1. – Module 5 – Count or estimate?
Identifying and Counting Waterbirds in Africa
– Training Course –
– Module 5 – Count or estimate?
This PowerPoint presentation includes few personalised activities. Trainers can therefore add some to suit their needs.
Running the Module
The following factsheets should be handed out during the Module:
“Count or estimate?”: 1 page – S5
This factsheet can be found at the end of the toolkit for trainer: Hecker N., Identifying and Counting Waterbirds in Africa: A toolkit for trainers - Sub-Saharan Africa. ONCFS, Hirundo-FT2E. France.
2015

2. Designed and written by Nathalie Hecker nat.hecker@yahoo.fr
This training course is one of the tools of: Hecker N., Identifying and Counting Waterbirds in Africa: A toolkit for trainers - Sub-Saharan Africa. ONCFS, Hirundo-FT2E. France.
Designed and written by
Nathalie Hecker
Photographs
Steve Garvie
Illustrations
Cyril Girard
Translation
Rachel Wakeham
Richard Lansdown
Module 5 is part of Hecker N., Identifying and Counting Waterbirds in Africa: A toolkit for trainers - Sub-Saharan Africa. ONCFS, Hirundo-FT2E. France.
These tools have been adapted from Hecker N., Identifying and Counting Waterbirds in Africa – A toolkit for trainers -Sub-Saharan Africa. ONCFS, Hirundo-FT2E. France, and « La Mallette Pédagogique » by HECKER, N Formation pour le suivi des populations d’oiseaux d’eau en Afrique sub-saharienne. ONCFS - Tour du Valat, France.
This entire publication (text, photos and illustrations) is licensed by Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA.
Any part of this publication may be copied, used, adapted and distributed for non-commercial purposes, citing the authors’ names and distributing any material produced from this publication under identical or similar license.

3. Technical explanations
Presenting the Module
Technical explanations
Indoor exercises
“Count or estimate?” includes different types of slides:
White background: technical explanations;
Shaded blue / yellow background: indoor exercises, some of which can also be carried out as fieldwork.
The English, French and Latin names of the species shown are given in the notes section of each slide.

4. How to count waterbirds
Knowing how to count waterbirds is:
Knowing when to count and when to estimate
Knowing how to count a small group of birds
Knowing how to estimate a large group
Teaching census methods can be done through three consecutive Modules:
Module 5 – Count or estimate?
Module 6 – How to count a small group of birds
Module 7 – How to estimate the size of a large group
Running these Modules indoors allows trainees to understand and learn basic census techniques and principles. The examples used in the exercises are deliberately simple in order to gradually reveal the technical apects (and difficulties!) to take into account when carrying out a count.
These Modules should be followed by fieldwork because trainees can only master census techniques in real-life situations through considerable training.
Skills the trainer will need
To successfully teach waterbird census methods, the trainer will need a variety of skills. The training should be progressively structured to optimise the trainees’ success step by step and enable them to deal with increasingly complex situations. The trainer should be clear and rigorous. The ability to pass on facts and know-how will be put to the test far more than that of “bird counter”.

5. Objectives of the Module
Count or estimate?
Objectives of the Module
At the end of this Module you will be able to:
List the deciding factors between counting or estimating 
Make a quick decision whether to count or estimate when faced with a given situation
A learner-centred approach
Before learning the actual census methods, the trainees need to know in which situations a group of birds should be counted, and when they should be estimated.
Knowing the deciding factors allows them to choose the best method for different situations.
Different scenarios will be presented so that the trainees can analyse them themselves and develop a “count or estimate” instinct depending on different conditions such as group size and density, bird movements, visiblity and brightness.
Running the Module
General introduction about the difference between counting and estimating:
• Counting birds one at at time, or two at a time, when conditions permit;
• Estimating “in blocks” when conditions do not permit counting.
The trainer should not explain when to use which method, but let the trainees work out, from the exercises, what influences the decision.

6. Procedure: working alone or in groups
Count or estimate?
Indoor exercise
Procedure: working alone or in groups
One trainee examines the scenario, describes what they see and chooses whether to count or estimate, and explains the decision
The decision is discussed with the other trainees
Indoor exercise: “Count or estimate?”
Equipment: photos or diagrams showing different sized birds in flocks and in different conditions, such as poor light or in flight having been disturbed.
Procedure: working alone or in groups
The trainer shows slides of groups of birds;
The trainer sets up the situation by giving extra information not seen in the slide such as “it’s evening and the sun is setting”, or “a herd of animals and some people are heading towards the water where the birds are”;
One trainee examines the scenario, describes what they see and chooses whether to count or estimate, and explains the decision;
The decision is discussed with the other trainees;
The trainer moves on to another scenario to be described by another trainee.
Trainer’s role:
Ensure that the reasoning includes all deciding factors;
Help with the thought process and discussion.

7. Count or estimate?
Photo (Steve Garvie): Curlew Sandpiper - Bécasseau cocorli - Calidris ferruginea
Large numbers (>50), birds are in flight.
The birds are estimated.
Indoor exercise: “Count or estimate?”
See notes for slide 6

8. Count or estimate?
Photo (Steve Garvie): Gull-billed Tern - Sterne hansel - Gelochelidon nilotica
Numbers are < 20, the birds are on the ground and nearby, in a good light.
The birds are counted
Indoor exercise: “Count or estimate?”
See notes for slide 6

9. Count or estimate?
Photo (Steve Garvie): Gull-billed Tern - Sterne hansel - Gelochelidon nilotica
Numbers are < 20, the birds are on the ground and nearby, but the light is very poor.
The birds are counted because there are few birds so counting will be quick.
Indoor exercise: “Count or estimate?”
See notes for slide 6

10. Count or estimate?
Photo (Steve Garvie): Greater Flamingo - Flamant rose - Phoenicopterus roseus
Numbers are < 20, the birds are in flight but close, and the light is good.
The birds are counted.
Indoor exercise: “Count or estimate?”
See notes for slide 6

11. Count or estimate?
Numbers are > 20 (50) , the birds are in flight at a reasonable distance, and the light is good.
An estimate is recommended.
Indoor exercise: “Count or estimate?”
See notes for slide 6

12. Count or estimate? This slide shows an animation.
Numbers are > 20 (50) , the birds are in flight at a reasonable distance, and the light is good.
An estimate is recommended.
Indoor exercise: “Count or estimate?”
See notes for slide 6

13. Count or estimate? This slide shows an animation.
Numbers are < 50, the birds are in flight, far away, and the light is good.
An estimate is recommended.
Indoor exercise: “Count or estimate?”
See notes for slide 6

14. Count or estimate?
Photo (Steve Garvie): Glossy Ibis - Ibis falcinelle - Plegadis falcinellus
Numbers are < 20, the birds are in flight but at a reasonable distance, and the light is good.
The birds are counted.
Indoor exercise: “Count or estimate?”
See notes for slide 6

15. Count or estimate?
Photo (Steve Garvie): Cattle Egret - Héron garde-bœuf - Bubulcus ibis
Numbers are < 50, the birds are perched at a reasonable distance in an average light.
The birds are counted.
If the birds are likely to be disturbed by a vehicle or people, the group should be estimated.
Indoor exercise: “Count or estimate?”
See notes for slide 6

16. Count or estimate?
Photo (Steve Garvie): Greater Flamingo - Flamant rose - Phoenicopterus roseus
Numbers are <30, the birds are on the ground, far away, in an average light.
The birds are counted.
If the birds are likely to be disturbed by a vehicle or people, the group should be estimated.
Indoor exercise: “Count or estimate?”
See notes for slide 6

17. Count or estimate?
Photo (Steve Garvie): Greater Flamingo - Flamant rose - Phoenicopterus roseus
Numbers are <30 , the birds are on the ground at a reasonable distance, but the light is poor.
The group can be estimated or counted.
Indoor exercise: “Count or estimate?”
See notes for slide 6

18. Count or estimate?
Photo (Steve Garvie): Greater Flamingo - Flamant rose - Phoenicopterus roseus
Numbers are <100 , the birds are flying away, at a reasonable distance in good light.
The group can be estimated.
Indoor exercise: “Count or estimate?”
See notes for slide 6

19. Summary of parameters and choice of method Procedure: group work
Count or estimate?
Indoor exercise
Summary of parameters and choice of method
Procedure: group work
Make a summary of the scenarios encountered
Present this summary as a table of “When to estimate? When to count?”
Indoor exercise: Synthesis of parameters and choice of method
Equipment: flipchart or whiteboard.
Procedure: group work
The trainees should produce a summary of the scenarios in a table of “When to estimate? When to count?” specifying the chosen parameters.
Trainer’s role:
Help with the summary and discussion to create a chart similar to the “Count or estimate?” factsheet S5 which should be handed out at the end of the exercise.

20. Count or estimate?
The main questions to be asked when deciding whether to count or estimate are:
What time is available for this census?
What is the approximate group size?
Is the group dense?
Are the birds moving around?
Could a possible or real disturbance disrupt the count?
Is the count site extensive?
Is visibility good?
End of the “Summary of parameters and choice of method” indoor exercise
Trainer’s role:
Comment on the table titled “Count or estimate?” S5 handed out at the end of the exercise.

21. Before counting, always start with an estimate
Count or estimate?
Recommendation
Before counting, always start with an estimate
If at the end of the estimate the conditions are still good, then a count can be done
Trainer’s role:
The trainer will encourage trainees to make an estimate before any counting.
 This habit helps to improve its estimation technique and its accuracy over time.

22. How to count waterbirds?
Knowing how to count waterbirds is:
Knowing when to count and when to estimate
Knowing how to count a small group of birds
Knowing how to estimate a large group
The trainer should introduce the next stage of the course on counting techniques.
Next Module: How to count a small group of birds.

23. Thank you for your attention!
Photo Steve Garvie
Thank you for your attention!