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

Sandhill Crane In Eastern Tallgrass Prairie

All regionsEastern Tallgrass PrairieWetland birds

Sandhill Crane in Eastern Tallgrass Prairie has surged: up 12× on the route-weighted index since 2000.

12×Since 2000TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →
31Routes In RegionSurvey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
22YearsYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →

Notable SignalsNotable signalsLong-arc shifts the engine flags automatically — sustained declines or increases large enough to stand out from year-to-year noise.Full methodology →

long arc increasecomputed indexTrend sourceWhether the figure is our own computed route-weighted index or an official USGS modeled estimate. The current build labels every trend as computed.Full methodology →

Sandhill Crane has surged in Eastern Tallgrass Prairie: up 12× on the route-weighted index since 2000.

Forecast

If the recent trend holds, Sandhill Crane in Eastern Tallgrass Prairie is projected to rise about 33% by 2029 — from 0.10 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.14 (95% range 0.07–0.20). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±18.3%, with 80% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

+33%Change by 2029TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →
0.14Projected 2029 indexProjected indexThe central forecast of the abundance index if the recent trend continues. A projection of the current trajectory, not a prediction.Full methodology →
0.07–0.2095% range95% rangeThe 95% uncertainty band around the projection at the forecast horizon. The true value should land inside it most of the time.Full methodology →
±18.3%Backtest errorBacktest errorTypical error when we hold out the most recent years, forecast them, and compare to what actually happened. Lower means a more trustworthy projection.Full methodology →
If the recent trend holds, Sandhill Crane in Eastern Tallgrass Prairie is projected to rise about 33% by 2029 — from 0.10 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.14 (95% range 0.07–0.20). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±18.3%, with 80% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.19942029
Projection of the recent trend (dashed) with 80/95% bands — a projection, not a prediction. Habitat, climate, and land use are not modeled.
YearProjected indexProjected indexThe central forecast of the abundance index if the recent trend continues. A projection of the current trajectory, not a prediction.Full methodology →95% low95% rangeThe 95% uncertainty band around the projection at the forecast horizon. The true value should land inside it most of the time.Full methodology →95% high95% rangeThe 95% uncertainty band around the projection at the forecast horizon. The true value should land inside it most of the time.Full methodology →
20250.120.050.18
20260.120.060.19
20270.130.060.19
20280.130.070.20
20290.140.070.20

Routes In Eastern Tallgrass Prairie

Routes recording Sandhill Crane in Eastern Tallgrass Prairie.
Recent countThe raw number of individuals recorded on this route in its most recent survey year. A single-route tally, not a trend.Full methodology →
CaledoniaILLINOIS62021
Lake SummersetILLINOIS52022
BryantIOWA52024
CubaINDIANA32021
Kankakee SandsINDIANA32024
HudsonIOWA32022
KunkleOHIO32024
GeneseoILLINOIS22021
WayneILLINOIS22019
ShannonILLINOIS22015
FairdaleILLINOIS22023
W LafayetteINDIANA22024
Portage 2INDIANA22022
Crown PointINDIANA22018
Davis CornerIOWA22017
LakevilleMINNESOTA22018
AustinMINNESOTA22023
RaymondWISCONSIN22024
SheffieldILLINOIS12022
New LenoxILLINOIS12017
BelleviewILLINOIS12023
JamestownILLINOIS12019
SenecaILLINOIS12024
AldenILLINOIS12023
UnionILLINOIS12017

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