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

Hooded Merganser In Prairie Potholes

All regionsPrairie PotholesWaterfowl

Hooded Merganser in Prairie Potholes has surged: up 107% on the route-weighted index since 1973.

+107%Since 1973
48Routes In Region
40Years

Notable Signals

long arc increasecomputed index

Hooded Merganser has surged in Prairie Potholes: up 107% on the route-weighted index since 1973.

Forecast

If the recent trend holds, Hooded Merganser in Prairie Potholes is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 0.15 (95% range 0.01–0.28). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±33.5%, with 80% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

+4%Change by 2029
0.15Projected 2029 index
0.01–0.2895% range
±33.5%Backtest error
19682029
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
20250.140.010.27
20260.140.010.27
20270.140.010.28
20280.140.010.28
20290.150.010.28

Routes In Prairie Potholes

Routes recording Hooded Merganser in Prairie Potholes.
Big StoneMINNESOTA82012
ScrantonIOWA42013
RoswellSOUTH-DAKOTA42014
ChandlerMINNESOTA32019
FormanNORTH-DAKOTA32022
CarpioNORTH-DAKOTA32003
DenbighNORTH-DAKOTA32022
KanawhaIOWA21992
GluekMINNESOTA22004
GlyndonMINNESOTA22015
OkleeMINNESOTA22004
BeltramiMINNESOTA22010
FranklinMINNESOTA22014
Lake GeorgeNORTH-DAKOTA22022
CooperstownNORTH-DAKOTA22024
Horsehead LkNORTH-DAKOTA22024
BuchananNORTH-DAKOTA22024
LakotaNORTH-DAKOTA22005
RollaNORTH-DAKOTA22022
NilesNORTH-DAKOTA22013
BraddockNORTH-DAKOTA22014
Turtle MtnsNORTH-DAKOTA22022
RaymondSOUTH-DAKOTA22007
TitonkaIOWA11993
HuntleyMINNESOTA11982

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