Breeding Bird Survey

monitoring the health of our summer species

Many of Our Breeding Birds
Contributed by many NOU members

Henslow’s Sparrow
© Michael Willison
American Redstart
© Phil Swanson
Grasshopper Sparrow
© Bob Gerten
Western Meadowlark
© Craig Crews
Great Blue Heron
© Craig Crews
Sora
© Ken Shuster
White-faced Ibis
© Bob Gerten
Mourning Dove
© Patsy McQuade
Prothonotary Warbler
© John Carlini
Eared Grebe
© Bob Gerten
Barn Swallow
© Craig Crews
Western Cattle-Egret
© Deb Miller
Killdeer
© Ken Shuster
Sharp-tailed Grouse
© Phil Swanson
Green Heron
© Karen Kader
Western Meadowlark
© Mark Brogie
American Avocet
© Justin Rink
White-eyed Vireo
© Phil Swanson
Yellow-breasted Chat
© Michael Willison
American Goldfinch
© Patsy McQuade
Bobolink
© Michael Willison
Virginia Rail
© Joe Gubyani
Eastern Screech-Owl
© Karen Kader
Great Horned Owl
© Ken Shuster
Cerulean Warbler
© Phil Swanson
Eastern Meadowlark
© Michael Willison
Barred Owl
© Craig Crews
Yellow-throated Vireo
© Phil Swanson
Brown Thrasher
© Michael Willison
Eastern Bluebird
© Michael Willison
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
© Craig Crews
Sedge Wren
© Michael Willison
American Bittern
© Janis Paseka
Carolina Wren
© Kelly Colgan-Azar
Canada Goose
© Ken Shuster
Cedar Waxwing
© Phil Swanson
Red-eyed Vireo
© Craig Crews
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
© Joel Jorgensen
Summer Tanager
© Michael Willison
Dickcissel
© Phil Swanson
Red-winged Blackbird
© Karen Kader
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
© Ken Shuster
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
© Karen Kader
American Robin
© Patsy McQuade
Western Kingbird
© Michael Willison
 
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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