Center for Conservation Biology | Creating a Digital Map of Survey Route and Survey Stops in Google Earth

Volunteers can submit survey point locations by creating a digital map using Google Earth. This is the easiest and most preferred format.

Download Google Earth if you already haven’t (free software program) by clicking here.

To draw points and lines in Google Earth:

To add points, click on the Pushpin icon on the toolbar menu at the the top of the screen

Number points 1 through 10 beginning with number 1 for your first stop.

The New Placemark (popup) dialog box appears and a New Placemark icon is centered in the viewer inside a flashing yellow square. Position the Placemark by dragging it to a desired location with your mouse. Approximate the location of the stop as best as possible. Your cursor will change into the shape of a pointing finger when you place your cursor over it – this indicates it is ready for moving and placement.

In the New Placemark dialog box, call the point "Point 1" under "Name" if it is the first point on your route, and list sightings (or lack thereof) in "Description." You can change placemark icon, style, and color in this dialog box if you like. You can later edit the name, description, latitude and longitude, and other properties of a placemark by right-clicking on the placemark and selecting "Properties" from the dropdown bar that appears.

To add a path, click on the Add Path icon on the toolbar menu at the top of the screen, two to the right of the pushpin icon.

The cursor will change to a crosshair icon and a New Path dialog box appears. Click and drag the cursor to create a freeform line or click points to create straight lines and angles. Edit path name and description as well as other path properties in the New Path dialog box.

You can later edit the name, description, and other properties of your path by right-clicking on the path's name on the Places Panel on the left side of the Google Earth window under "My Places", and selecting "Properties" from the dropdown bar that appears.

To save a single file containing all your placemark points:

Right-click on "My Places" on the Places Panel (on the left side of the Google Earth window) and select "Add > Folder...". Name the folder what you would like to call the file containing all your points. (FORMAT???)

On the Places Panel, click and drag each of your placemarks into the folder icon of your newly created folder, so that the point becomes nested below the folder icon.

Highlight the folder on the Places Panel so a shaded bar appears on it.

Click File > Save > Save Place As. The "Save file..." dialog box will appear. Rename the file as the route name and number (e.g., Taylorsville88025) and click the dropdown arrow on the "Save in" bar to save to your harddrive.

Please email this file to mdwils@wm.edu

To save a path as your survey route:

Highlight the path on the Places Panel so that a shaded bar appears on it.

Click File > Save > Save Place As. The "Save file..." dialog box will appear. Rename the file as you like and click the dropdown arrow on the "Save in" bar to save to your hardrive.

Please email this file to mdwils@wm.edu for submission. Please include Nightjar survey on the subject line and route name and number in the body of the email.