BBS Route · Montana · BCR 17
Highwood Bird Survey Route
A standard 50-stop Breeding Bird Survey route. 133 species recorded across 44 survey years, still active.
133Species Recorded
44Years Surveyed
1968–2024Span
8Observers
Bird Species Found on Montana Highwood
Top 40 of 133 species by most recent count. Each links to its species trend.
| History | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin's Gull | Laridae | 900 | 2016 | +387% | 1970 | |
| Western Meadowlark | Icteridae | 93 | 2024 | +107% | 1970 | |
| Red-winged Blackbird | Icteridae | 57 | 2024 | +317% | 1970 | |
| Herring Gull | Laridae | 48 | 1976 | 16× | 1969 | |
| Ring-necked Pheasant | Phasianidae | 44 | 2024 | +96% | 1970 | |
| Wilson's Phalarope | Scolopacidae | 41 | 2024 | +224% | 1971 | |
| Cliff Swallow | Hirundinidae | 38 | 2024 | -59% | 1970 | |
| American Robin | Turdidae | 36 | 2024 | +80% | 1970 | |
| Black-billed Magpie | Corvidae | 30 | 2024 | +40% | 1970 | |
| Mourning Dove | Columbidae | 24 | 2024 | +133% | 1970 | |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | Icteridae | 23 | 2024 | +119% | 1980 | |
| Northern House Wren | Troglodytidae | 21 | 2024 | 21× | 1970 | |
| Eared Grebe | Podicipedidae | 18 | 2013 | +119% | 1995 | |
| Yellow Warbler | Parulidae | 17 | 2024 | +416% | 1970 | |
| Cedar Waxwing | Bombycillidae | 17 | 2023 | +179% | 1979 | |
| Canada Goose | Anatidae | 17 | 2024 | +74% | 2007 | |
| European Starling | Sturnidae | 15 | 2024 | +269% | 1974 | |
| Western Wood-Pewee | Tyrannidae | 15 | 2024 | +980% | 1992 | |
| Green-winged Teal | Anatidae | 14 | 2016 | +107% | 1974 | |
| Rock Pigeon | Columbidae | 13 | 2024 | +7% | 1974 | |
| Eastern Kingbird | Tyrannidae | 12 | 2024 | -29% | 1970 | |
| Killdeer | Charadriidae | 11 | 2024 | -29% | 1970 | |
| Wilson's Snipe | Scolopacidae | 11 | 2024 | 18× | 1973 | |
| Spotted Towhee | Passerellidae | 10 | 2024 | +218% | 1970 | |
| Horned Lark | Alaudidae | 10 | 2024 | +193% | 1971 | |
| Ring-necked Duck | Anatidae | 9 | 1971 | n/a | n/a | |
| Willet | Scolopacidae | 9 | 2017 | +475% | 2006 | |
| Brewer's Blackbird | Icteridae | 8 | 2024 | -82% | 1970 | |
| Vesper Sparrow | Passerellidae | 8 | 2024 | +150% | 1970 | |
| Least Flycatcher | Tyrannidae | 8 | 2024 | +383% | 1976 | |
| American Avocet | Recurvirostridae | 8 | 2024 | +59% | 1996 | |
| Canvasback | Anatidae | 8 | 2014 | -16% | 2008 | |
| Yellow-headed Blackbird | Icteridae | 7 | 2018 | +131% | 1976 | |
| American Goldfinch | Fringillidae | 7 | 2024 | +65% | 1970 | |
| Warbling Vireo | Vireonidae | 7 | 2024 | +240% | 1992 | |
| Sandhill Crane | Gruidae | 7 | 2024 | +267% | 2012 | |
| Song Sparrow | Passerellidae | 6 | 2024 | +333% | 1970 | |
| Ring-billed Gull | Laridae | 6 | 2017 | +550% | 1990 | |
| Common Raven | Corvidae | 6 | 2024 | -20% | 2016 | |
| Mallard | Anatidae | 5 | 2023 | -64% | 1970 |
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. A route is a sample, not a census.