BirdAnalyst
BBS Route · Montana · BCR 11

Hay Lake Bird Survey Route

A standard 50-stop Breeding Bird Survey route. 89 species recorded across 28 survey years, still active.

89Species 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 →
28Years SurveyedYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →
1988–2022Span
4Observers

Bird Species Found on Montana Hay Lake

Top 40 of 89 species by most recent count. Each links to its species trend.

Species recorded on the Hay Lake 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 LarkAlaudidae1392022-63%1990
Red-winged BlackbirdIcteridae802022+275%1990
Vesper SparrowPasserellidae742022+27%1990
Brewer's BlackbirdIcteridae572022+50%1990
American White PelicanPelecanidae462017+53%2015
Western MeadowlarkIcteridae382022+0%1990
Savannah SparrowPasserellidae292022+12%1990
Cliff SwallowHirundinidae252022+59%1991
House SparrowPasseridae212022-59%1990
MallardAnatidae202022-27%1991
Northern ShovelerAnatidae172019+422%1991
Franklin's GullLaridae172017+533%2004
American WigeonAnatidae152019-34%1993
Black-billed MagpieCorvidae142022+225%2008
Yellow-headed BlackbirdIcteridae132019+253%1993
European StarlingSturnidae122022+10%1990
Northern PintailAnatidae122019+54%1991
American CootRallidae102018+0%1994
Brown-headed CowbirdIcteridae92022-3%1990
Swainson's HawkAccipitridae82022+7%1990
Blue-winged TealAnatidae82019+38%1993
KilldeerCharadriidae72022+28%1990
Mourning DoveColumbidae72022+767%1990
Ferruginous HawkAccipitridae72022+200%1991
Long-billed CurlewScolopacidae62022+111%1992
Northern HarrierAccipitridae62022+0%1990
Green-winged TealAnatidae62019-9%1993
Clay-colored SparrowPasserellidae62022+86%1992
Thick-billed LongspurCalcariidae52022-80%1990
Marbled GodwitScolopacidae52017+29%1994
Canada GooseAnatidae52017-8%1995
Lark BuntingPasserellidae32004-94%1989
American AvocetRecurvirostridae32019-41%1993
Barn SwallowHirundinidae32021-61%1991
RedheadAnatidae32003+50%1994
Common GrackleIcteridae32022+225%2016
Rock PigeonColumbidae22022+84%1990
Eastern KingbirdTyrannidae22022+0%1990
American CrowCorvidae22021-56%1990
Chestnut-collared LongspurCalcariidae22022-98%1990

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