eBird - What are Complete and Incomplete Checklists ? (1 Viewer)

[Thegeezer9999]

I am a little confused as to why some of my checklists are marked as complete and some are not (a minority) ? What designates when a list is completed and how can I see which are complete and which are not (I could not find a way to differentiate) ?

Thank you

 

[raymie]

A complete checklist includes every single bird species detected by the observer during the duration of the checklist. In incomplete checklist includes only some of the species.

Generally, Cornell only analyzes complete checklists for most purposes for which they pull data off of eBird.

 

[Thegeezer9999]

Thank you

Tbh, I always try to only submit complete so will have to review why these are shown as incomplete.

 

[raymie]

Thank you

Tbh, I always try to only submit complete so will have to review why these are shown as incomplete.

The way eBird determines complete vs incomplete is that you specify this when you submit a checklist. If one of your checklists is marked as incomplete, it's because you marked it as such.

The only exception to this is incidental checklists, which are always incomplete since they are not a survey of the birds present and are simply incidental sightings.

 

[Jim M.]

The significance of complete checklists is that, in contrast to incomplete checklists, they are evidence of the absence from a site of species not recorded. So they provide much more useful information about bird distribution.

Here's the definition from eBird help: "A Complete Checklist is any eBird list where birding was your primary purpose, and every species you could identify to the best of your ability, by sight and/or sound, is reported. You need not have counted all the individuals you saw - though accurate counts are always preferred! As long as you aren’t intentionally leaving any species* off your list, you’re submitting a complete checklist."

Complete Checklists and Birding as Your Primary Purpose

 

[Georgebirds]

You have to select Yes or No to specify if each list is complete or not (just above the Submit button), but No is pre-selected by default so you have to change to Yes - easy to overlook/forget when submitting so that could easily be how you've accidentally got some marked as incomplete. I still forget to click the dot over to Yes now and then, and have to edit them later when I notice.

 

[raymie]

You have to select Yes or No to specify if each list is complete or not (just above the Submit button), but No is pre-selected by default so you have to change to Yes - easy to overlook/forget when submitting so that could easily be how you've accidentally got some marked as incomplete. I still forget to click the dot over to Yes now and then, and have to edit them later when I notice.

No is not selected by default. No option is selected by default, but one of the options is required to be selected by the user before the checklist can be submitted.

 

[Georgebirds]

Oh, I must be thinking of some other site and muddling the two, I'd delete my misleading post only it's quoted now so I don't think taking it off would fully get rid of the incorrect info!

 

[WACCOE]

I started having problems on my eBird app a few days ago it's not letting me select yes to confirm my sightings so my checklists are incomplete,but I can do using the normal website so I've deleted them and redone them this way.
Anyone else got this problem?
Also won't let me enter minutes if a do a checklist from earlier or a previous day.

 

[njlarsen]

Usual question with this kind of problem: have you tried deleting the app and then reinstalling? Did your phone just install some rogue update that screwed something up? Could you check for updates in the ebird app to see if there is one correcting interaction problems?
Niels

 

[WACCOE]

When I look on the hot spots map I can no longer see some of my checklists, Just got back from Thailand and when I had a look there is no pins for my hotel from me or previous birders for checklists despite seeing them previously,individual species show up when you the use the species map though including my sightings. Two of my checklists are there for Thailand at another location just up he coast twenty minutes away seems strange to me anybody have an explanation for this.

 

[Jim M.]

No is not selected by default. No option is selected by default, but one of the options is required to be selected by the user before the checklist can be submitted.

"No" for the complete list question is selected by default under certain listing protocols, e.g. if you selected "incidental" as your type of checklist.

 

[njlarsen]

When I look on the hot spots map I can no longer see some of my checklists, Just got back from Thailand and when I had a look there is no pins for my hotel from me or previous birders for checklists despite seeing them previously,individual species show up when you the use the species map though including my sightings. Two of my checklists are there for Thailand at another location just up he coast twenty minutes away seems strange to me anybody have an explanation for this.

Is this hotel a hotspot? what exactly process are you using for seeing the pins?
Niels

 

[WACCOE]

The hotspot map on the explore option,I'm not sure what is classed has a hotspot too be honest?

 

[njlarsen]

What is the name of the hotel?

 

[WACCOE]

Apsara Beachfront resort and Villa. Khuekkhak, Phang Nga, TH (8.722, 98.236) is the actual location I used.

 

[njlarsen]

Apsara Beachfront resort and Villa. Khuekkhak, Phang Nga, TH (8.722, 98.236) is the actual location I used.

If you have used the parenthesis as the location for your list, then the list will not be assigned to a hotspot but to a private location. Private location checklists are not visible in the Hotspot map. Species included in private lists are included in species maps.

There does not seem to be a hotspot close to the Apsara, nearest one seems to be the actual Pakarang Cape. I have added red lines where I see hotspots.

If there were a hotspot already at the same location, then you could update the location to be the hotspot. Given that there is none, keeping it as a private location is fine.
Niels

 

[WACCOE]

Thanks my checklists at the Cape Pakarang are there the ones I could see.