Guild · Virginia · BBS 2025 Release · 1966–2024
Wetland Birds In Virginia
17 species in this guild. As a group they are -77% since 1968.
Guild Signals
guild collapsecomputed index
Wetland birds as a group have collapsed in Virginia, down 77% since 1968.
Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Wetland birds in Virginia is projected to rise about 38% by 2029 — from 1.1 in 2024 to a central estimate of 1.6 (95% range 0.00–4.5). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±227.8%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
+38%Change by 2029
1.6Projected 2029 index
0.00–4.595% range
±227.8%Backtest error
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.6 | 0.00 | 4.5 |
| 2026 | 1.6 | 0.00 | 4.5 |
| 2027 | 1.6 | 0.00 | 4.5 |
| 2028 | 1.6 | 0.00 | 4.5 |
| 2029 | 1.6 | 0.00 | 4.5 |
Member Species In Virginia
| Western Cattle-Egret | Ardeidae | -90% |
| Laughing Gull | Laridae | -79% |
| Royal Tern | Laridae | -76% |
| Black Skimmer | Laridae | -73% |
| Forster's Tern | Laridae | -66% |
| Little Blue Heron | Ardeidae | -66% |
| Yellow-crowned Night Heron | Ardeidae | -64% |
| Green Heron | Ardeidae | -62% |
| Clapper Rail | Rallidae | -61% |
| Black-crowned Night Heron | Ardeidae | -50% |
| Herring Gull | Laridae | -46% |
| Snowy Egret | Ardeidae | -30% |
| Double-crested Cormorant | Phalacrocoracidae | -21% |
| Great Black-backed Gull | Laridae | -11% |
| Great Egret | Ardeidae | -2% |
| Great Blue Heron | Ardeidae | +160% |
| Glossy Ibis | Threskiornithidae | 20× |
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22.