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IBP winter monitoring projects include the MoSI (Monitoreo de Sobrevivencia Invernal) program across the northern Neotropics and the MAWS (Monitoring Avian Winter Survival) program in temperate North America.

THE MoSI (MONITOREO DE SOBREVIVENCIA INVERNAL) PROGRAM

MoSI featured in winter 2007 issue of Living Bird

Article by Kristi Streiffert on pages 16-23 of the winter 2007 issue highlights MoSI in Nicaragua. If you would like to make a donation to support a MoSI station, please visit our donation page or contact Peter Pyle at ppyle@birdpop.org for more information.

Download the MoSI Manual and data sheets

Results from MAPS and other migratory bird research suggest that conditions experienced by birds on their wintering grounds affect their survival, spring departure schedules, and subsequent productivity. Although habitat loss and degradation on the wintering grounds may limit populations, few data are available to identify important overwintering areas and winter habitat features for most migratory species. In order to fill this data gap, and to complement the MAPS Program, IBP facilitated establishment of the MoSI (Monitoreo de Sobrevivencia Invernal - Monitoring Overwintering Survival) Program in the winter of 2002-03. MoSI is a cooperative effort among organizations, researchers, and bird banders across the northern Neotropics aimed at enhancing our understanding of habitat needs of migratory birds during the non-breeding season.

Extracting birds from a mistnet in Oaxaca, Mexico.
(Photograph courtesy of Manuel Grosselet)

MoSI Program Goals

MoSI is designed to address monitoring, research, and management goals. The monitoring goal of MoSI is to provide estimates of monthly, overwintering, and annual survival rates and indices of late winter physical condition for a suite of 25 landbird species for a variety of habitats and geographic regions. Research goals of MoSI include (1) the statistical modeling of survival and physical condition as functions of age, sex, habitat, geographic location, and weather; (2) linking winter population parameters with breeding season vital rates and population trends; and (3) the development of predictive population models. Management goals of MoSI are to (1) use research results to develop strategies for reversing population declines and maintaining healthy populations, and (2) evaluate management actions through an adaptive management framework. Like MAPS, MoSI relies on the establishment of a geographically extensive network of mist-netting and banding stations to meet program goals. MoSI cooperators also contribute feather samples to the Center for Tropical Ecology at UCLA for molecular analyses aimed at linking breeding and wintering populations (read more here).

MoSI Field Protocol

The basic MoSI field protocol calls for five monthly (November through March) pulses of mist net operation on a 20-ha study area (the MoSI station) established in a habitat of interest where at least one MoSI target species can be captured in substantial numbers. Each pulse of mist netting consists of operating about 16 nets for 2-3 days, yielding 10-15 days of netting during the five-month winter period.

Cape May Warbler
(photo by Kasey Krum and Mark Konop)

MoSI Program Growth and Opportunities for 2008-09

The first 29 MoSI stations were established and operated in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean in 2002-03 with the hard work and dedication of 20 organizations and individual bird banders. With support from the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA) of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the MoSI Program expanded to 63 stations in 2003-04, and at least 60 stations have operated stations in each year through winter 2007-08. These stations have been operated by more than 60 cooperating individuals and organizations in 14 countries. If you are interested in establishing a new MoSI station, please contact José Luís Alcántara (for stations in Mexico), Lety Andino (for stations in Central America), or James Saracco (for stations in the Caribbean region or in South America).

Support a MoSI Station

The biggest stumbling block to maintaining MoSI stations for multiple years, and the biggest challenge to the long-term persistence of the MoSI program, is the ability to meet funding needs.  If you are interested in “adopting” a MoSI station by providing funds to help cover station operation costs, visit our online donation page.  For more information, please contact our MoSI Coordinator, Peter Pyle.

MoSI Training Workshops

In order to aid the recruitment of new stations and to provide training to current MoSI station operators and assistants, MoSI workshops are occasionally held. In addition to training, these workshops provide forums for communication and discussion among MoSI partners. MoSI banding or data-analysis workshops have been held in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia. Please contact Peter Pyle or James Saracco for information on future workshop opportunities.

MoSI Bulletin Board

Because some interested and enthusiastic individuals may lack the experience, expertise, or personnel necessary for program participation, we encourage the establishment of partnerships between prospective MoSI station operators and experienced bird banders willing to assist with training or station operation. To facilitate these partnerships, we have established a bulletin board for proposed (or current) MoSI station operators and volunteer bird banders to contact one another. Potential volunteers with bird banding experience should complete our volunteer web form. Individuals or organizations intending to run (or with interest in running) MoSI stations that need assistance should complete the help wanted web form.

THE MAWS (MONITORING AVIAN WINTER SURVIVAL) PROGRAM

The MAWS program was initiated in 2003 as a four-year pilot project on four southeastern U. S. military installations. MAWS shares goals and protocols with MoSI but targets short-distance migrants and species that are year-round residents of temperate North America. In addition to the MAWS stations operated on military installations, several independent MAWS station operators have contributed data to the MAWS program.

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