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BBS Route · Montana · BCR 11

Great Falls Bird Survey Route

A standard 50-stop Breeding Bird Survey route. 110 species recorded across 43 survey years, still active.

110Species 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 →
43Years SurveyedYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →
1972–2025Span
7Observers

Bird Species Found on Montana Great Falls

Top 40 of 110 species by most recent count. Each links to its species trend.

Species recorded on the Great Falls 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 LarkAlaudidae942025+7%1977
House SparrowPasseridae462025-45%1977
Western MeadowlarkIcteridae432025+5%1977
Franklin's GullLaridae372024-58%1977
Bank SwallowHirundinidae302022n/an/a
Brewer's BlackbirdIcteridae292025-12%1977
Rock PigeonColumbidae262025+141%1978
Red-winged BlackbirdIcteridae212025+116%1977
Ring-billed GullLaridae192021+192%1987
Brown-headed CowbirdIcteridae182024+10%1978
Mourning DoveColumbidae142025+184%1977
European StarlingSturnidae142025-9%1978
Vesper SparrowPasserellidae142025+33%1977
American RobinTurdidae142025+77%1977
White-faced IbisThreskiornithidae12201912×1998
California GullLaridae92025+119%1979
MallardAnatidae92025+5%1978
Double-crested CormorantPhalacrocoracidae92016+50%1995
Northern ShovelerAnatidae82023-44%1978
Canada GooseAnatidae72025+2%1987
Yellow-headed BlackbirdIcteridae72025-55%1978
Long-billed CurlewScolopacidae72025+163%2001
Ring-necked PheasantPhasianidae62025+113%1979
Savannah SparrowPasserellidae62025-53%1978
GadwallAnatidae52023-73%1978
KilldeerCharadriidae52025-33%1977
Black-billed MagpieCorvidae52025-42%1987
Common GrackleIcteridae52025+288%1978
Barn SwallowHirundinidae52025-75%1977
Violet-green SwallowHirundinidae51973-29%1972
Cedar WaxwingBombycillidae52002+100%1994
Marbled GodwitScolopacidae42025+167%1978
WilletScolopacidae42023+25%1979
Upland SandpiperScolopacidae42025+11%1978
Grasshopper SparrowPasserellidae42025+200%1986
Common MerganserAnatidae41995+200%1986
Cliff SwallowHirundinidae42009-88%1980
Eurasian Collared-DoveColumbidae42025+71%2018
Blue-winged TealAnatidae32023-57%1979
Cinnamon TealAnatidae32018-50%1980

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