Survey Import Data Specification

Files must be uploaded in Comma Separated Values (CSV) format.
Two separate files must be provided: a survey file and a sightings file.
The first row of each file must contain column headings. The columns may be in any order. Unrecognized column names will be ignored.
The supported columns are listed in the tables below:

Columns for survey file
Column Name	Format	Notes
SurveyID	Alphanumeric (max 255 characters)	A survey identifier which must be unique for the selected source. Typically this is a survey ID number from the original system in which the survey was recorded. This important reference is used to trace imported surveys back to their original source. If the survey ID already exists in Birdata for a given source, then the survey will not be imported	Required
Latitude	Decimal degrees (-90 to +90)	Latitude of survey location	Required
Longitude	Decimal degrees (-180 to +180)	Longitude of survey location	Required
AccuracyInMetres	Integer	Accuracy of coordinates in metres	Optional
SurveyPointName	Text (max 255 characters)	Name of survey location or shared site	Required
StartDate	Date (DD/MM/YYYY or YYYY-MM-DD)	Date survey was performed	Required
FinishDate	Date (DD/MM/YYYY or YYYY-MM-DD)	Last date of survey (for multi-day surveys)	Optional
StartTime	Time (HH:MM, 24 hour time)	Time of survey	Optional
DurationInMinutes	Integer	Number of minutes spent surveying. For multi-day surveys, this should be the actual time spent surveying, not the entire survey period. For 2ha 20min surveys, this must be 20.	Optional
NumberOfObservers	Integer	Number of observers participating in survey	Optional
SurveyType	One of: 5_min_point_search 2_ha_non_20_minute_search 2_ha_search area_search_within_500_m area_search_within_5_km bird_list fixed_route_search incidental_search	Survey methodology	Required
UserID	Integer	The observer’s BirdLife user ID (Raiser’s Edge ID). If this cannot be determined, records should be assigned to a ‘dummy’ user.	Required
SurveyNotes	Text	Survey related comments (note: there is also a comments field for individual sightings)	Optional
AllSpeciesRecorded	Boolean (true/false)	Were all species detected during the survey recorded?	Optional
WaterLevel	One of dry below_capacity nearly_empty at_capacity flooding	Water level if applicable	Optional

Columns for sightings file
Column Name	Format	Notes
SurveyID	Alphanumeric (max 255 characters)	This must match the Survey ID for the survey which this sighting belongs	Required
Species	Text	Common name of observed species. The common name must exist in the current Working List of Australian Birds in order for the sighting to be imported.	Required
Count	Integer (or ‘P’)	Number of birds observed. ‘P’ or a blank value will be imported as a presence sighting with indeterminate count. Sightings with counts of zero will not be imported.	Optional
BreedingActivity	One of: none adults_on_nest diagnostic_behaviour nest_with_eggs nest_with_young nonspecific_breeding_activity recently_fledged_young suggestive_behaviour young_out_of_nest	Breeding activity observed	Optional
VettingStatus	One of: accepted accepted_escapee queried rejected unvetted within_range	Vetting status (defaults to unvetted)	Optional
SightingNotes	Text	Sighting related comments	Optional

Birdata support and FAQs