Although there is a general understanding of the current distribution, abundance, and breeding status of birds in Alabama, data from many regions are
incomplete. While Breeding Bird Surveys (BBS) are excellent ways to monitor
the distribution and abundance of breeding birds over time, they do have
limitations (Jackson 2000). An excellent way to supplement BBS data and
improve our knowledge of breeding birds is to assign experienced birders to
specific areas during the breeding season and have them identify and count all
individuals seen and heard, much like what is done during Christmas Bird
Counts (Jackson 2000). Summer Bird Counts (SBC) have been conducted in
counties in Alabama where our understanding of breeding bird distribution and
abundance is inadequate (Jackson 2000, Gardella 2003, 2004). Begun in 2000,
SBC’s have been carried out in conjunction with the Alabama Breeding Bird
Atlas (BBA) project, both to assist the BBA and to obtain quantitative data.
The primary goal of the BBA is to determine the breeding distribution of
species by sampling uniformly distributed 25 km2 (10 mi2) blocks throughout
the state. In June 2004, an SBC incorporating BBA methodology was conducted
in Cullman County and the objective of this paper is to report the findings.