A point count is a methodology used to survey animals. It involves an observer standing at a pre-determined location for specific period of time, counting the individuals they detect. Specifically for birds, this detection can either be aurally or visually. 

To account for error in detecting a species, either because it didn't sing during the survey, or the observer misses it or misidentifies it, distance estimation and duration intervals are used. All these attributes are what define a survey in WildTrax. When the observer detects a species, it is assigned into a distance band, the duration interval it was detected, a species and the abundance (or count of individuals). Each detection becomes an observation.