BirdAnalyst
BBS Route · South Dakota · BCR 17

Custer Bird Survey Route

A standard 50-stop Breeding Bird Survey route. 94 species recorded across 57 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 →
57Years SurveyedYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →
1967–2025Span
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 RobinTurdidae782025+84%1969
Cliff SwallowHirundinidae67202511×1973
Northern Rough-winged SwallowHirundinidae452012+960%1997
Red-winged BlackbirdIcteridae332025+47%1969
American CrowCorvidae252025+610%1971
Common GrackleIcteridae222025+750%1979
Red-breasted NuthatchSittidae212025+373%1969
Western TanagerCardinalidae182025+67%1969
Mountain BluebirdTurdidae182025+89%1970
Brewer's BlackbirdIcteridae172025+164%1969
Warbling VireoVireonidae162025+3%1969
Northern House WrenTroglodytidae132025+514%1979
European StarlingSturnidae132025+300%1975
Western MeadowlarkIcteridae112025-69%1969
Brown-headed CowbirdIcteridae112025+400%1984
Western Wood-PeweeTyrannidae92025-51%1969
House SparrowPasseridae92025-60%1969
Eurasian Collared-DoveColumbidae92025+46%2016
Barn SwallowHirundinidae62025+400%1973
Pinyon JayCorvidae62013n/an/a
Mourning DoveColumbidae52025+108%1969
Red CrossbillFringillidae52025-32%1970
Black-headed GrosbeakCardinalidae52025+233%1979
Violet-green SwallowHirundinidae42025-30%1969
Ruby-crowned KingletRegulidae42025+71%1975
Rock PigeonColumbidae42014+300%1979
Turkey VultureCathartidae42025+17%1982
Red-headed WoodpeckerPicidae32025-13%2017
Blue JayCorvidae32025+100%1970
Chipping SparrowPasserellidae32025-71%1969
Plumbeous VireoVireonidae32025+33%1969
White-breasted NuthatchSittidae32025+175%1977
Hairy WoodpeckerPicidae32025+75%1971
Townsend's SolitaireTurdidae32025+20%1973
Swainson's ThrushTurdidae32025+100%1975
Dusky FlycatcherTyrannidae32025+75%1997
Black-billed MagpieCorvidae21979+100%1971
American GoldfinchFringillidae22024-44%1983
Yellow-breasted ChatIcteriidae22025+100%1986
Black-capped ChickadeeParidae22025-21%1970

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