# Summary: Marine bird density estimates from Multiple Covariates Distance Sampling (MCDS) analysis for marine bird species in British Columbia from Raincoast Conservation Foundation surveys. # Data attribution and for full analytical details: Fox, CH, Huettmann, FH, Harvey, GKA, Morgan, KH, Robinson, J, Williams, R, Paquet, PC. 2017. Predictions from machine learning ensembles: marine bird density and distribution on Canada's Pacific coast. Marine Ecology Progress Series.566: 199-216. # Data sharing Policy: Attribution non-commercial (CC-BY-NC). # Description Marine bird density estimates per 1 km line transect (BC Albers). Shape file name represents the bird species (e.g., ANMU = Ancient Murrelet). ANMU = Ancient Murrelet BFAL = Black-footed Albatross CAAU = Cassin's Auklet COMU = Common Murre CORM = Cormorants (Brandt's, Double-crested, Pelagic) DARK = Dark shearwaters (Flesh-footed, Short-tailed, Sooty) FTSP = Fork-tailed Storm-petrel GREB = Grebes (Horned, Red-necked, Western) LESP = Leach's Storm-petrel lgGULL = large Larus spp. gulls (California, Glaucous-winged, American, Thayer's) LOON = Loons (Yellow-billed, Common, Red-throated, Pacific) MAMU = Marbled Murrelet NOFU = Northern Fulmar PFSH = Pink-footed Shearwater PIGU = Pigeon Guillemot RHAU = Rhinoceros Auklet RNPH = Red=necked Phalarope SCOT = Scoters (Black, White-winged, Surf) smGULL = small gulls (Black-legged Kittiwake, Bonaparte's, Mew, Sabine's) TUPU = Tufted Puffin Field names represent, using ANMU and BFAL as the examples: - first few fields represent summary fields (i.e., FID, Shape) - SEGID = unique line transect segment ID. Can use this field to join across species files. - VOYAGE = On planned transect (T) or on passage (P), which are unplanned transects. - SPEED = vessel speed (knts). - MO = Month, numeric (1-12). - SegLength = Segment length. Most should = 1 km, but shorter segments have been retained. - Season = Spring (april, may, june), Summer (August), Fall (October, November). - Point_X and Point_Y = x and y coordinates using BC Albers. - Effort = Same as SegLength. - DATE = year-month-day. - YEAR = year. - DAY_YR = Day of the year, beginning with with January 1 = 1. - AREA = Segment length (km) X perpendicular distance (km) from boat for that particular species (unit = km2; identified using MCDS Distance Analysis). - ANMUw_D (all other examples BIRDw_D) = estimated density of Ancient Murrelets along the transect segment (including family groups, see below). Lowercase "w" = birds on water. - ANMUf_D = exception for ANMU family groups. Lowercase "f" = family groups on water (parent(s) with flightless chicks or flightless chicks alone). - BFALs_D (all other examples BIRDs_D) = estimated density of Black-footed ALbatrosses along the transect segment. Lowercase "s" = birds in flight. Note that flying bird density estimates should be used and interpreted with caution.