North American Breeding Bird Survey

The North American Breeding Bird Survey monitors the status and trends of bird populations across North America.

pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/index.cfm
North American Breeding Bird Survey homepage screenshot

About North American Breeding Bird Survey

The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is a long-term, large-scale cooperative monitoring program operated by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Eastern Ecological Science Center and Environment Canada’s Canadian Wildlife Service. It is designed to track the status and trends of North American bird populations.

Data collection follows a rigorous standardized protocol, with thousands of participants gathering observations along thousands of randomly established roadside routes across the continent. The program compiles and delivers population data and trend analyses for more than 400 bird species for use by conservation managers, researchers, and the general public.

Key features

  • Tracks status and trends of North American bird populations
  • Collects data via thousands of randomly established roadside routes
  • Provides population trend analyses for over 400 bird species
  • Offers downloadable raw survey results for public use
  • Lists vacant routes for new participant recruitment
  • Provides learning tools for BBS survey participants
Best for: The program is most useful for conservation managers, scientists, and members of the public seeking North American bird population trend data.
Good for
  • Long-term, large-scale monitoring with standardized data collection protocols
  • Covers population trend data for more than 400 North American bird species
  • Raw survey results and analyzed data are publicly available for download

North American Breeding Bird Survey at a glance

Type
Website
Pricing
Not confirmed. Check the site
Platforms
Web
Open source
Not stated
Last checked
Oct 7, 2026 · Online when checked
Listed
Oct 5, 2026

North American Breeding Bird Survey alternatives

Tools and sites you could use instead, ranked by how closely they match.

All 24 alternatives

Popular in Climate & Environmental Data

Well-known listings from the same topic.

All 150

North American Breeding Bird Survey FAQ

What is the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS)?
It is a large-scale, long-term cooperative monitoring program that tracks the status and trends of North American bird populations, run by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Eastern Ecological Science Center and Environment Canada’s Canadian Wildlife Service.
How is BBS data collected?
Data is gathered by thousands of participants along thousands of randomly established roadside routes across North America, following a rigorous standardized protocol.
Who can access BBS population data and trend analyses?
Compiled population data and trend analyses are available for use by conservation managers, scientists, and the general public.
Is something wrong or out of date?

Tell us and an editor will check it.

Own this website?

Claim the listing and suggest updates yourself. An editor checks every claim first.

Claim this listing