BirdAnalyst
Species · BCR 22 · BBS 2025 Release · 1966–2024

Great Blue Heron In Eastern Tallgrass Prairie

All regionsEastern Tallgrass PrairieWetland birds

Great Blue Heron in Eastern Tallgrass Prairie has surged: up 223% on the route-weighted index since 1968.

+223%Since 1968
275Routes In Region
58Years

Notable Signals

long arc increasecomputed index

Great Blue Heron has surged in Eastern Tallgrass Prairie: up 223% on the route-weighted index since 1968.

Forecast

If the recent trend holds, Great Blue Heron in Eastern Tallgrass Prairie is projected to rise about 73% by 2029 — from 1.3 in 2024 to a central estimate of 2.3 (95% range 1.4–3.1). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±58.9%, with 40% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

+73%Change by 2029
2.3Projected 2029 index
1.4–3.195% range
±58.9%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
20252.21.33.0
20262.21.43.0
20272.21.43.1
20282.21.43.1
20292.31.43.1

Routes In Eastern Tallgrass Prairie

Routes recording Great Blue Heron in Eastern Tallgrass Prairie.
DecaturINDIANA82024
StetMISSOURI81995
BucyrusKANSAS72024
Ash CreekMINNESOTA72024
HarrisonvilleMISSOURI72023
GulfportILLINOIS62023
FairburyILLINOIS62024
GridleyILLINOIS62024
BotkinsOHIO62019
HumboldtILLINOIS52022
ColumbiaILLINOIS52023
BeaucoupILLINOIS52024
FloraILLINOIS52024
GaryINDIANA51999
MonticelloINDIANA52024
ThorntownINDIANA52024
MelroseKANSAS52023
SenecaKANSAS52022
FilleyMISSOURI52024
McfallMISSOURI52023
KunkleOHIO52024
WayneILLINOIS42024
MelroseILLINOIS41999
ConcordILLINOIS42023
JanesvilleILLINOIS42024

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