BirdAnalyst
Species · BCR 18 · BBS 2025 Release · 1966–2024

Black-billed Magpie In Shortgrass Prairie

All regionsShortgrass PrairieGeneralists

Black-billed Magpie in Shortgrass Prairie has fallen sharply: down 60% on the route-weighted index since 1969.

-60%Since 1969
67Routes In Region
57Years

Notable Signals

long arc declinecomputed index

Black-billed Magpie has fallen sharply in Shortgrass Prairie: down 60% on the route-weighted index since 1969.

Forecast

If the recent trend holds, Black-billed Magpie in Shortgrass Prairie is projected to fall about 41% by 2029 — from 0.96 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.57 (95% range 0.00–2.0). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±27.1%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

-41%Change by 2029
0.57Projected 2029 index
0.00–2.095% range
±27.1%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
20250.700.002.2
20260.670.002.1
20270.640.002.1
20280.600.002.1
20290.570.002.0

Routes In Shortgrass Prairie

Routes recording Black-billed Magpie in Shortgrass Prairie.
Doyle BridgeCOLORADO301997
Prospect ValCOLORADO252000
ElbertCOLORADO252024
ArsenalCOLORADO192015
Doyle Bridge 2COLORADO152023
CrawfordNEBRASKA142024
Pine RidgeNEBRASKA142024
VillegreenCOLORADO132006
NinaviewCOLORADO112001
KimballNEBRASKA111978
DaltonNEBRASKA82024
Arsenal 2COLORADO72024
Fort MorganCOLORADO52021
ClovisNEW-MEXICO52001
GilpinCOLORADO42024
Wildhorse LCOLORADO42000
BriggsdaleCOLORADO32005
Last ChanceCOLORADO31989
Adams Co.COLORADO32022
TrincheraCOLORADO32021
GroverCOLORADO32024
BrownsonNEBRASKA32021
FarleyNEW-MEXICO32014
Pine BluffWYOMING31993
PinneoCOLORADO22010

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