BirdAnalyst
BBS Route · Colorado · BCR 16

Trail Ridge Road Bird Survey Route

A standard 50-stop Breeding Bird Survey route. 67 species recorded across 8 survey years, no longer active.

67Species RecordedSpecies recordedDistinct species detected on standard-protocol BBS runs here across all years on record — a measure of survey breadth, not a complete checklist.Full methodology →
8Years SurveyedYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →
2003–2014Span
3Observers

Bird Species Found on Colorado Trail Ridge Road

Top 40 of 67 species by most recent count. Each links to its species trend.

Species recorded on the Trail Ridge Road route.
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 →TrendPercent 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 →Baseline yearThe first year of the smoothed window the trend is measured from. An earlier baseline means a longer record stands behind the number.Full methodology →History
Horned LarkAlaudidae292014+72%2005
Broad-tailed HummingbirdTrochilidae282014+60%2005
American RobinTurdidae162014+7%2005
American PipitMotacillidae152014-16%2005
White-crowned SparrowPasserellidae142014+26%2005
Tree SwallowHirundinidae142014+169%2005
Mountain ChickadeeParidae132014+480%2006
Green-tailed TowheePasserellidae13201113×2005
Black-billed MagpieCorvidae82014+13%2005
Clark's NutcrackerCorvidae72014+7%2005
Violet-green SwallowHirundinidae72014-12%2005
Red-breasted NuthatchSittidae62007+133%2004
Cassin's FinchFringillidae42013+11%2006
Lincoln's SparrowPasserellidae42011+50%2004
Northern House WrenTroglodytidae42014+0%2005
Pine GrosbeakFringillidae42011+300%2004
Steller's JayCorvidae32014-17%2005
Common RavenCorvidae32014-63%2005
Brown-headed CowbirdIcteridae32004+50%2003
Chipping SparrowPasserellidae32014+25%2005
Northern Rough-winged SwallowHirundinidae32003n/an/a
Hermit ThrushTurdidae32011-17%2005
Barn SwallowHirundinidae32013+80%2006
Pine SiskinFringillidae32014-29%2007
White-breasted NuthatchSittidae32007n/an/a
White-tailed PtarmiganPhasianidae22013+33%2004
Western Wood-PeweeTyrannidae22013+50%2004
Mountain BluebirdTurdidae22007+250%2004
Band-tailed PigeonColumbidae22005+100%2004
American CrowCorvidae22014+33%2006
Red-winged BlackbirdIcteridae22004n/an/a
Brewer's BlackbirdIcteridae22007n/an/a
Brown-capped Rosy-FinchFringillidae22014-33%2011
Vesper SparrowPasserellidae22013+0%2011
Hairy WoodpeckerPicidae22013n/an/a
MallardAnatidae12013-71%2004
Spotted SandpiperScolopacidae12005+0%2003
Hammond's FlycatcherTyrannidae12004+0%2003
Dusky FlycatcherTyrannidae12004+0%2003
Song SparrowPasserellidae12007-33%2004

Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. A route is a sample, not a census.