Online Database Search User's Guide

Simple Search

• This is a Partial Match search, so please do not use wildcards. You do not need to search for full words; you can search by partial word.
• Example: olinester gets all the records that mention Cholinesterase. Cholinesterase gets more records than cholinesterase activity. Cholinesterase inhibition will not return other similar phrases ('cholinesterase was inhibited'; 'cholinesterase depression') and returns very few records. If you want to run a more complicated search, Use the Advanced Search Form.


• Keyword Search: Keep It Simple. This search looks for the exact literal string you enter in the search form.
  • You can only search for One Keyword each search.
  • Do not use quotation marks or wildcards.
  • Short phrases or single words work best. This is the most broad search method. Searching for a state name will not bring up all records in that state - please use the County or State Search, and see explanation below.


• Bird Search: The bird name does not have to be complete. Searching for hawk will return any bird with hawk in the name. It will ONLY bring up records where those species are officially identified as affected species. You can search by family, genus, or species (common or scientific name). Pull-down menus of bird families and species common names found in AIMS are located on the Advanced Search Form.


• County or State Search: Separate county and state names with a comma, eg Citrus County, FL. You can search by state abbreviation, state name, or partial state name. Searching for carolina will return records from North and South Carolina. If a problem arises, pull-down menus of states and counties with AIMS records are located on the Advanced Search Form. Searching by state can also be used to search by Canadian province.


• Pesticide Search: In this search you can search by pesticide name, type and class. Pull-down menus of Pesticide Types (eg Rodenticide) and Classes (eg Organophosphate) are located on the Advanced Search Form.

If you still have a problem using the AIMS simple search form, please email us.  

Advanced Search

The Advanced Search Form may look daunting, but it's designed to help you navigate the AIMS database. Select at least one criterion to search by. Only records that match ALL of your selection criteria will be displayed in the results. If you search by multiple criteria, there may not be records that match your request. If that is the case, simplify your search by using fewer criteria. Many pull-down menus are used on this form for your convenience.

• Country Selection: The AIMS database includes records from the U.S. and Canada. 'Search all records' is automatically selected - if you do not make a selection, the results may include records from both the U.S. and Canada. You have the option to search only records from the U.S. or records from Canada.
• Select a State or Province: Here you have the option to search by U.S. state or Canadian province.
• Select a County: You cannot select a county unless you have selected a state. Once a state is selected, the county pull-down menu will list all counties within that state that are found in AIMS. You then have the option of selecting a county, or searching all counties in the state.

• Starting in the Year: Here you have the option of entering a starting date for your search. You must enter a 4 digit number (year) in this field. For example, entering '1976' will limit your search to all records occurring in or after 1976. No records from 1975 or before will appear in the results.
• Ending in the Year: Here you have the option of entering an ending date for your search. You must enter a 4 digit number (year) in this field. For example, entering '1995' will limit your search to all records occurring in or before 1995. No records from 1996 or after will appear in the results.

• Select a Bird Family: Here you have the option of searching for birds within a given taxonomic family. Once a family is selected, the species pull-down menu will list the birds within that family that are found in AIMS.
• Select a Bird Species: Here you have the option of searching for any species of bird found in the AIMS database. If a species is not listed, there is no data in AIMS for that species. If you have selected a bird family, the species pull-down menu will list only the birds within that family that are found in AIMS.
• Enter any part of a Bird's Name: Here you have the option of entering any part of a common or scientific bird name.
  • This is a Partial Match search, so please do not use wildcards. You do not need to search for full words; you can search by partial word. To search for any species of hawk, you can use this field to search for hawk. However, any other birds that have 'hawk' in their name will also be included.
  • You may also use this field to search for part of a scientific name. Should you search for a genus, the results will include all species in AIMS from that genus.

  Pesticide Criteria

• Select a Pesticide Class: Here you have the option to limit your search by pesticide chemical class (eg Organophosphate) using the pull-down menu provided. Once a pesticide class is selected, the pesticide pull-down menu will list only the pesticides within that class.
• Select a Pesticide: Here you have the option to limit your search by pesticide using the pull-down menu provided. If you have selected a pesticide class, the pesticide pull-down menu will list only the pesticides within that class.
• Enter any part of a Pesticide Name: Here you have the option of entering any part of a pesticide name.
  • This is a Partial Match search, so please do not use wildcards. You do not need to search for full words; you can search by partial word.
  • If you cannot find a pesticide in the AIMS database, please search the Pesticide Action Network Chemical Search. This search will provide information on the pesticide, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) PC Code which can be used in the AIMS search form.
• Enter a Pesticide's EPA PC Code: Here you have the option of entering the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) PC Code for any pesticide. To get an EPA PC Code for a pesticide, please use the Pesticide Action Network Chemical Search or the EPA Website. This is a Partial Match search, so please do not use wildcards. You can search by partial EPA PC Codes, though it is not recommended.
• Search by Pesticide Type: Here you may use the pull-down menu to search by pesticide type (eg Rodenticide). The pesticide type identifies the type of pests the pesticide is designed to eliminate.
• Pesticide Legality Check Boxes: Here there are four check boxes to identify which categories of Pesticide Use (Legal, Misuse, Abuse, Unknown) should be included in the results. The boxes are all checked as the default, meaning all records will be included. You have the option to un-select any use category you do NOT want included in the results. For example, if you only want to view cases of known legal pesticide use, you should un-check the Unknown, Misuse and Abuse options.

  Certainty Criteria

• Lowest Certainty Ranking to Include: Here you have the option to limit your search by the amount of supporting data available. There are 7 certainty rankings, from Certain to Highly Unlikely. Below is a chart listing each certainty ranking and what it means.

If you still have a problem using the AIMS advanced search form, please email us.
 

Interpreting the Initial Results

When you complete a search form, it will be submitted to the AIMS Database and the results will be displayed for you online. The results webpage will identify your search criteria, and list your results in table format. This table will include all the incidents in AIMS that match your search criteria. The results table will provide general information about each incident that matches your search criteria. It lists the Event ID, Start Date, End Date, State, County, Species, Pesticide, and Sources.

• Event ID: This is the ID number used by AIMS to identify each incident. By clicking on the Event ID, you will be taken to a page with more detailed results on that particular event.
• Start Date: When provided, this is the best known start date of morbidity/mortality of birds associated with the incident.
• End Date: When provided, this is the best known end date of morbidity/mortality of birds associated with the incident.
• State: This is the 2-letter abbreviation for the state or province in which the incident occurred. "NA" is used when a state is not applicable, and "UN" is used when the state in not known.
• County: This is the name of the county in which the incident occurred. "N/A" is used when a county is not applicable, and "Unknown" is used when the county in not known.
• Species: This column lists all the species affected by the incident. Species listed in Red Font are on ABC's Greenlist of high priority birds for conservation efforts.
• Pesticide: This column lists all the pesticides that may have been involved in the incident.
• Sources: This column lists all the sources for the incident. Abbreviated agency or program name, and the ID used by that data source, are provided here.

If you still have a problem interpreting your results, please email us.
 

Interpreting the Detailed Event Information

• The Event ID is listed at the top of the page. This number is used by ABC to identify the event, and may be used in any communications regarding the data or event.
• Navigation buttons are available to help you navigate between records in your search results, or to return to the summary results page.
• Location: If location information on the site of the incident is available in the AIMS database, it is provided here, including State, County, Specific Location, and Land Use.
• Start and End Date: If start or end dates are available in the AIMS database, they are provided here.
• Pesticide Information:
  • Each pesticide that may have been involved in the incident is listed separately.
  • The land use at the site of the pesticide application is provided, if available.
  • Whether the pesticide usage was a legal use is identified. If the pesticide use followed label instructions, it is considered legal (or label) use. If the pesticide use did not follow label instructions but this error was unintentional, it is considered misuse. If the pesticide use intentionally did not follow label instructions, it is considered abuse. Frequently the exact pesticide use cannot be determined, in which case, the legality is unknown.
  • The degree of certainty that the pesticide played a role in causing the incident. In the AIMS Database, the degree of certainty is ranked 1-7 based on the available data. Here those rankings are translated.
    • Certain - Identified chemical residues, gut contents, or bait material and biological or biochemical evidence.
    • Highly Likely - Identified chemical residues in carcass and circumstances clearly indicative of poisoning.
    • Likely - Biological or biochemical evidence and circumstances clearly indicative of poisoning but chemical residues non-detectable or not analyzed.
    • Probable - Biological or biochemical evidence only with no ancillary information.
    • Possible - Circumstances clearly indicative of poisoning such as reports of mass mortality following specific pesticide use but no chemical or biological data available; other causes of death often eliminated; usually without negative chemical analysis and/or Cholinesterase (ChE) data.
    • Unlikely - Evidence of exposure to a pesticide exists, but there are other plausible explanations for the incident that cannot be ruled out, such as disease, starvation, or exposure to other pesticides. This category is often used when residues for more than one pesticide are detected and we are unsure which one was the primary cause of mortality (or sub-lethal effect.)
    • Highly Unlikely - Little, if any, evidence exists supporting the possibility of pesticide exposure as a cause of death and other evidence suggests there were other primary causes unrelated to pesticide exposure.
  • The comments provide the reasons used in selecting the legality and certainty categories used, and provide additional information on how this pesticide relates to the event.
• Species Information: A list of each species affected in this incident is followed by a brief description of the number of birds found and how they were affected. In many cases exact numbers are not known. If no data is provided on how many birds, AIMS only lists 1 bird affected. In some cases, approximations are used. These numbers are identified as approximations.
• Bird Information: For each bird or group of birds that was collected during the incident and studied, a table of information from the exam is available. This information is typically quoted directly from the report. The following information, when available, is provided:
• The common name of the bird species.
• The number of birds examined.
• The sex of the birds.
• The age of the birds.
• Whether a history for the birds is available. (History: A chronological explanation of the events surrounding the incident and the capture of individuals.)
• Whether observations made during the examination are available.
• The Diagnosis, typically provided by the Pathologist investigating the incident.
• Pesticide Implication? Whether or not a pesticide is implicated in the bird morbidity/mortality.
• Analysis Results: Typically Residue Analysis and Cholinesterase Activity Data.

If you still have a question, please email us.