MSP in the USA

The Pacific Flyway Shorebird Survey is a shorebird monitoring program, coordinated by Point Blue Conservation Science, that began in 2010 as an annual survey for shorebirds overwintering in California. The Pacific Flyway Shorebird Survey’s standardized and centralized approach to monitoring shorebirds over large landscapes was the foundation for the Migratory Shorebird Project. Today, PFSS and MSP are fully integrated to track shorebird populations across all 13 countries of the Pacific coast of the Americas while also supporting on-the-ground education and conservation actions – see the Explore Data and Impact tabs!

PFSS relies on the dedicated support of 100’s of volunteers with a passion for birds and wetland conservation. Their collective efforts cannot be understated, and we are always looking for more dedicated community scientists.

To learn more about volunteering for PFSS in California, Oregon, and Washington, please email Blake Barbaree at bbarbaree@pointblue.org!

Pacific Flyway Shorebird Survey logo

Join the Network

Volunteer to count shorebirds by emailing Blake Barbaree bbarbaree@pointblue.org

Point Blue Conservation Science logo

Do you want to count migrating shorebirds far from the ocean?

Volunteer for the Intermountain West Shorebird Survey covering wetlands and saline lakes across 11 western states in the USA: www.imwss.org

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Time Commitment:
~1-2 days each year to watch the online training video and complete a survey route

Survey Dates:
November 15th to December 15th. Annual survey dates vary by site and are determined by coordinators in September or October.

The best candidates for the project will

  • be able to identify and count flocks of common shorebirds of the Pacific Flyway
  • have their own optics (binoculars and scope)
  • have access to reliable transportation
  • be able to email and enter data online in the Avian Knowledge Network

Surveys available for volunteers (from north to south US):

Washington: Puget Sound, Grays Harbor, Willapa Bay

Oregon: Columbia River estuary, Oregon coast

California: Humboldt Bay, Point Reyes, Tomales Bay, San Francisco Bay, Central Valley, Elkhorn Slough, Morro Bay, Los Angeles and San Diego regions, Salton Sea