North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS)

The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), which is coordinated by the Biological Resources Division and Canadian Wildlife Service, is a primary source of population trend and distribution information for most species of North American birds. The BBS was initiated during 1966 by Chan Robbins and his associates at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center to monitor the populations of all breeding bird species across the continental U.S., Canada, and Alaska. Approximately 2200 skilled observers participate in the survey each year. The BBS has accumulated 30 years of data on the abundance, distribution, and trends for more than 400 species of birds. These data are widely used by researchers, various federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations, and the general public. Analyses of BBS data by PWRC statisticians have been instrumental in the development of innovative approaches for analyzing trends of wildlife populations.