Overview
Project Name
Breeding Bird Survey
Access Level
By Request
Year started
1966
Year Ended
Ongoing
Dataset
Breeding Bird Surveys (50 stops, Canada)
About
Dataset summary
The 1966-2023 North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) dataset contains avian point count data for more than 700 North American bird taxa (species, races, and unidentified species groupings). These data are collected annually during the breeding season, primarily in June, along thousands of randomly established roadside survey routes in the United States and Canada. Routes are roughly 24.5 miles (39.2 km) long with counting locations placed at approximately half-mile (800-m) intervals, for a total of 50 stops. At each stop, a citizen scientist highly skilled in avian identification conducts a 3-minute point count, recording all birds seen within a quarter-mile (400-m) radius and all birds heard. Surveys begin 30 minutes before local sunrise and take approximately 5 hours to complete. Routes are surveyed once per year, with the total number of routes sampled per year growing over time; just over 500 routes were sampled in 1966, while in recent decades approximately 3000 routes have been sampled annually. No data are provided for 2020. BBS field activities were cancelled in 2020 because of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) global pandemic and observers were directed to not sample routes. In addition to avian count data, this dataset also contains survey date, survey start and end times, start and end weather conditions, a unique observer identification number, route identification information, and route location information including country, state, and BCR, as well as geographic coordinates of route start point, and an indicator of run data quality.
Geographic area covered
Canada, United States (excluding Hawaii), Mexico (states bordering the U.S.), and Puerto Rico
Primary species covered
500+ bird species are surveyed by the BBS in the United States and Canada; trends calculated for 504 species, with varying levels of precision (99 with small sample size, 95 with low relative abundance and 84 with high variance in counts.
Goals
The BBS is a cooperative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey's Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and the Canadian Wildlife Service's National Wildlife Research Centre to monitor the status and trends of North American bird populations. Following a rigorous protocol, BBS data are collected by thousands of dedicated participants along thousands of randomly established roadside routes throughout the continent. Professional BBS coordinators and data managers work closely with researchers and statisticians to compile and deliver these population data and population trend analyses on more than 400 bird species, for use by conservation managers, scientists, and the general public.
Methods
Sampling Design
Start points and start direction of routes randomly located within degree block of latitude and longitude
Field methods
Counts are made along roadsides, mostly in May and June in the US and June and early July in Canada. All birds heard or seen by volunteers or professional biologists are recorded at 50, 3-minute stops (point counts) along the 39.4 km roadside route. Stops
QA/QC
Data are collected by individuals who are highly skilled in aural and visual identification of wild birds. The data are then reviewed by area experts for accuracy, with appropriate corrections made, as necessary, in consultation with the observer, reference works, and local area experts.
Analysis methods
Latest analyses are available on Patuxent web site or NWRC web site. US: http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/bbs.html - Canada: http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/mbc-com/
Advice
This database, identified as the North American Breeding Bird Survey Dataset, has been approved for release and publication by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Canadian Wildlife Service of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). Although this database has been subjected to rigorous review and is substantially complete, the USGS and ECCC reserve the right to revise the data pursuant to further analysis and review. Furthermore, it is released on the condition that the USGS, the U.S. Government, the ECCC, and the Canadian Government may not be held liable for any damages resulting from its authorized or unauthorized use. Use of these BBS data should be formally recognized in publications, presentations and other outlets via appropriate citation and acknowledgements. [Citation: Ziolkowski Jr., D.J., Lutmerding, M., English, W.B., M-A.R., 2024, North American Breeding Bird Survey Dataset 1966 - 2023: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P136CRBV.] Additionally, all work using these data should acknowledge the thousands of dedicated U.S. and Canadian participants who annually perform and coordinate the survey. If a publication is to be based on the analysis of BBS data, we encourage you to read and understand these metadata and supporting documents. The National BBS staff are also available to address any questions regarding the collection and presentation of these data. Also, depending on time constraints and other factors, BBS staff may be available to assist with the writing and/or review of the manuscript. It is in the best interest of the BBS program to demonstrate the utility of the data. One way we do this is by posting a BBS-based bibliography. Upon publication of your research, we encourage you to send the National BBS office a quick note with a link to your paper or a pdf copy so we can include it. Thank you for supporting the BBS program and we look forward to learning of your work.
Partners
United States Geological Survey
Citation
United States Geological Survey and Canadian Wildlife Service. 2025. "Breeding Bird Surveys (50 stops, Canada)". Data accessed from NatureCounts, Birds Canada. 10.71842/9vhe-vc53
