BirdAnalyst
State · BBS 2025 Release · 1966–2024

South Carolina Breeding Birds

157 species recorded across 51 survey routes, 1966 to 2024. Browse by family or guild below.

South Carolina Bird Population Trends

long arc declinecomputed index

House Sparrow has collapsed in South Carolina: down 96% on the route-weighted index since 1968.

long arc declinecomputed index

Marsh Wren has collapsed in South Carolina: down 95% on the route-weighted index since 1968.

long arc declinecomputed index

European Starling has collapsed in South Carolina: down 94% on the route-weighted index since 1968.

long arc declinecomputed index

Northern Bobwhite has collapsed in South Carolina: down 94% on the route-weighted index since 1968.

long arc declinecomputed index

Red-winged Blackbird has collapsed in South Carolina: down 94% on the route-weighted index since 1968.

long arc declinecomputed index

Eastern Meadowlark has collapsed in South Carolina: down 90% on the route-weighted index since 1968.

How Bird Guilds Are Faring in South Carolina

-96%

Game birds

2 species
-91%

Grassland birds

5 species
-82%

Wetland birds

21 species
-61%

Generalists

12 species
-30%

Aerial insectivores

13 species
-21%

Forest birds

55 species
+129%

Waterfowl

3 species
+153%

Birds of prey

13 species
+222%

Shorebirds

2 species

South Carolina Bird Survey Routes

Browse South Carolina Birds By Family

Each species links to its trend in South Carolina.

Hawks, Eagles & Kites Accipitridae

Broad-winged Hawk -63%Cooper's Hawk -37%Mississippi Kite 15×Red-shouldered Hawk +147%Red-tailed Hawk +6%Swallow-tailed Kite +72%

Larks Alaudidae

Horned Lark -65%

Kingfishers Alcedinidae

Belted Kingfisher -54%

Ducks, Geese & Waterfowl Anatidae

Canada Goose +562%Mallard -31%Wood Duck -58%

Anhingas Anhingidae

Anhinga +128%

Swifts Apodidae

Chimney Swift -77%

Herons, Egrets & Bitterns Ardeidae

Black-crowned Night Heron -66%Great Blue Heron +57%Great Egret -52%Green Heron -56%Little Blue Heron -87%Snowy Egret -16%Tricolored Heron -61%Western Cattle-Egret -55%Yellow-crowned Night Heron -10%

Waxwings Bombycillidae

Cedar Waxwing +39%

Nightjars & Nighthawks Caprimulgidae

Chuck-will's-widow -28%Common Nighthawk -39%Eastern Whip-poor-will +46%

Cardinals & Grosbeaks Cardinalidae

Blue Grosbeak -4%Dickcissel -52%Indigo Bunting -42%Northern Cardinal -21%Painted Bunting -24%Scarlet Tanager +102%Summer Tanager -4%

New World Vultures Cathartidae

Black Vulture +340%Turkey Vulture +528%

Plovers & Lapwings Charadriidae

Killdeer +95%

Storks Ciconiidae

Wood Stork -64%

Pigeons & Doves Columbidae

Common Ground Dove -66%Eurasian Collared-Dove +643%Mourning Dove +8%Rock Pigeon -70%

Crows, Jays & Magpies Corvidae

American Crow +33%Blue Jay -41%Fish Crow +200%

Cuckoos, Roadrunners & Anis Cuculidae

Yellow-billed Cuckoo -23%

Falcons & Caracaras Falconidae

American Kestrel -17%

Finches Fringillidae

American Goldfinch 22×House Finch +988%

Swallows & Martins Hirundinidae

Barn Swallow +398%Cliff Swallow +175%Northern Rough-winged Swallow +239%Purple Martin -59%

Blackbirds & Orioles Icteridae

Boat-tailed Grackle -62%Brown-headed Cowbird +565%Common Grackle -86%Eastern Meadowlark -90%Orchard Oriole -64%Red-winged Blackbird -94%

Yellow-breasted Chat Icteriidae

Yellow-breasted Chat -47%

Shrikes Laniidae

Loggerhead Shrike -85%

Gulls, Terns & Skimmers Laridae

Laughing Gull +145%Least Tern -22%

Mockingbirds & Thrashers Mimidae

Brown Thrasher -46%Gray Catbird -74%Northern Mockingbird -48%

New World Quail Odontophoridae

Northern Bobwhite -94%

Osprey Pandionidae

Osprey +456%

Chickadees & Titmice Paridae

Carolina Chickadee +53%Tufted Titmouse +273%

Wood-Warblers Parulidae

American Redstart -9%Black-and-white Warbler +661%Common Yellowthroat -72%Hooded Warbler -14%Kentucky Warbler +62%Louisiana Waterthrush -35%Northern Parula -33%Ovenbird +351%Pine Warbler +353%Prairie Warbler -45%Prothonotary Warbler -39%Swainson's Warbler +91%Worm-eating Warbler -47%Yellow-throated Warbler +176%

New World Sparrows Passerellidae

Bachman's Sparrow -65%Chipping Sparrow +48%Eastern Towhee -60%Field Sparrow -90%Grasshopper Sparrow -69%Song Sparrow +12%

Old World Sparrows Passeridae

House Sparrow -96%

Cormorants Phalacrocoracidae

Double-crested Cormorant +50%

Pheasants, Grouse & Turkeys Phasianidae

Wild Turkey +756%

Woodpeckers Picidae

Downy Woodpecker +35%Hairy Woodpecker -85%Pileated Woodpecker +48%Red-bellied Woodpecker +2%Red-cockaded Woodpecker +92%Red-headed Woodpecker +21%

Gnatcatchers Polioptilidae

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher +297%

Rails, Gallinules & Coots Rallidae

Clapper Rail -75%Common Gallinule +175%

Sandpipers & Allies Scolopacidae

American Woodcock -53%

Nuthatches Sittidae

Brown-headed Nuthatch +26%White-breasted Nuthatch +353%

Owls Strigidae

Barred Owl -29%Eastern Screech-Owl -53%Great Horned Owl +6%

Starlings & Mynas Sturnidae

European Starling -94%

Ibises & Spoonbills Threskiornithidae

Glossy Ibis +20%White Ibis -26%

Hummingbirds Trochilidae

Ruby-throated Hummingbird -65%

Wrens Troglodytidae

Carolina Wren +8%Marsh Wren -95%Northern House Wren +61%

Thrushes Turdidae

American Robin -11%Eastern Bluebird +105%Wood Thrush -82%

Tyrant Flycatchers Tyrannidae

Acadian Flycatcher -4%Eastern Kingbird -47%Eastern Phoebe +562%Eastern Wood-Pewee +22%Great Crested Flycatcher +4%

Vireos Vireonidae

Blue-headed Vireo +428%Red-eyed Vireo +7%White-eyed Vireo +143%Yellow-throated Vireo +208%

Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22.