This data product contains the quality-controlled, native sampling resolution data from NEON's breeding landbird sampling. Breeding landbirds are defined as “smaller birds (usually exclusive of raptors and upland game birds) not usually associated with aquatic habitats” (Ralph et al. 1993). The breeding landbird point counts product provides records of species identification of all individuals observed during the 6-minute count period, as well as metadata which can be used to model detectability, e.g., weather, distances from observers to birds, and detection methods. The NEON point count method is adapted from the Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions (IMBCR): Field protocol for spatially-balanced sampling of landbird populations (Hanni et al. 2017; http://bit.ly/2u2ChUB). For additional details, see protocol [NEON.DOC.014041](http://data.neonscience.org/api/v0/documents/NEON.DOC.014041vF): TOS Protocol and Procedure: Breeding Landbird Abundance and Diversity and science design [NEON.DOC.000916](http://data.neonscience.org/api/v0/documents/NEON.DOC.000916vB): TOS Science Design for Breeding Landbird Abundance and Diversity. Latency: The expected time from data and/or sample collection in the field to data publication is as follows, for each of the data tables (in days) in the downloaded data package. See the Data Product User Guide for more information. brd_countdata: 120 brd_perpoint: 120 brd_personnel: 120 brd_references: 120

Depending on the size of the site, sampling for this product occurs at either randomly distributed individual points or grids of nine points each. At larger sites, point count sampling occurs at five to ten 9-point grids, with grid centers collocated with distributed base plot centers (where plant, beetle, and/or soil sampling may also occur), if possible. At smaller sites (i.e., sites that cannot accommodate a minimum of 5 grids) point counts occur at the southwest corner (point 21) of 5-25 distributed base plots. Point counts are conducted once per breeding season at large sites and twice per breeding season at smaller sites. Point counts are six minutes long, with each minute tracked by the observer, following a two-minute settling-in period. All birds are recorded to species and sex, whenever possible, and the distance to each individual or flock is measured with a laser rangefinder, except in the case of flyovers.