BirdAnalyst
BBS Route · New Mexico · BCR 35

Bitter Lake Bird Survey Route

A standard 50-stop Breeding Bird Survey route. 74 species recorded across 31 survey years, still active.

74Species 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 →
31Years SurveyedYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →
1994–2025Span
3Observers

Bird Species Found on New Mexico Bitter Lake

Top 40 of 74 species by most recent count. Each links to its species trend.

Species recorded on the Bitter 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
Cassin's SparrowPasserellidae1042025-66%1996
Mourning DoveColumbidae852025+10%1996
House SparrowPasseridae732025+384%1996
Scaled QuailOdontophoridae652025+342%1996
Northern MockingbirdMimidae612025+41%1996
Great-tailed GrackleIcteridae45202513×1999
Western KingbirdTyrannidae442025+49%1996
Blue GrosbeakCardinalidae292025+69%1996
Rock PigeonColumbidae212023+600%2017
Common NighthawkCaprimulgidae152025-41%1996
Eurasian Collared-DoveColumbidae152025+900%2007
Western MeadowlarkIcteridae132025-81%1996
Black-throated SparrowPasserellidae132025-4%1997
Ash-throated FlycatcherTyrannidae122025+13%1996
White-winged DoveColumbidae102025+360%2009
Burrowing OwlStrigidae82025+250%1996
Red-winged BlackbirdIcteridae82025+180%1996
Chihuahuan MeadowlarkIcteridae82025-90%1996
Swainson's HawkAccipitridae72025+10%1996
Long-billed CurlewScolopacidae72017+350%2006
Common RavenCorvidae62024+325%2001
Bullock's OrioleIcteridae52025-76%1996
Turkey VultureCathartidae42025-64%1996
Horned LarkAlaudidae42025-87%1996
Loggerhead ShrikeLaniidae42025-41%1996
Scissor-tailed FlycatcherTyrannidae42024+14%2011
Wild TurkeyPhasianidae42022+67%2018
Red-tailed HawkAccipitridae32025+75%1998
Brown-headed CowbirdIcteridae32022-85%1996
Lark SparrowPasserellidae32025-61%1996
Barn SwallowHirundinidae32025-59%1996
Greater RoadrunnerCuculidae32025+40%1999
Crissal ThrasherMimidae32025+75%2004
Painted BuntingCardinalidae32025+133%2005
KilldeerCharadriidae22025-79%1996
Northern BobwhiteOdontophoridae22016-67%1996
Chihuahuan RavenCorvidae22024+70%1996
MallardAnatidae22021-40%1996
House FinchFringillidae22024-38%2007
Curve-billed ThrasherMimidae22025+80%2005

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