Acknowledgments

A Huge Thanks

The Second Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas was made possible by the efforts and financial support of many individuals and organizations who collected data in the field, analyzed data, prepared the results published on this website, provided photographs, and donated time and money.

Throughout, the Second Atlas has been a joint project of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (VDWR), the Virginia Society of Ornithology (VSO), and the Conservation Management Institute (CMI) at Virginia Tech. These partners sincerely thank all the individuals and organizations who contributed to the successful completion of the Atlas, and we hope all are listed here. 

Atlas Planning Committee

During 2013–2014, this committee developed the Atlas plan and generated the proposal that funded Atlas data collection. Steering Committee members were the following:

VDWR: Ruth Boettcher, Jeff Cooper, Gary Costanzo, Becky Gwynn, Sergio Harding, Jay Howell, Jim Husband, Stephen Living, Amy Martin, Lenee Pennington, and Jeff Trollinger.

VSO: Rexanne Bruno, Joe Coleman, Shirley Devan, and Andrew Dolby.

CMI at Virginia Tech: Scott Klopfer

A subset of the committee, comprised of Scott Klopfer from CMI at Virginia Tech, Becky Gwynn and Sergio Harding from the VDWR and Rexanne Bruno from the VSO, hired the Atlas Coordinator.

Data and technical teams

Two early teams worked on initial technical and data questions, including establishing breeding codes, priority species, and protocols, and working with the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology to customize the eBird portal for collecting Atlas data. 

The technical team included Ruth Boettcher, Jeff Cooper, Sergio Harding, Jay Howell, and Susan Watson from the VDWR; Ashley Peele (Atlas Coordinator) from CMI at Virginia Tech; and Lesley Bulluck, Michael Lott, and Bill Williams from the VSO. 

The data team included Andrew Dickerson, Sergio Harding, Lenee Pennington, and Susan Watson from the VDWR; Ashley Peele (Atlas Coordinator) from CMI at Virginia Tech; and Rexanne Bruno from the VSO.

Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas II Steering Committee

The Steering Committee planned and oversaw the five-year data field collection effort, 2016–2020. It was comprised of biologists from the VDWR, as well as board members of the VSO. Steering Committee members were the following:

VDWR: Becky Gwynn, Sergio Harding, Amy Martin, and Jeff Trollinger.

VSO: Rexanne Bruno, Joe Coleman, and Bill Williams.

CMI at Virginia Tech: Scott Klopfer and Ashley Peele (Atlas Coordinator)

During the field data collection period, a team conducted a survey of Atlas volunteers concerning how the Atlas results should be published. The team included Sergio Harding and Rene Valdez from the VDWR, Ashley Peele, and Bill Williams, Joe Coleman, and Rexanne Bruno from the VSO.

Second Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas Final Products Committee

The Atlas Final Products Committee planned and oversaw the publication of the Second Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas during 2020–2025. Committee members represented the three Atlas partners:

VDWR: Sergio Harding, Chair; Becky Gwynn (2020–2021); Jessica Ruthenberg (2020–2023); and Meagan Thomas (2021–2025)

VSO: Daniel Albrecht-Mallinger (2025), Rexanne Bruno, Lisa Koerner Perry, and Dixie Sommers

CMI at Virginia Tech: Austin Kane, Managing Editor (2023–2025) and Ashley Peele

Project Staff

Sergio Harding of the VDWR was the VDWR lead on the project. He was involved with most aspects of the project, from pre-funding planning through to publication. He acted as Project Coordinator of the Final Products phase, working to ensure the quality of the Atlas information and authoring selected portions of the website.

Austin Kane, Managing Editor, worked from CMI at Virginia Tech to prepare the Atlas content for publication and to create the website. She oversaw the work of the Species Account authors, obtained peer review of the Species Accounts, and was the primary editor of all content as well as author of selected portions. 

Ashley Peele worked from Virginia Tech to coordinate the 5-year field data collection, including hiring, training, and overseeing point-count data collection staff, and managing the regional coordinators and field volunteers. After data collection was completed, Ashley conducted the review and clean-up of the field data and the data analysis resulting in files used to generate maps, charts, and other content. Elizabeth Hunter and Kevin Loope assisted in the analysis work. After her departure from Virginia Tech, Ashley continued to participate in the Final Products Committee.

Regional Coordinators, Field Collection

Regional Coordinators recruited and provided guidance to volunteer field data collectors on block sign up and advice for monitoring their areas and helped ensure coverage of the state.

Point Count Survey Technicians

Atlas Field Collection Volunteers and Staff

We thank the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology for hosting data collection through eBird, and the Appalachian Mountains Joint Venture for hosting and helping to develop the Atlas website during the data collection period. Eric Wallace assisted with communications, Mike St. Germain designed the Atlas logo, and Bob Schamerhorn provided brochures and other reports. The VDWR provided Atlas volunteers with free access to Wildlife Management Areas.

Nearly 1,500 individuals and organizations participated in collecting over 5 million field records from 2016 through 2020, including volunteers and field staff.

Additional Data Sources

The Atlas includes data from sources in addition to that derived from the point-count surveys and volunteer field surveys. See the Atlas Methods for a list of organizations providing these data. Sergio Harding compiled and organized the data.

Species Account Reviewers

The following individuals provided peer review for the Species Accounts:

• Dan Albrecht-Mallinger, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
• Richard Bailey, West Virginia Department of Natural Resources
• Ruth Boettcher, VDWR
• Lesley Bulluck, VCU
• Jeff Cooper, VDWR
• Gary Costanzo, VDWR
• Dan Cristol, William and Mary
• Andrew Dolby, University of Mary Washington
• Adam Duerr, Conservation Science Global
• Mike Dye, VDWR
• Nick Flanders, Old Dominion University
• Sergio Harding, VDWR
• Bert Harris, The Clifton Institute
• Steven Hopp , Emory and Henry College
• Elizabeth Hunter, Virginia Tech
• Amy Johnson, Virginia Working Landscapes
• Sarah Karpanty, Virginia Tech
• Marissa Langager, Virginia Tech
• Ben Lewis, VDWR
• Clair Mellinger, Eastern Mennonite University
• Ellison Orcutt, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program
• Ashley Peele, Appalachian Mountains Joint Venture
• Marc Puckett, VDWR
• Robyn Puffenbarger, Bridgewater College
• Andrew Rosenberger, Natural Resources Conservation Service, US Department of Agriculture
• John Spahr, VSO
• Jeff Walters, Virginia Tech
• Alan Williams, Shenandoah National Park, National Park Service

Photographers

Nearly 1,100 photographs for the Species Accounts were provided by 259 photographers, with 24 photographers providing 10 or more photos. Most of the photographers are in Virginia, but some are from as far away as Brazil and Canada. Several are young birders. We thank all of them.

Additionally, several photographers, including Carol Mullen, Faye Cooper, and Laura Mae, and Meghan Marchetti (VDWR), took images that are used on this website.

Atlas Funding

During the preparation for and completion of the field data collection and through the data analysis completed in 2022, the Atlas was funded primarily by the VDWR, with modest contributions from the VSO. 

The publication of the Atlas (2023–2025), including preparation of the Atlas content and development of the website, was funded by the VSO, with extensive in-kind support from the VDWR. 

The VSO and the Atlas Final Products Committee thank the many donors who contributed to the Atlas from 2015 through 2025.

We also thank the VSO Atlas Fundraising Committee: Meredith Bell, Terri Cuthriell, Shirley Devan (ex-officio), Monica Hoel, Diane Lepkowski (ex-officio), Lisa Koerner Perry, Jessica Ruthenberg, Dixie Sommers (chair), and Russell Taylor.