Guild · Massachusetts · BBS 2025 Release · 1966–2024

Wetland Birds In Massachusetts

13 species in this guild. As a group they are -90% since 1968.

Guild Signals

guild collapsecomputed index

Wetland birds as a group have collapsed in Massachusetts, down 90% since 1968.

Forecast

If the recent trend holds, Wetland birds in Massachusetts is projected to fall about 100% by 2029 — from 0.56 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.00 (95% range 0.00–3.2). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±345.4%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

-100%Change by 2029
0.00Projected 2029 index
0.003.295% range
±345.4%Backtest error
19662029
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
20250.000.003.2
20260.000.003.2
20270.000.003.2
20280.000.003.2
20290.000.003.2

Member Species In Massachusetts

Wetland birds species in Massachusetts.
Herring GullLaridae-96%
Snowy EgretArdeidae-87%
Ring-billed GullLaridae-85%
Common TernLaridae-75%
Great Black-backed GullLaridae-62%
Least TernLaridae-60%
Black-crowned Night HeronArdeidae-39%
American BitternArdeidae-28%
Green HeronArdeidae-22%
Laughing GullLaridae-17%
Great EgretArdeidae+41%
Double-crested CormorantPhalacrocoracidae+100%
Great Blue HeronArdeidae13×

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