Breeding Bird Survey

monitoring the health of our summer species

Many of Our Breeding Birds
Contributed by many NOU members

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