Guild · California · BBS 2025 Release · 1966–2024

Wetland Birds In California

33 species in this guild. As a group they are +22% since 1970.

Guild Signals

No notable trend signals for wetland birds in California. See the full index history below.

Forecast

If the recent trend holds, Wetland birds in California is projected to rise about 117% by 2029 — from 0.71 in 2024 to a central estimate of 1.5 (95% range 0.51–2.6). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±198.5%, with 20% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

+117%Change by 2029
1.5Projected 2029 index
0.512.695% range
±198.5%Backtest error
19682029
Projection of the recent trend (dashed) with 80/95% bands — a projection, not a prediction. Habitat, climate, and land use are not modeled.
YearProjected index95% low95% high
20251.50.472.5
20261.50.482.5
20271.50.492.5
20281.50.502.5
20291.50.512.6

Member Species In California

Wetland birds species in California.
Heermann's GullLaridae-95%
Western GullLaridae-84%
Common GallinuleRallidae-82%
Western GrebePodicipedidae-80%
Black TernLaridae-77%
Pelagic CormorantPhalacrocoracidae-74%
Forster's TernLaridae-60%
Clark's GrebePodicipedidae-34%
American BitternArdeidae-34%
Caspian TernLaridae-33%
Ridgway's RailRallidae-30%
Glaucous-winged GullLaridae-26%
Green HeronArdeidae-10%
Pied-billed GrebePodicipedidae+3%
Ring-billed GullLaridae+8%
Great Blue HeronArdeidae+19%
American CootRallidae+23%
California GullLaridae+26%
Least TernLaridae+26%
Franklin's GullLaridae+45%
Sandhill CraneGruidae+51%
Virginia RailRallidae+64%
Double-crested CormorantPhalacrocoracidae+69%
Eared GrebePodicipedidae+83%
SoraRallidae+94%
Snowy EgretArdeidae+95%
Brandt's CormorantPhalacrocoracidae+109%
Western Cattle-EgretArdeidae+116%
Black-crowned Night HeronArdeidae+152%
American White PelicanPelecanidae+213%
Brown PelicanPelecanidae+525%
White-faced IbisThreskiornithidae24×
Great EgretArdeidae43×

Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22.