lists.</p>
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</p>
<p style="line-height:100%;margin-bottom:0in;background:transparent">The initial
categorization, as well as ongoing decisions about changes to
categories, are all made at the regional level, by the review teams.
The review team attempted to make the initial categorization as
consistent as possible with published Washington Bird Records
Committee decisions, and was largely successful at that. However,
from a countability/listing perspective, there are some differences
at present. For example, the WBRC treated the pair of Pink-footed
Goose that wintered in Hoquaim in 2003/4 as origin uncertain, so
their eBird category is Provisional. If the WBRC revises its
treatment based on new information, the eBird category would be
changed to reflect the new WBRC decision. Similarly, the 2019
Eurasian Tree Sparrow at Neah Bay is treated as Provisional in eBird,
since the WBRC determined the origin could not be determined with
certainty. Neither species appears on the state list maintained by
the WBRC (<a href="https://wos.org/records/checklist/" style="color:rgb(0,0,128)">https://wos.org/records/checklist/</a>),
but both will appear on the eBird state list as Exotic: Provisional.
The WBRC has had some initial discussions about this difference, but
has not developed a position on it yet.</p>
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</p>
<p style="line-height:100%;margin-bottom:0in;background:transparent"><b>Implementation:</b></p>
<p style="line-height:100%;margin-bottom:0in;background:transparent">The first area where
eBirders will see these changes is in Illustrated Checklists and the
Species Maps. Provisional species will be displayed at the end of
the ‘main’ section of the Illustrated Checklist, which will
include Native and Naturalized species. Over time, the Illustrated
Checklists will also display hybrids, in a section following
Provisional species. The Species Maps will use different colors to
display ranges, Purple for Native and Orange for Exotics, and the
user will be able to specify whether to display records of Escapees,
or just of Naturalized and Provisional. These changes should be
implemented in the next few weeks, and will be announced and
described on the eBird website.</p>
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</p>
<p style="line-height:100%;margin-bottom:0in;background:transparent">In the coming
months, listing displays will be changed as well, starting with
personal lists. The Provisional species will be listed after the
Natives and Naturalized, so if you don’t wish to count
Provisionals, it is a simple matter to stop counting at the end of
the main list.
</p>
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</p>
<p style="line-height:100%;margin-bottom:0in;background:transparent"><b>Bottom Line:</b></p>
<p style="line-height:100%;margin-bottom:0in;background:transparent">The bottom line is
that this improvement is long awaited by many, and while it may take
some time to get used to the changes, the enhanced value of eBird
data and the increased flexibility for users make this worth the wait
and worth the adaptation. Why are these changes necessary?
Scientists currently rank the spread of non-native species as one of
the top five threat factors for threatened and endangered species, as
well as a prime threat to the integrity of ecosystems. The current
eBird structure discourages eBird users from reporting non-native
species that have not become established, since all species are added
to an observer’s listing totals. This has been an unfortunate
weakness of eBird, as citizen science projects like eBird provide a
powerful tool for monitoring the spread and establishment of
non-native species.
</p>
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</p>
<p style="line-height:100%;margin-bottom:0in;background:transparent">As you begin to work
with the new approach, the Washington eBird review team welcomes your
input on the initial designation of categories by species by county.
Our initial designations are based on historical research, review of
historical and current data, and WBRC decisions, but that doesn’t
mean that we got everything right on the first attempt and it doesn’t
mean that status and distribution aren’t changing, in some cases
rapidly. Your input will help make sure that the Exotics
designations are both accurate and current. We understand that eBird
will provide a form for suggestions, or drop a note to your local
reviewer with suggestions.</p>
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</p>
<p style="line-height:100%;margin-bottom:0in;background:transparent"><br>
</p>
<p style="line-height:100%;margin-bottom:0in;background:transparent">Bill Tweit</p>
<p style="line-height:100%;margin-bottom:0in;background:transparent"><a href="mailto:bill.tweit@gmail.com" style="color:rgb(0,0,128)">bill.tweit@gmail.com</a></p>
<p style="line-height:100%;margin-bottom:0in;background:transparent">August 1, 2022</p></div></div>