BirdAnalyst
Species · BCR 37 · BBS 2025 Release · 1966–2024

Great Blue Heron In Gulf Coastal Prairie

All regionsGulf Coastal PrairieWetland birds

Great Blue Heron in Gulf Coastal Prairie has risen sharply: up 59% on the route-weighted index since 1969.

+59%Since 1969
48Routes In Region
57Years

Notable Signals

long arc increasecomputed index

Great Blue Heron has risen sharply in Gulf Coastal Prairie: up 59% on the route-weighted index since 1969.

Forecast

If the recent trend holds, Great Blue Heron in Gulf Coastal Prairie is projected to rise about 24% by 2029 — from 2.0 in 2024 to a central estimate of 2.5 (95% range 0.91–4.2). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±55.4%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

+24%Change by 2029
2.5Projected 2029 index
0.91–4.295% range
±55.4%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
20252.50.904.1
20262.50.904.2
20272.50.904.2
20282.50.914.2
20292.50.914.2

Routes In Gulf Coastal Prairie

Routes recording Great Blue Heron in Gulf Coastal Prairie.
Gran ChenierLOUISIANA151982
MauriceLOUISIANA82024
Ville PlatteLOUISIANA72019
Ltl Chenier 2LOUISIANA72011
Bayside 2TEXAS72004
RichardLOUISIANA62024
WoodlawnLOUISIANA62021
Lag AtascosaTEXAS62024
Padre Island PaisTEXAS52015
HackberryLOUISIANA42016
Grand IsleLOUISIANA42019
Bayside 3TEXAS42024
Sabine Nwr 2LOUISIANA32017
Forked IslandLOUISIANA32024
Vinton 2LOUISIANA32024
Forked Island 2LOUISIANA32011
WinnieTEXAS32023
StowellTEXAS32023
Loyola BeachTEXAS32009
ChinquapinTEXAS32024
Oyster LakeTEXAS32024
Moon LakeTEXAS32011
Loyola Beach 2TEXAS32023
L. Atascosa NwrTEXAS32023
LafitteLOUISIANA21991

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