BirdAnalyst
State · BBS 2025 Release · 1966–2024

Iowa Breeding Birds

165 species recorded across 39 survey routes, 1967 to 2024. Browse by family or guild below.

Iowa Bird Population Trends

long arc declinecomputed index

Western Meadowlark has collapsed in Iowa: down 95% on the route-weighted index since 1969.

long arc declinecomputed index

Grasshopper Sparrow has collapsed in Iowa: down 94% on the route-weighted index since 1969.

long arc declinecomputed index

Bank Swallow has collapsed in Iowa: down 92% on the route-weighted index since 1969.

long arc declinecomputed index

Chimney Swift has collapsed in Iowa: down 87% on the route-weighted index since 1969.

long arc declinecomputed index

Loggerhead Shrike has collapsed in Iowa: down 86% on the route-weighted index since 1969.

long arc declinecomputed index

Horned Lark has collapsed in Iowa: down 86% on the route-weighted index since 1969.

How Bird Guilds Are Faring in Iowa

-67%

Grassland birds

13 species
-58%

Game birds

4 species
-54%

Generalists

11 species
-31%

Wetland birds

12 species
+15%

Forest birds

44 species
+55%

Aerial insectivores

17 species
+305%

Birds of prey

9 species
+540%

Shorebirds

2 species
13×

Waterfowl

5 species

Iowa Bird Survey Routes

Browse Iowa Birds By Family

Each species links to its trend in Iowa.

Hawks, Eagles & Kites Accipitridae

Bald Eagle +306%Cooper's Hawk +244%Northern Harrier +14%Red-tailed Hawk +200%

Larks Alaudidae

Horned Lark -86%

Kingfishers Alcedinidae

Belted Kingfisher -25%

Ducks, Geese & Waterfowl Anatidae

Blue-winged Teal +38%Canada Goose 38×Mallard +195%Northern Shoveler +73%Wood Duck +347%

Swifts Apodidae

Chimney Swift -88%

Herons, Egrets & Bitterns Ardeidae

Great Blue Heron +515%Green Heron -14%

Waxwings Bombycillidae

Cedar Waxwing +644%

Nightjars & Nighthawks Caprimulgidae

Common Nighthawk -24%Eastern Whip-poor-will +349%

Cardinals & Grosbeaks Cardinalidae

Blue Grosbeak +344%Dickcissel -36%Indigo Bunting +79%Northern Cardinal +99%Rose-breasted Grosbeak +12%Scarlet Tanager +17%Summer Tanager +21%

New World Vultures Cathartidae

Turkey Vulture 14×

Plovers & Lapwings Charadriidae

Killdeer +669%

Pigeons & Doves Columbidae

Eurasian Collared-Dove 51×Mourning Dove -7%Rock Pigeon -58%

Crows, Jays & Magpies Corvidae

American Crow -37%Blue Jay -43%

Cuckoos, Roadrunners & Anis Cuculidae

Black-billed Cuckoo -75%Yellow-billed Cuckoo -71%

Falcons & Caracaras Falconidae

American Kestrel +110%

Finches Fringillidae

American Goldfinch -60%House Finch +265%

Swallows & Martins Hirundinidae

Bank Swallow -92%Barn Swallow +16%Cliff Swallow 28×Northern Rough-winged Swallow +2%Purple Martin -26%Tree Swallow 12×

Blackbirds & Orioles Icteridae

Baltimore Oriole -25%Bobolink -76%Brown-headed Cowbird +85%Common Grackle -42%Eastern Meadowlark -27%Great-tailed Grackle -24%Orchard Oriole +189%Red-winged Blackbird +10%Western Meadowlark -95%Yellow-headed Blackbird -43%

Yellow-breasted Chat Icteriidae

Yellow-breasted Chat +377%

Shrikes Laniidae

Loggerhead Shrike -86%

Gulls, Terns & Skimmers Laridae

Black Tern +172%

Mockingbirds & Thrashers Mimidae

Brown Thrasher -57%Gray Catbird +183%Northern Mockingbird +3%

New World Quail Odontophoridae

Northern Bobwhite -68%

Chickadees & Titmice Paridae

Black-capped Chickadee -41%Tufted Titmouse -65%

Wood-Warblers Parulidae

American Redstart 17×Common Yellowthroat -28%Ovenbird -16%Yellow Warbler +201%

New World Sparrows Passerellidae

Chipping Sparrow +645%Eastern Towhee +103%Field Sparrow -52%Grasshopper Sparrow -94%Henslow's Sparrow +293%Lark Sparrow +197%Savannah Sparrow -38%Song Sparrow +5%Swamp Sparrow -59%Vesper Sparrow -65%

Old World Sparrows Passeridae

Eurasian Tree Sparrow 14×House Sparrow -67%

Cormorants Phalacrocoracidae

Double-crested Cormorant -75%

Pheasants, Grouse & Turkeys Phasianidae

Gray Partridge +83%Ring-necked Pheasant -29%Wild Turkey 13×

Woodpeckers Picidae

Downy Woodpecker +43%Hairy Woodpecker +26%Red-bellied Woodpecker +163%Red-headed Woodpecker -61%

Grebes Podicipedidae

Pied-billed Grebe +17%

Gnatcatchers Polioptilidae

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher +28%

Rails, Gallinules & Coots Rallidae

American Coot -77%Sora -4%

Sandpipers & Allies Scolopacidae

Spotted Sandpiper +176%Upland Sandpiper +246%

Nuthatches Sittidae

White-breasted Nuthatch +129%

Owls Strigidae

Barred Owl +65%Eastern Screech-Owl -38%Great Horned Owl -41%

Starlings & Mynas Sturnidae

European Starling -15%

Hummingbirds Trochilidae

Ruby-throated Hummingbird +391%

Wrens Troglodytidae

Carolina Wren +220%Marsh Wren +97%Northern House Wren +9%Sedge Wren +173%

Thrushes Turdidae

American Robin +155%Eastern Bluebird +13%Wood Thrush +468%

Tyrant Flycatchers Tyrannidae

Acadian Flycatcher +23%Eastern Kingbird -30%Eastern Phoebe -44%Eastern Wood-Pewee +14%Great Crested Flycatcher -5%Least Flycatcher -4%Western Kingbird -72%Willow Flycatcher +13%

Vireos Vireonidae

Bell's Vireo +186%Red-eyed Vireo +23%Warbling Vireo +201%White-eyed Vireo +117%Yellow-throated Vireo +69%

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