Revisit schedule does not affect results of point counts

We compared two fixed-radius point count sampling regimes using two abundan t breeding species. the Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) and the Chestnut-s ided Warbler (Dendroica pensylvanica), in a forested landscape in the south ern Appalachian mountains of Virginia. The same 20 points were counted thre e times under each of two revisiting schedules, either hourly or weekly. an d the maximum and mean number of males recorded. Revisit schedule had no de tectable effect on numbers of either species recorded, regardless of whethe r the fixed radius was 50 or 100 m or whether count duration was 5 or 10 mi n. For juncos, the maximum number of birds detected using an hourly revisit schedule with a 100-m fixed-radius count circle and a 5-min or 10-min coun t duration provided close matches to the density estimated by intensive ter ritory mapping of this color-banded population (0.398 males/ha or 0.298 mal es/ha respectively. versus 0.325 known breeding males/ha). When revisiting count stations is desirable. the use of a l-h revisit schedule provides an economical way to increase number of visits, with no apparent reduction in precision or accuracy of the estimate.