BirdAnalyst
BBS Route · Montana · BCR 11

Great Falls Bird Survey Route

A standard 50-stop Breeding Bird Survey route. 110 species recorded across 42 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 →
42Years SurveyedYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →
1972–2024Span
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 LarkAlaudidae802024+2%1977
Western MeadowlarkIcteridae412024+4%1977
House SparrowPasseridae412024-44%1977
Franklin's GullLaridae372024-58%1977
Canada GooseAnatidae342024+2%1987
MallardAnatidae312024+28%1978
Bank SwallowHirundinidae302022n/an/a
European StarlingSturnidae272024+21%1978
Rock PigeonColumbidae242022+41%1978
Red-winged BlackbirdIcteridae242024+84%1977
Brewer's BlackbirdIcteridae232024+36%1977
Mourning DoveColumbidae222024+196%1977
Yellow-headed BlackbirdIcteridae212024-49%1978
Ring-billed GullLaridae192021+192%1987
Brown-headed CowbirdIcteridae182024+10%1978
California GullLaridae132023+131%1979
American RobinTurdidae132024+46%1977
White-faced IbisThreskiornithidae12201912×1998
Common GrackleIcteridae102024+325%1978
Grasshopper SparrowPasserellidae102024+186%1986
Northern PintailAnatidae92018-86%1978
Double-crested CormorantPhalacrocoracidae92016+50%1995
Northern ShovelerAnatidae82023-44%1978
Vesper SparrowPasserellidae82024+0%1977
KilldeerCharadriidae72024-18%1977
Ring-necked PheasantPhasianidae72024+63%1979
Long-billed CurlewScolopacidae72024+188%2001
House FinchFringillidae62024+114%1991
GadwallAnatidae52023-73%1978
Violet-green SwallowHirundinidae51973-29%1972
Cedar WaxwingBombycillidae52002+100%1994
WilletScolopacidae42023+25%1979
Upland SandpiperScolopacidae42024-11%1978
Western KingbirdTyrannidae42024+57%1986
Savannah SparrowPasserellidae42024-63%1978
Common MerganserAnatidae41995+200%1986
Cliff SwallowHirundinidae42009-88%1980
Yellow WarblerParulidae42024-74%1986
Common RavenCorvidae42024+100%2002
Eurasian Collared-DoveColumbidae42024+86%2018

Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. A route is a sample, not a census.