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

Virginia Rail In Prairie Potholes

All regionsPrairie PotholesWetland birds

Virginia Rail in Prairie Potholes has increased: up 36% on the route-weighted index since 1969.

+36%Since 1969
53Routes In Region
48Years

Notable Signals

No notable trend signals for Virginia Rail in Prairie Potholes. See the full index history below.

Forecast

If the recent trend holds, Virginia Rail in Prairie Potholes is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 0.13 (95% range 0.00–0.26). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±97.7%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

+1%Change by 2029
0.13Projected 2029 index
0.00–0.2695% range
±97.7%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
20250.120.000.25
20260.120.000.25
20270.130.000.25
20280.130.000.26
20290.130.000.26

Routes In Prairie Potholes

Routes recording Virginia Rail in Prairie Potholes.
Horsehead LkNORTH-DAKOTA32024
Powers LakeNORTH-DAKOTA32014
ArlingtonMINNESOTA22002
RollaNORTH-DAKOTA22015
NilesNORTH-DAKOTA22023
ReganNORTH-DAKOTA22016
CarpioNORTH-DAKOTA21976
DenbighNORTH-DAKOTA22015
Sheyenne LkNORTH-DAKOTA22022
MontpelierNORTH-DAKOTA22019
WashingtonIOWA12010
HartlandMINNESOTA12005
MaynardMINNESOTA11995
AppletonMINNESOTA12012
GluekMINNESOTA11982
ChokioMINNESOTA12013
GlyndonMINNESOTA12024
WylieMINNESOTA11970
Lake BronsonMINNESOTA11999
FairmontMINNESOTA12017
Big StoneMINNESOTA12005
Ester LakeMONTANA12023
FormanNORTH-DAKOTA12016
WalcottNORTH-DAKOTA11974
SydneyNORTH-DAKOTA11969

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