BirdAnalyst
BBS Route · Illinois · BCR 22

Essex Bird Survey Route

A standard 50-stop Breeding Bird Survey route. 78 species recorded across 50 survey years, still active.

78Species 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 →
50Years SurveyedYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →
1969–2025Span
8Observers

Bird Species Found on Illinois Essex

Top 40 of 78 species by most recent count. Each links to its species trend.

Species recorded on the Essex 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 BlackbirdIcteridae1152025-8%1971
American RobinTurdidae1112025+813%1971
Common GrackleIcteridae1032025+10%1971
House SparrowPasseridae382025-80%1971
European StarlingSturnidae372025-74%1971
Brown-headed CowbirdIcteridae202025+350%1973
Barn SwallowHirundinidae202025+192%1971
KilldeerCharadriidae142025+500%1973
Mourning DoveColumbidae132025+129%1971
Eastern MeadowlarkIcteridae132025+121%1971
Vesper SparrowPasserellidae122025+500%1972
Northern CardinalCardinalidae82025+600%1976
Canada GooseAnatidae82025n/an/a
Ring-necked PheasantPhasianidae62025-90%1971
Chimney SwiftApodidae62025+33%1972
Cliff SwallowHirundinidae62025-57%2015
Rock PigeonColumbidae52024-76%1971
Wood DuckAnatidae51995n/an/a
American CrowCorvidae42025-84%1971
American GoldfinchFringillidae42025+0%1971
Song SparrowPasserellidae42025+15%1971
Northern House WrenTroglodytidae42025+110%1975
Chipping SparrowPasserellidae42025+125%1981
Belted KingfisherAlcedinidae41990+300%1985
Cedar WaxwingBombycillidae42019+200%2014
MallardAnatidae32025-25%1974
Blue-winged TealAnatidae31979n/an/a
Eurasian Collared-DoveColumbidae32025+100%2014
Red-headed WoodpeckerPicidae22025-20%1971
Savannah SparrowPasserellidae22014-50%1972
Grasshopper SparrowPasserellidae22001-74%1971
Purple MartinHirundinidae21991+33%1975
Northern BobwhiteOdontophoridae22014+33%1972
Yellow-billed CuckooCuculidae22018-29%1977
Bank SwallowHirundinidae22006+100%1971
Eastern Screech-OwlStrigidae21974+100%1972
Eastern Wood-PeweeTyrannidae22019+67%1994
Northern Rough-winged SwallowHirundinidae22025+50%1980
Eastern PhoebeTyrannidae22019+100%2015
Horned LarkAlaudidae12025-89%1971

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