Breeding Bird Survey

monitoring the health of our summer species

Many of Our Breeding Birds
Contributed by many NOU members

Sedge Wren
© Michael Willison
Western Kingbird
© Michael Willison
Bobolink
© Michael Willison
Red-winged Blackbird
© Karen Kader
Carolina Wren
© Kelly Colgan-Azar
Cedar Waxwing
© Phil Swanson
Dickcissel
© Phil Swanson
Barred Owl
© Craig Crews
Eastern Screech-Owl
© Karen Kader
Cerulean Warbler
© Phil Swanson
Eastern Meadowlark
© Michael Willison
Virginia Rail
© Joe Gubyani
American Redstart
© Phil Swanson
Prothonotary Warbler
© John Carlini
Sharp-tailed Grouse
© Phil Swanson
Red-eyed Vireo
© Craig Crews
American Robin
© Patsy McQuade
Henslow’s Sparrow
© Michael Willison
Killdeer
© Ken Shuster
Yellow-throated Vireo
© Phil Swanson
Great Blue Heron
© Craig Crews
Great Horned Owl
© Ken Shuster
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
© Karen Kader
Canada Goose
© Ken Shuster
White-eyed Vireo
© Phil Swanson
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
© Joel Jorgensen
American Bittern
© Janis Paseka
Western Meadowlark
© Mark Brogie
Western Meadowlark
© Craig Crews
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
© Craig Crews
Eastern Bluebird
© Michael Willison
Barn Swallow
© Craig Crews
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
© Ken Shuster
Eared Grebe
© Bob Gerten
American Goldfinch
© Patsy McQuade
Mourning Dove
© Patsy McQuade
Grasshopper Sparrow
© Bob Gerten
Summer Tanager
© Michael Willison
Yellow-breasted Chat
© Michael Willison
White-faced Ibis
© Bob Gerten
Green Heron
© Karen Kader
Brown Thrasher
© Michael Willison
American Avocet
© Justin Rink
Sora
© Ken Shuster
Western Cattle-Egret
© Deb Miller
 
photo by Joel Jorgensen
© Joel Jorgensen
The Breeding Bird Survey began in 1966 and is conducted each June to collect data over time on the health of breeding populations across the United States and Canada.  The 25-mile designated route is run beginning promptly one-half hour before sunrise.  Surveyors stop for three minutes every half mile and record everything seen and heard at that stop.

To be a participant one must be able to identify the birds of the area by sight and especially by song since most of individuals counted will be singing males at this height of the breeding season.

Data collected from observers, including weather conditions as well as species counts, is analyzed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Canadian Wildlife Service, and other biologists such as those working with Partners in Flight.  The data from these surveys is the basis for many avian conservation reports such as the State of the Birds report.
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