Term Explanations

arrow-icon  BIODIVERSITY INDEX

Species richness is defined as the number of species that occur in a vegetative community, site,  or ecosystem. Here, species richness is used as a comparative index of biodiversity among sites. High species richness at a site generally means a greater number of habitat types and a more biodiverse site.

The Biodiversity Index for each site is the number of species of birds reported for such sites on the portal eBird (ebird.org).

  WHEELCHAIR ACCESS

An accessible place with wheelchairs: The bathrooms, facilities, and places of interest at such sites are accessible on wheelchairs. There are few or no restrictive elements that prevent full access to facilities and points of interest. These sites may have some areas that are not accessible in wheelchairs.

Difficult access on wheelchairs: Difficult access on a wheelchair but facilities such as bathrooms, interpretation centers, other points of interest at such sites are accessible. These facilities can be located on a relatively steep hill, have difficult parking, or have steps at the entrance. These facilities may have some areas that are not accessible or require wheelchair visitors to use hydraulic lifts that may require the assistance of an operator.

No Wheelchair Access: Not recommended. It is not accessible on wheelchairs due to stairs or other obstacles. The site has facilities and areas of interest without sidewalks that allow access to a wheelchair.

arrow-icon  BIRD & WILDLIFE OBSERVATION

Easy Sites with open habitats in which birds and other wildlife are easy to locate and observe for an extended period of time. These include open bodies of water and their edges, pastures, savannas, beaches, and other habitats generally devoided of tall vegetation.

Moderate Sites with semi-open habitats where birds and other wildlife are relatively easy to locate, but observing them for long periods of time can be a challenge. These include semi-open forests, scrub, forest edges, or a combination of these.

Difficult Habitats of dense forest where birds and other wildlife are difficult to locate and observe for a prolonged period of time. These include the interior dense forests where visibility can be limited.