Here are some definitions for the different method options:

- Mist-netting or mark-resighting: Birds are individually marked and either recaptured or resighted over time

- Point/Transect counts: Observers either stand at a single point or travel a predetermined transect at a constant pace and record detections of birds

- Nest monitoring: Nests are visited more than once to determine nest fate and/or productivity

- Individual/Nest counts: Counts of individuals or nests not meeting the definition for Point/Transect counts (for example, many aerial nest surveys and colony counts)

- Area searches: Timed searches in defined areas which do not involve moving at a constant pace

- Territory mapping: Behavioral cues (e.g., singing males) and often nest locations are used to delineate unique territories. 

Statistical design score

- Very low: Monitoring points were not randomly located and no method to account for detectability 

- Low: Randomly located points but no method to account for detectability

- Medium: Monitoring points not randomly located but there are methods to account for detectability

- High: Randomly located points and methods to account for detectability

Coordination score

- Low: Monitoring only a region within a state

- Medium: Monitoring state-wide

- High: Monitoring across multiple states or across a single BCR

- Very high: Monitoring at national or international scales

 Management relevance score

- Very low: probability of informing managment in next 5 years is slim to none

- Low:  It is possible but not likely that program will inform managment in next 5 years 

- Medium:  Program will probably inform managment in the next 5 years

- High: It is extremely likely that program will inform managment in next 5 years 

Data management score

- Very low: Data are not stored electronically

- Low: Data files are stored offline on a computer but not backed up

- Medium: Data are stored offline and are backed up regularly

- High: Data are stored in a state agency system or in an online regional database  

This message comes from the answer to the statistical design question on how monitoring points/areas were established. Unless sites are randomly located either throughout the area of interest, in strata, or in areas where the species could occur, monitoring results only apply to the surveyed sites/habitats. For example, if monitoring sites/areas are only in the best places to find a species, then results only apply to the best places and not all areas where the species could occur.

It is very unlikely that any monitoring program will detect all species occuring in a given area. Generating species lists typically requires combining information from multiple sources. Monitoring programs targeted at specific species can be helpful for documenting rare and hard to find species while programs recording all species can help provide a sample of the larger bird community