The aim of the program is to observe the long-term alterations in the number of the birds durng the breeding season, that reflect the changes in the habitats as well as in the environment at a larger scale. The project has been carried out since 1983 and it is a part of the all-European monitoring project “EUROMONITORING” (9 European countries participate in it). In 1994 it was included in the Estonian national program of biological monitoring. 

The point censuses are carried out on fixed routes, on which 20 count spots have been determined. The distance between the observation spots has to be at least 250 metres. About each spot, the observer also adds the description of the habitat. This is done by selecting one from the list of 22 simplified descriptions of different habitat categories. On each spot, all the bird species that are sighted and heard during a 5-minute period in early morning are registered. The route is walked 1 to 2 times each spring. In addition, a number of routine standards have been set in regard of the conditions of carrying out the observations, in order to ensure that the censuses would take place in as similar conditions as possible each year.