BirdAnalyst
Species · BCR 11 · BBS 2025 Release · 1966–2024

American Coot In Prairie Potholes

All regionsPrairie PotholesWetland birds

American Coot in Prairie Potholes has fallen sharply: down 53% on the route-weighted index since 1969.

-53%Since 1969
101Routes In Region
57Years

Notable Signals

long arc declinecomputed index

American Coot has fallen sharply in Prairie Potholes: down 53% on the route-weighted index since 1969.

Forecast

If the recent trend holds, American Coot in Prairie Potholes is projected to rise about 48% by 2029 — from 3.4 in 2024 to a central estimate of 5.0 (95% range 0.00–13). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±30.2%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

+48%Change by 2029
5.0Projected 2029 index
0.00–1395% range
±30.2%Backtest error
19672029
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
20255.10.0013
20265.10.0013
20275.00.0013
20285.00.0013
20295.00.0013

Routes In Prairie Potholes

Routes recording American Coot in Prairie Potholes.
LakotaNORTH-DAKOTA402009
White LakeSOUTH-DAKOTA352011
Wild RoseNORTH-DAKOTA342024
SydneyNORTH-DAKOTA311983
BuchananNORTH-DAKOTA262024
Long LakeSOUTH-DAKOTA262019
WestbyMONTANA252024
Horsehead LkNORTH-DAKOTA252024
Lakota 2NORTH-DAKOTA252024
ShelbyMONTANA212018
BroadlandSOUTH-DAKOTA192012
WimbledonNORTH-DAKOTA172024
GettysburgSOUTH-DAKOTA172023
SunburstMONTANA122007
Danzig 2NORTH-DAKOTA122024
ForbesSOUTH-DAKOTA112024
Hay LakeMONTANA102018
NilesNORTH-DAKOTA102024
Lake GeorgeNORTH-DAKOTA82022
Powers LakeNORTH-DAKOTA82024
MontpelierNORTH-DAKOTA82024
BraddockNORTH-DAKOTA72022
Lane 2SOUTH-DAKOTA72010
FranklinMINNESOTA62018
WebsterNORTH-DAKOTA62024

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