BirdAnalyst
BBS Route · South Dakota · BCR 17

Custer Bird Survey Route

A standard 50-stop Breeding Bird Survey route. 94 species recorded across 56 survey years, still active.

94Species 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 →
56Years SurveyedYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →
1967–2024Span
3Observers

Bird Species Found on South Dakota Custer

Top 40 of 94 species by most recent count. Each links to its species trend.

Species recorded on the Custer 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
American RobinTurdidae802024+87%1969
Northern Rough-winged SwallowHirundinidae452012+960%1997
Red-winged BlackbirdIcteridae392024+43%1969
American CrowCorvidae242024+580%1971
Common GrackleIcteridae232024+538%1979
Red CrossbillFringillidae212024-31%1970
Red-breasted NuthatchSittidae202024+382%1969
Mountain BluebirdTurdidae202024+75%1970
Cliff SwallowHirundinidae192024+456%1973
Northern House WrenTroglodytidae162024+443%1979
Brewer's BlackbirdIcteridae152024+86%1969
Warbling VireoVireonidae152024-18%1969
Western TanagerCardinalidae132024+48%1969
Western MeadowlarkIcteridae122024-67%1969
Mourning DoveColumbidae112024+92%1969
Barn SwallowHirundinidae112024+360%1973
European StarlingSturnidae92024+171%1975
Chipping SparrowPasserellidae82024-60%1969
House SparrowPasseridae82024-75%1969
Brown-headed CowbirdIcteridae82024+250%1984
Western Wood-PeweeTyrannidae72024-61%1969
White-breasted NuthatchSittidae62024+150%1977
Black-capped ChickadeeParidae62023-7%1970
Hairy WoodpeckerPicidae62024+50%1971
Pinyon JayCorvidae62013n/an/a
Swainson's ThrushTurdidae52024+80%1975
Blue JayCorvidae42024+60%1970
Plumbeous VireoVireonidae42024+33%1969
Song SparrowPasserellidae42024+40%1971
Rock PigeonColumbidae42014+300%1979
Eurasian Collared-DoveColumbidae42024+15%2016
Yellow-breasted ChatIcteriidae32024+100%1986
Red-eyed VireoVireonidae32024-10%1970
Red-naped SapsuckerPicidae32024+433%1976
BobolinkIcteridae32021-40%1981
Brown ThrasherMimidae32017+50%2009
House FinchFringillidae32019-30%2013
Red-headed WoodpeckerPicidae22024-13%2017
Black-billed MagpieCorvidae21979+100%1971
American GoldfinchFringillidae22024-44%1983

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