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

Western Cattle-Egret In Prairie Potholes

All regionsPrairie PotholesWetland birds

Western Cattle-Egret in Prairie Potholes has surged: up 154% on the route-weighted index since 1994.

+154%Since 1994
18Routes In Region
30Years

Notable Signals

long arc increasecomputed index

Western Cattle-Egret has surged in Prairie Potholes: up 154% on the route-weighted index since 1994.

Forecast

If the recent trend holds, Western Cattle-Egret in Prairie Potholes is projected to rise about 138% by 2028 — from 0.10 in 2023 to a central estimate of 0.25 (95% range 0.00–0.66). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±633.2%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

+138%Change by 2028
0.25Projected 2028 index
0.00–0.6695% range
±633.2%Backtest error
19802028
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
20240.230.000.64
20250.240.000.65
20260.240.000.65
20270.240.000.65
20280.250.000.66

Routes In Prairie Potholes

Routes recording Western Cattle-Egret in Prairie Potholes.
BroadlandSOUTH-DAKOTA222012
White LakeSOUTH-DAKOTA162011
Big StoneMINNESOTA62008
Horsehead LkNORTH-DAKOTA42014
ForbesSOUTH-DAKOTA42012
GettysburgSOUTH-DAKOTA42023
Lake GeorgeNORTH-DAKOTA32022
FormanNORTH-DAKOTA22008
BuchananNORTH-DAKOTA22005
Sheyenne LkNORTH-DAKOTA22023
BraddockNORTH-DAKOTA22011
Crow CreekSOUTH-DAKOTA22023
KanawhaIOWA12004
TenneyMINNESOTA11980
DanzigNORTH-DAKOTA12000
MontpelierNORTH-DAKOTA12006
HowardSOUTH-DAKOTA11993
Long LakeSOUTH-DAKOTA12018

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