BirdAnalyst
BBS Route · North Carolina · BCR 28

Highlands Bird Survey Route

A standard 50-stop Breeding Bird Survey route. 73 species recorded across 28 survey years, still active.

73Species 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 →
1994–2025Span
4Observers

Bird Species Found on North Carolina Highlands

Top 40 of 73 species by most recent count. Each links to its species trend.

Species recorded on the Highlands 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
Hooded WarblerParulidae462025+54%1998
Red-eyed VireoVireonidae332025+42%1998
Black-throated Green WarblerParulidae282025+68%1998
OvenbirdParulidae182025-19%1998
Wood ThrushTurdidae172025-23%1998
Blue-headed VireoVireonidae152025+29%1998
Tufted TitmouseParidae142025+39%1998
American CrowCorvidae132025-8%1998
Acadian FlycatcherTyrannidae122025+48%1998
Carolina ChickadeeParidae122025+42%1999
Eastern TowheePasserellidae112025-7%1998
Northern ParulaParulidae112025+10%1998
Swainson's WarblerParulidae112025+167%2001
Black-and-white WarblerParulidae102025+225%1998
Chestnut-sided WarblerParulidae102015+675%1998
Yellow-throated WarblerParulidae102025+44%2007
Northern CardinalCardinalidae82025+47%1998
Indigo BuntingCardinalidae82025-71%1998
Carolina WrenTroglodytidae82025+7%1998
Red-breasted NuthatchSittidae82025+240%2001
Scarlet TanagerCardinalidae72025+7%1998
American RobinTurdidae72025-27%1998
Eastern PhoebeTyrannidae62025+157%1998
Song SparrowPasserellidae62025-19%1998
Chimney SwiftApodidae52025+100%2019
Blue JayCorvidae52025+50%1998
Worm-eating WarblerParulidae52025+157%1998
Mourning DoveColumbidae42025-75%1998
Blackburnian WarblerParulidae32025+20%1998
Pileated WoodpeckerPicidae32025-55%1999
Common RavenCorvidae32024+75%2004
Hairy WoodpeckerPicidae22025+75%2005
American GoldfinchFringillidae22024+0%1998
Rose-breasted GrosbeakCardinalidae22015+50%2011
Brown ThrasherMimidae22025+0%1999
Broad-winged HawkAccipitridae22025+133%2012
VeeryTurdidae22017-14%2008
Red-bellied WoodpeckerPicidae22025-20%2012
Downy WoodpeckerPicidae12025+67%1998
Eastern Wood-PeweeTyrannidae12014+20%2000

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