BirdAnalyst
BBS Route · Illinois · BCR 22

Columbia Bird Survey Route

A standard 50-stop Breeding Bird Survey route. 116 species recorded across 48 survey years, still active.

116Species 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 →
48Years SurveyedYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →
1966–2025Span
5Observers

Bird Species Found on Illinois Columbia

Top 40 of 116 species by most recent count. Each links to its species trend.

Species recorded on the Columbia 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 BlackbirdIcteridae772025-42%1968
American RobinTurdidae262025+13%1968
House SparrowPasseridae252025-91%1968
Northern CardinalCardinalidae232025+78%1968
Barn SwallowHirundinidae212025-71%1968
Indigo BuntingCardinalidae202025+4%1968
DickcisselCardinalidae182025-48%1968
European StarlingSturnidae172025-71%1968
Song SparrowPasserellidae172025+442%1968
Mourning DoveColumbidae162025-45%1968
Northern MockingbirdMimidae152025-28%1968
KilldeerCharadriidae132025+375%1968
Horned LarkAlaudidae132025-63%1968
Turkey VultureCathartidae13202517×2001
American CrowCorvidae112025+3%1968
Eastern MeadowlarkIcteridae102025-91%1968
Common GrackleIcteridae92025-97%1968
Canada GooseAnatidae92025+100%1991
Black-bellied Whistling-DuckAnatidae92025n/an/a
Purple MartinHirundinidae82025-50%1968
Chipping SparrowPasserellidae82025+467%1970
Tufted TitmouseParidae82025+123%1969
Brown-headed CowbirdIcteridae72025-7%1969
Red-bellied WoodpeckerPicidae62025+825%1968
White-breasted NuthatchSittidae62023+143%1981
Field SparrowPasserellidae52025-80%1968
Eastern BluebirdTurdidae52025+14%1968
Carolina WrenTroglodytidae52025+50%1970
Western Cattle-EgretArdeidae52018-40%1991
Cedar WaxwingBombycillidae52024+156%1993
Northern BobwhiteOdontophoridae42025-91%1968
Chimney SwiftApodidae42025-78%1968
Blue JayCorvidae42025-56%1968
Warbling VireoVireonidae42025+125%1968
Common YellowthroatParulidae42025+12%1968
Yellow-breasted ChatIcteriidae42023+40%1968
House FinchFringillidae42025+240%1994
Red-headed WoodpeckerPicidae32025-54%1968
Eastern KingbirdTyrannidae32025-33%1968
Eastern Wood-PeweeTyrannidae32025+167%1968

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