Pennsylvania’s
First Breeding Bird Atlas: 1983-1989
In 1981 after Frank Gill’s call to the ornithological community,
Pennsylvania’s birders took note and quickly responded. In
1981 several groups independently suggested a Pennsylvania bird
atlas including State College Bird Club; Terry Master, and Daniel
Klem in Allentown; and Ed Fingerhood in Philadelphia. Shortly after,
a work was begun towards a statewide breeding bird atlas effort.
In 1982 Pennsylvania Audubon overwhelmingly approved a resolution
sponsoring the Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas Project. In 1983
Audubon Chapters around the state quickly took the lead in securing
funds for the project. That same year sufficient interest was generated
in the project and, using volunteers, the pilot atlas season was
officially underway. A planning committee, overseen by Frank Gill,
provided guidance and Ed Fingerhood voluntarily took on the role
of the project coordinator.
The atlas officially began in 1984. The Project Director was Dr.
Frank Gill, Curator of the Academy of Natural Science’s Department
of Ornithology. Project coordinator duties were transferred to Daniel
Brauning. The effort was officially sponsored by the Academy of
Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, Carnegie Museum of Natural History
in Pittsburgh, The Pennsylvania Audubon Council, and The Pennsylvania
Game Commission. Wild Resource Conservation Fund also began supporting
the project, and provided a sound financial base for the duration
of the project. Other financial supporters included Pennsylvania
Game Commission, Richard King Mellon Foundation, The Mclean Contributionship,
Penn-Jersey Subaru, Laurel Foundation, The Rockwell Foundation,
P.H. Glatfelter Company, Bay-Mor Pet Feeds, National Audubon Chapters
and Bird Clubs, as well as many Anonymous and individual donors.
Dan enlisted the aid of some 42 Regional Coordinators who, in turn,
enlisted the aid of more than 2,000 birders to collect data for
what turned out to be nearly 200 bird species found nesting across
4,928 Atlas survey blocks in the state. The collective effort of
all of these individuals over five consecutive full field seasons
(plus two partial seasons in 1983 and 1989) resulted in the best
and most extensive database for Pennsylvania's breeding birds ever
assembled. The results were attractively and extensively summarized
for the public in what still stands as one of the best examples
among the published state atlasses—the Atlas
of Breeding Birds in Pennsylvania edited by Project Coordinator,
Dan Brauning. Most of the species accounts were written by individuals
who had been Regional Coordinators for the project, and the finished
product was published by the University of Pittsburgh Press in 1992.
Next page: The Second
Breeding Bird Atlas
