BirdAnalyst
BBS Route · Illinois · BCR 22

Athens Bird Survey Route

A standard 50-stop Breeding Bird Survey route. 96 species recorded across 27 survey years, still active.

96Species 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 →
27Years SurveyedYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →
1995–2025Span
3Observers

Bird Species Found on Illinois Athens

Top 40 of 96 species by most recent count. Each links to its species trend.

Species recorded on the Athens 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
Red-winged BlackbirdIcteridae742025-70%1997
House SparrowPasseridae572025-38%1997
American RobinTurdidae492025-12%1997
American CrowCorvidae472025-15%1997
Northern CardinalCardinalidae432025-9%1997
Indigo BuntingCardinalidae372025+46%1997
Common GrackleIcteridae312025-57%1997
Tufted TitmouseParidae302025+0%1997
Brown-headed CowbirdIcteridae252025+18%1997
Mourning DoveColumbidae242025-69%1997
Red-bellied WoodpeckerPicidae212025-46%1997
Chipping SparrowPasserellidae172025+144%1997
European StarlingSturnidae152025-73%1997
Carolina WrenTroglodytidae142025+12%1997
Great Crested FlycatcherTyrannidae132025+138%1997
Eastern Wood-PeweeTyrannidae122025+425%1997
Canada GooseAnatidae122023-22%2014
Yellow-billed CuckooCuculidae112025-50%1997
Eastern MeadowlarkIcteridae112025-44%1997
American GoldfinchFringillidae112025+86%1997
Northern House WrenTroglodytidae112025-24%1997
Blue JayCorvidae102025-60%1997
Warbling VireoVireonidae92025+220%1998
KilldeerCharadriidae72025-6%1997
House FinchFringillidae72025+133%1997
DickcisselCardinalidae72025-73%1997
Downy WoodpeckerPicidae62025+83%1998
Song SparrowPasserellidae62025-42%1997
Cedar WaxwingBombycillidae62023+7%2001
Common YellowthroatParulidae62025+36%1997
Cliff SwallowHirundinidae62025-10%2007
Red-headed WoodpeckerPicidae52025-22%1997
Pileated WoodpeckerPicidae42025+200%2000
Barn SwallowHirundinidae42025-68%1997
American KestrelFalconidae42023+200%1999
Eastern PhoebeTyrannidae42025+125%1999
Blue-gray GnatcatcherPolioptilidae42025+40%2015
Chimney SwiftApodidae32025-92%1997
Eastern KingbirdTyrannidae32025+13%1997
Baltimore OrioleIcteridae32025-67%1998

Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-08-14. A route is a sample, not a census.